PNG 410

APPLIED RESERVOIR ENGINEERING

Homework 2
Due: Thursday, February 7th, 2019 in class

Question 1

The following figures are from the paper” Porosity-permeability relationships in

interlayered limestone-dolostone reservoirs,” S. N. Ehrenberg G. P. Eberli M. Keramati
S. A. Moallemi, AAPG Bulletin (2006) 90 (1): 91-114. The figure A is data from a drilling
project off Bahamas while Figure B is data from the Marion plateau in Australia.

a. How would you proceed to analyze whether the data for the data from the Bahamas
drilling project follow the Carmen-Kozeny relationship for porosity and
permeability? Sample as many data from the cross plots as you deem necessary.

𝝓𝒓𝟐
𝒌=
𝟖𝝉
𝟎. 𝟏𝟓 ∗ 𝟎. 𝟏𝟐
𝒌=
𝟖 ∗ 𝟎. 𝟏
𝟎. 𝟐𝟓 ∗ 𝟎. 𝟏𝟐
𝒌=
𝟖 ∗ 𝟎. 𝟏
 b. Based on the analysis of the Bahamas data using Carmen-Kozeny plots, does the
dolostone exhibit different characteristics compared to the limestone?
Yes the dolostone exhibits different characteristics to the limestones.

c. Compare the dolostone characteristics for the Bahamas data to that from the Marion
plateau? Again sample as many points from the cross plot as you deem necessary.
The dolostone from Marion Plateau seem to have less porosity and greater
permeability as dolostone from the Bahamas.

Question 2
The composition of the hydrocarbon gas in a reservoir was determined by laboratory
analysis:
Component Composition (mole fraction)
Methane 0.870
Ethane 0.049
Propane 0.036
Isobutane 0.025
n-butane 0.020

a. Compute the apparent molecular weight, the specific gravity, the composition in
weight fraction and the composition in volume fraction of the gas.

1) The following relationship can be used to converted mole fraction into weight
fraction:
𝒎𝒋 𝒏𝒋 𝑴𝒋 𝑴𝒋
= = 𝒚𝒋
𝒎 𝒏𝑴𝒂 𝑴𝒂
where mj is mass for component j, lb; m is total mass for the gas mixture, lb; nj
is the number of lb moles of component j; n is total number of lb moles of gas
mixture; Mj is molecular weight for component j, lb/ lb mole; Ma is the
apparent molecular weight of the gas mixture, lb/lb mole; yj is mole fraction of
component j in the gas mixture.

Also, the Amagat’s law of partial volume can be used to convert the mole
fraction into volume fraction.
𝑹𝑻
𝑽𝒋 𝒏 𝒋 𝒑
= = 𝒚𝒋
𝑽 𝑹𝑻
𝒏 𝒑

where V j is volume occupied by component j, ft3; V is total volume occupied

by the gas mixture, ft3. This equation implies that the volume fraction is the
 same as the mole fraction as the pressure and temperature of the gas remain
constant.

Molecular Composition
Component weight Mole fraction 𝒚𝒋 𝑴𝒋 Weight fraction Volume fraction

Methane 16 0.870 13.92 0.711 0.870

Ethane 30 0.049 1.47 0.075 0.049
Propane 44 0.036 1.58 0.081 0.036
i-Butane 58 0.025 1.45 0.074 0.025
n-Butane 58 0.020 1.16 0.059 0.020
1.000 𝐌𝐚 𝟏𝟗. 𝟓𝟖 1.000 1.000

b. The reservoir containing the above hydrocarbon gas has an areal extent of 20 square
miles and an average thickness of 100 ft. Reservoir conditions are 180oF and 1500
psia. The formation porosity is 20%. Determine the volume in standard cubic feet
(standard conditions 14.7 psia and 60o F) of gas in the reservoir and the weight of
the gas in the reservoir.
The specific gravity is
𝑴𝒂 𝟏𝟗. 𝟓𝟖
𝜸𝒈 = = = 𝟎. 𝟔𝟕𝟓
𝑴𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝟐𝟗
c. Estimate the coefficient of isothermal compressibility of the above gas at reservoir
conditions of 2000 psia and 180oF. The volumetric behavior of the above gas is
represented by the following equation of state:

RT
VM   B,
p

where B is a constant called the second virial coefficient and VM is the volume per
mole of the gas. Determine the virial coefficient for the above gas.
As the pressure is 350 psi, we can assume the gas is idea gas, then we can use
the following equation to calculate the partial pressure for each component.
𝒑𝒊 = 𝒚𝒋 𝒑
Component y y j p,
j psi
Methane 0.870 304.5
Ethane 0.049 17.15
Propane 0.036 12.60
i-Butane 0.025 8.75
 n-Butane 0.020 7.00

d. Estimate the viscosity of the above gas at 180oF and 2000 psia.

First, we need to calculate the pseuocritical properties of the gas as listed below.
Component yj Tcj , °R y jTcj pcj , psia y j pcj
Methane 0.870 343.3 298.67 666.4 579.77
Ethane 0.049 549.9 26.95 706.5 34.62
Propane 0.036 666.1 23.98 616.0 22.18
i-Butane 0.025 734.5 18.36 527.9 13.20
n-Butane 0.020 765.6 15.31 550.6 11.01
1.000 Tpc 383.27°R ppc 660.77 psia

Question 3

Consider the following geometry and architecture of the reservoir ‘A’.

Producer

5 md

1000 m 50 md
250 m

Injector

500 m

45o

The low permeability streak of thickness 5 m is in the middle of the layer of thickness
15m.
a) Consider the flow gas with properties as in Question 2. At what pressure drop
between the injector and the producer is the direction of flow of gas through the
layer reversed? Assume the reservoir to have a unit cross-sectional area.
660.77 psi

b) Now consider the flow of oil whose specific gravity is 0.795, viscosity is 2.1 cps
and oil FVF is 1.35 rbbls/STB. At what pressure drop is the direction of flow of oil
reversed?
706 psi