HERIOT WATT UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERING

Examination for the Degree of
Meng in Petroleum Engineering
Reservoir Engineering 1
Tuesday
09.30 - 13.30
NOTES FOR CANDIDATES
1.

This is a Closed Book Examination.

2.

15 minutes reading time is provided from 09.15 09.30.

3.
Examination Papers will be marked anonymously. See separate instruction for
completion of Script Book front covers and attachment of loose pages. Do not write your
name on any loose pages which are submitted as part of your answer.
4.

This paper consists of 2 Sections:- A and B

5.

Section A:Section B:-

Attempt all Questions

Attempt 4 numbered Questions.

6.

Section A:Section B:-

20% of marks
80% of marks

Marks for Questions and parts are indicated in brackets

7.

This examination represents 100% of the Class assessment.

8.
State clearly any assumptions used and intermediate calculations made in numerical
questions. No marks can be given for an incorrect answer if the method of calculation is
not presented.
9.

Answers must be written in separate, coloured books as follows:

Section A:Section B:-

Blue
Green

SECTION A
A1

Explain briefly what you understand by:

(a)

the compositional model description and

(b)

the black oil model description for the characterisation of a reservoir fluid.
(2)

A2

Explain briefly the importance of characterising the permeability variations in a reservoir in relation
to the prediction of the behaviour of natural and injected water drive systems. The answer should
be limited to the behaviour in the vertical plane rather than the areal plane
(3)

A3

Derive the instantaneous gas-oil ratio equation.

(3)

A4

Derive two equations in terms of composition and equilibrium ratios to determine the dew point
and bubble point pressure of a reservoir fluid. Explain briefly how the equations are used, when
the temperature of the reservoir and composition of the fluid are known.
(3)

A5

(i) Explain briefly what is meant by

(a)

a normal pressured reservoir

(b)

an overpressured reservoir
(3)

A6

Briefly explain the need for the development of transient flow solutions to the diffusivity equation
in reservoir engineering.
(3)

A7

Describe the method by which the line source solution may be adapted to accommodate a zone of
reduced permeability around a wellbore (a skin).
(3)

SECTION B
B1
(i) Draw a pressure temperature diagram for a retrograde-gas condensate fluid and indicate the
key features. What is gas cycling and why in some cases is it used?
(6 marks)
(ii) The dew point pressure of a condensate gas field is 6250 psia. The initial reservoir conditions
are 240oF and 8500 psia.
When the reservoir was initially tested, a condensate to gas ratio of 80 stock tank barrels per
million SCF of gas was obtained. The produced gas and condensate compositions were as follows:
Compositions of Produced Fluids
(Mole fractions)
Gas
C1 Methane
C3 Propane
C5 N-Pentane
C8 Octane

0.89
0.07
0.04

Condensate

0.21
0.61
0.18

The reservoir pore volume is considered to be 5 x 1011 cu ft with a connate water saturation of 0.17.
Calculate the condensate fluids produced (STB) and the gas produced (SCF) in producing the reservoir
down to a pressure of 6750 psia.
1 bbl
o
R
1 lb mole
R

=
=
=
=

5.615 cu ft
460+oF
379.4 SCF
10.73 psi cu ft/lb mole oR

See Attachment B1 (Table and Figure)

(14 marks)
B2
(i) Explain briefly the three following tests carried out on reservoir fluid samples in relation to a
PVT study, and comment on their application.
(a)

Relative Volume (Flash Vaporisation Test)

(b)

Separator Test

(c)

Differential Test
(6 marks)

(ii) Explain briefly the constant volume depletion test for gas condensate
(4 marks)

(iii) Table 1 gives the results for a volume/pressure investigation of a reservoir fluid at reservoir
temperature. The system composition remained constant throughout the test.

Table 1
(System constant)
Pressure
psig

Volume
cc

Pressure
psig

Volume
cc

5000
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1900
1800
1700
1601

162.54
163.21
163.90
164.64
165.43
166.32
167.21
167.40
167.60
167.80
168.00

1591
1573
1555
1515
1435
1341
1234
1113
989
854
728

168.39
169.08
169.85
171.56
174.97
180.11
186.95
197.28
211.04
231.71
259.31

In another test on the fluid a sample of oil at its bubble point pressure and reservoir temperature in a PVT
cell were passed through a two stage separator at 100 psig and 75oF and 0 psig and 60oF. 34 cc of oil were
displaced from the PVT cell and 27.4 cc of oil were collected from the last separator stage. 4976 cc of gas
were collected at standard conditions during the test.
In a further test the pressure in a PVT cell at reservoir temperature was reduced in stages and the gas
produced at each stage removed and the remaining oil volume measured. The total gas produced at
standard conditions was recorded and is presented in Table 2.

Table 2
Pressure in
PVT Cell
psig

Bubble Point
1400
1200
1000
800
0

Cumulative
Gas Produced
cc
(standard conditions)
0
2044
4438
6732
9076
26,928 @ 60oC

Volume of Oil
in Cell
cc

184.80
182.35
179.37
176.52
173.67
140

(a)

Determine the bubble point pressure of the reservoir fluid at reservoir temperature.

(b)

The oil formation volume factor at 3650 psig

(c) The solution gas-oil ratio at 3650 psig and 2700 psig
(d) The solution gas-oil ratio at 1200 psig
(e) The total formation volume factors at 3650 psig and 1200 psig.
(10 marks)

B3
(i) In the context of capillary pressure define the free water level.
(3 marks)
(ii) Explain briefly the reason for significant oil saturation remaining in the water swept zones of
a reservoir after natural water drive or water injection.
(5 marks)
(iii) Core samples have been obtained from a well and air-mercury capillary pressure curves
generated for an oil reservoir system (see attachment Figure 1). The lowest limit of 100% Sw was
found at the bottom of the well in rock type A as shown in the attachment Figure 2.
(a) Determine the free water level and indicate it on the well diagram provided.
(b) Construct the water saturation profile in the space provided.
(c) Calculate the oil-in-place per unit cross-section over the thickness of the reservoir.
Data:

Specific gravity of water

Specific of oil
Density of water
Air-mercury capillary
Pressure

=
=
=

1.03
0.80
62.4 lb/ft3

10 x water-oil capillary
pressure
1.22

Oil formation volume factor =

(12 marks)
B4
(i) Water drive reservoirs are said to be rate sensitive. Explain briefly this statement with
respect to different aquifer characteristics
(4 marks)
(ii) Explain briefly how the constant terminal pressure solution of the Hurst and van Everdingen
unsteady state theory can be used to predict water influx into an oil reservoir with a declining
reservoir pressure.
(4 marks)
(iii) A water drive reservoir extends to a radius of 15,000 ft. Sealing faults restrict the shape of
the reservoir to form only a part of the full radial system. The supporting acquifer is considered to
extend to 90,000 ft. The reservoir shape is given below.
Over the first two years of production the pressure decline is expected to be as follows:
Time (months)
Pressure (psia)

0
6700

6
6688

12
6642

18
6584

24
6508

After the first 6 months 80,000 bbls of water were calculated to have influxed from the acquifer.

The properties common to the reservoir and acquifer are as follows:

K
w
porosity
water compressibility
pore/rock compressibility

=
=
=
=
=

180 mD
0.6 cp
0.19
3 x 10-6 psi-1
4 x 10-6 psi-1

(a)

Calculate the thickness of the acquifer sands

(b)

Calculate the cumulative water influx at the end of 12 months,

18 months and 24 months.

The Hurst & van Everdinger equation for a full radial system is:
We =

1.119cRo2hpWD

where
We
p
WD
c
Ro
h

=
=
=
=
=
=
=

cumulative water influx (bbls)

pressure drop (psi)
dimensionless water influx
compressibility of the acquifer (psi-1)
radius of oil reservoir (ft)
thickness of acquifer (ft)
porosity

Charts are supplied of dimensionless water influx WD versus dimensionless time tD (see 2 attachments)
where:
tD

t
=
k =
w =

2.309

kt
w cR 20

time (years)
permeability (millidarcies)
viscosity (cp)
(12 marks)

B5
(i) A radial oil reservoir of constant thickness has a single vertical well situated at its centre,
perforated the full thickness of the reservoir. The pressure everywhere is the initial reservoir
pressure. The outer boundary of the reservoir is closed. Describe the development of the pressure
profile from the well to the outer boundary as production continues. Assume single phase flow
and that the whole oil reservoir can be produced with no technical or economic limitations.
(5)
(ii) A well flows at a constant rate of 200stm3/day. Calculate the bottomhole flowing pressure
at 8 hours after the start of production. The well is vertical, perforated along the full thickness of
the reservoir.

Data
porosity, _
formation volume factor for oil, Bo
net thickness of formation, h
viscosity of reservoir oil, _
compressibility, c
permeability, k
wellbore radius, rw
external radius, re
initial reservoir pressure, Pi
well flowrate (constant)
skin factor

25%
1.30rm3/stm3
50m
2.2x10-3 Pas
0.8x10-9Pa-1
120mD
0.15m
650m
270bar
200stm3/day
0
(15)

B6 A well has been on production in an oil reservoir. For the following data, calculate the bottomhole
flowing pressure, Pwf for
(i) steady state conditions
(ii) semi steady state conditions

(6)
(6)

and briefly describe the main differences in the flow regimes

(8)

Data
formation volume factor for oil, Bo
net thickness of formation, h
viscosity of reservoir oil, _
permeability, k
wellbore radius, rw
external radius, re
average reservoir pressure, P
well flowrate (constant)
skin factor

1.42rm3/stm3
60m
1.3x10-3 Pas
100mD
0.15m
530m
270.0bar
220 stm3/day
0