METHOD COMPUTES PVT

PROPERTIES FOR GAS

CONDENSATE
Mark P. Walsh
Petroleum Recovery Research Institute
Austin, Tex.
Brian F. Towler
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyo.
A new simple method computes the black-oil PVT properties of gas condensates. The new algorithm represents a
significant improvement over past approaches.
The algorithm is a valuable tool for the reservoir engineer who analyzes gas-condensate reservoirs.
To obtain the so-called black-oil PVT properties (Bo, Bg, Rs, and Rv) of gas condensates, this method requires only data
normally available from a standard constant-volume depletion.
The method is rigorous, direct, and simple and is ideally suited for a spreadsheet. Remarkably, no k-value or equation-ofstate flash calculations are required as in previous methods. The calculations demand only a fraction of the time required
by other methods.

PVT PROPERTIES
The so-called black-oil PVT properties are routinely used in a wide variety of reservoir engineering calculations, ranging
from material-balance calculations to finite-difference numerical simulations.
Differential-vaporization tests are routinely used to determine the fluid properties Bo, Bg, and Rs for black oils. Numerous
authors have discussed how the differential-vaporization data are manipulated to derive Bo, Bg, and Rs.1-5 Obtaining the
black-oil PVT properties for gas condensates and volatile oils is less straightforward because these reservoir fluids require
determination of Rv in addition to Bo, Bg, and Rs.
Rv is the volatile oil-gas ratio and describes the stock-tank-oil content of the reservoir gas phase. Rv is customarily
reported in units of stock-tank barrels of lease-condensate per MMscf of gas. Cook, et al.,6 referred to Rv as the "liquid
content of the gas." Coats7 referred to it as the "oil vapor in the gas."
Rv is not required for black oils because black-oil reservoirs yield negligible lease-condensate production.
Several authors6-8 have shown how Rv is used in finite-difference, modified-black-oil reservoir simulators, and other
references9-12 describe how Rv is used in material-balance calculations.
Several authors have presented methods to determine the black-oil properties for gas condensates.6-8 13 None of these
methods are as quick and direct as the new method. The best available methods are probably described by Coats7 and
Whitson and Torp.13
In Coats' procedure, a multicomponent equation-of-state (EOS) first matches the results of either a laboratory constantvolume depletion (CVD) or constant-composition expansion (CCE). Then with an optimized EOS description, he predicts
the stock-tank-oil and separator-gas yields by flashing the appropriate reservoir-simulated oil and gas mixtures through a
hypothetical separator configuration. The black-oil PVT properties are then computed from the predicted separator yields.
hitson and Torp, on the other hand, start with the high-pressure gas compositions measured from a CVD. They then
estimate the corresponding equilibrium oil compositions and flash the compositions through a hypothetical separator
configuration to predict the stock-tank-oil and separator-gas yields. The compositions are flashed using Standing's kvalues.14 The stock-tank-oil and separator-gas densities are estimated using empirical correlations.16 17 The black-oil
PVT properties are then computed from the predicted separator yields.
While both of these approaches appear to yield reasonable results, neither is as direct or simple as our new method.
Our method requires only five measurements which are taken directly from a standard CVD report:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Oil yield 2. Gas yield

Gas deviation factor
Two-phase z-factor
Retrograde-liquid volume fraction.

These data uniquely determine all black-oil PVT properties of any reservoir fluid, including a gas condensate. The method
does not require k-values, equations-of-state, flash routines, or empirical correlations.

ur algorithm is rigorous, direct and simple. It consists of a series of algebraic equations and can be implemented on a
spreadsheet in a few minutes. This algorithm is a great improvement over other methods. It also underscores the
importance of a CVD to evaluate the phase behavior of gas condensates.
Given the results of a laboratory CVD and limited field production data, this algorithm, together with the generalized
material-balance equation9-12 18 gives reservoir engineers a consistent, laboratory-to-field method to estimate oil and gas
reserves in gas-condensate reservoirs.

ALGORITHM
The goal of the algorithm is to compute: Bo, Bg, Rs, and Rv as a function of pressure, given the following CVD data: GP,
NP, z, z2, and Vo as a function of pressure, where:
Gp = Cumulative produced gas, Mscf
Np = Cumulative produced oil, st-tk bbl
z = Gas deviation factor
z2 = Two-phase z-factor
Vo = Volume fraction of liquid condensate.
The cumulative produced gas is the sum of the gas produced from all separators. The oil and gas yields Np and GP are
customarily reported per MMscf of original reservoir (well stream) fluid. The algorithm requires that these values be input
per MMscf of initial separator gas. To covert, simply multiply the values by the scf of original reservoir fluid per scf of
initial separator gas.
For example, if 1,000 Mscf of original reservoir fluid contains 885 Mscf of separator gas, then the conversion factor is
1.130.
The "Measured" data in Table 1 (49136 bytes) show the CVD results for Gas Condensate A reported by Core
Laboratories.19 The properties are dew point = 3,428 psia, temperature = 200 F., Rvi = 148.06 st-tk bbl/MMscf, and Bgi
= 0.7722 res. bbl/Mscf

The algorithm consists of twenty equations. The equations are summarized in the Equation box and the variables are
defined in the Nomenclature box. Each of the equations is derived from either a mass balance constraints a manipulation
of the real gas law, or a definition. Many of the equations call be combined to yield a fewer number of equations if the
user wishes. We have purposely included twenty separate steps for the sake of clarity.
Each intermediate calculation has physical significance. For instance, the intermediate calculations include the total cell
volume, oil and gas-phase volumes, fraction of the initial moles remaining, standard cubic feet of gas remaining and
stock-tank barrels of oil remaining.
Columns 1-20 in Table 1 (49136 bytes) show the results of Equations 1-20 for Gas Condensate A. Columns 17-20 yield
Bo, Bg, Rs, and Rv. Fig. 1 (39318 bytes) plots the black-oil PVT properties as a function of pressure.
All the entries in Row 1, Columns 1-20, follow from their definitions, For example, Row 1, Column 11 requires the initial
Mscf of gas in the cell, G1. If the CVD results are based on 1 MMscf of separator gas, then G1 = 1,000 Mscf.
The following equations may be helpful to evaluate the initial entries in some of the other columns. The initial entry in
Column 12, N1, is given by:
N1 = G1Rvi (21)
The initial entries in Columns 14 and 12 are equal. The initial entry in Column 4, VTg,1, is given by:
VTg,1 = G1Bgi (22)
he initial entries in Columns 3 and 4 are equal. The quantities Rvi and Bgi are routinely furnished in the CVD report.
The algorithm computes the black-oil PVT properties at each pressure in the CVD except the initial pressure. To find the
black-oil PVT properties at my arbitrary pressure between the initial and final pressures in the CVD, one can apply
interpolation or extrapolatiOn techniques, To obtain the black oil PVT properties at pressures greater than the initial
pressure in the CVD, one should extrapolate data using the standard techniques based on the PVT data from the
accompanying constant composition expansion.1

Table 3 (32389 bytes) summarizes the results for a second gas condensate, Gas Condensate B. Gas Condensate B is
from the Overthrust Belt.11 12 For the sake of brevity, only the measured CVD data and the black-oil PVT properties are
shown. No intermediate calculations are included.
The properties of Gas Condensate B are as follows:

Dew point pressure 5,450 psia

Temperature = 215 F.
Initial volatile oil-gas ratio (Rvi) = 165.5 st-tk bbl/MMscf
Initial gas formation volume factor (Bgi) = 0.739 reservoir bbl/Mscf.

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