T.P.

2708

PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A VOLUMETRIC

CONDENSATE RESERVOIR

F. H. ALLEN AND R. P. ROE, MEMBERS AIME, STANOLIND OIL AND GAS COMPANY, TULSA, OKLAHOMA

ABSTRACT
The performance history of a volu-
metric gas condensate reservoir is pre-
~ented. Curves depict the pressure-pro-
duction relation and illustrate the phase
behavior of the reservoir fluid. This
performance is compared to calculated
performance.
This Bacon Lime Reservoir was dis-
covered in 1941 and has been produced
to field separators and gas sales. Res
ervoir performance has been observed
by periodic bottom hole pressure sur-
veys and companion sample analysis of
well effluents, in addition to gas and
condensate production data.
The pressure-production history dem-
onstrates that the reservoir has pro-
duced under volumetric control. The
"retrograde" behavior of the reservoir
fluid is illustrated by decreasing hu-
tanes-plus content of the well effiuent,
followed by revaporization as the reser-
voir pressure approaches abandonment.
Calculated performance predictions are
compared to actual performance and
some discussion offered on apparent
discrepancies.
Field performance data for gas con-
densate re:ervoirs operated by pressure
depletion have not been so extensively
reported in the literature, although their
probable behavior has been discussed
in explanation of the retrograde theory.
It is the purpose of this paper to com-
pare calculated" theoretical reservoir
performance with field ob::ervations and
well stream analyses which have been
obtained throughout the practical pro-
ducing life of a small volumetric gas
condensate re3ervoir.
The re2ervoir under study is the
Bacon Lime Zone of a field located in
East Texas. The Bacon Lime occurs in
the Lower Glen Rose Formation" of
Cretaceous Age. This Bacon Lime Res-
ervoir is encountered at an ave.rage
depth of 7600 ft (7200 ft subsea eleva-
tion) and comprises approximately
3100 acres located on a structural high
w
~~4,OOO
~fj- - ......... ~
Q
PRESSURE
with 80 ft of productive closure. The
producing formation consists of ap-
proximately 50 ft of dense crystalline
fossiliferous dolomite of generally low
permeability with typical wide varia-
tion in both permeab:Iity and porosity,
the more permeable stringers measuring
30 to 40 millidarcys. The average poros-
ity is estimated to be 10 per cent with
a connate water saturation of approxi-
mately 30 per cent of }he pore space.
The -reservoir temperature was found to
be 220F and the original pressure was
3691 psia at -7200 ft elevation.
The re:ervoir was discovered in No
vember, J.941, and is now essentially
depleted. Throughout most of its pro-
ductive life, from the standpoint of
cumulative withdrawals, the reservoir
has been produced by five wells. During
its latter stages of depletion, 16 wells
were completed in the Bacon Lime.

a:~3.000 2

INTRODUCTION
g~
""
~a:21000
~ r--'"
V
100
"-

Since the late 1930's, many gas con- " ,r-...J" NUMBER OF WELLS J'~ :5OJ
Q "
----
700 0"
densate reservoirs have been developed, z
f-
the retrograde theory of phase be- 0 ~
havior has been generally accepted, \
jU~n
and a number of cycling programs have 0
n~
been initiated. Numerous technical pa-
pers have since appeared in the litera- 0
! ,r'l

ture dealing with the theory and appli- I~ W u~

cation of cycling the gas condensate
\
GAS RATE

reservoirs. Some cycling operations have (J

now advanced to a stage where it is
possible to determine performance char- _flI ~
0
N~ ~
-~
acteristics to a fair ciegree of accuracy.
~
1 References are given at end of paper. 0
1941 IQ42 1943 U~44 1945 1946 1947 1946 1949
Manu.crillt received at the office of the YEA R S
Petroleum Branch O,.ober 3, 1949. Paper pre-
sented at the Petroleum Branch meeting in
San Antonio, October 6-7, 1949. FIG. 1 - BACON LIME CONDENSATE RESERVOIR, RESERVOIR PERFORMANCE.

Vol. 189, 1950 PETROlEUM TRANSACTIONS, AIME 83

 T.P. 2708 PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A VOLUMETRIC CONDENSATE RESERVOIR

Remarkably poor communication has 100 I 00

been observed between the wells pro-
ducing from this zone. Early in the
life of the reservoir, it was concluded
that it would not be feasible to attempt
cycling or pressure maintenance in this
small reservoir. The reservoir has, there-
fore, been produced by pressure deple-
tion with three-stage separation. The

""I~
first separator has been operated at
approximately 500 psig throughout most
of the producing life of the reservoir
and the second or intermediate stage at r-y
40 psig. The estimated ultimate recov- 10 "- -<I I o
ery by this means is in excess of 21,- ~ " ~~
000,000 Mcf of gas and 850,000 bbl of
"- 1"---<1'9 "" I"-
""
('
condensate. The production history of
the reservoir is shown in Fig. l.
I~ ~0'V
""
"""
~';:o+ ~
The initial composition of the reser-
voir fluid, based upon analyses of com-
panion samples which were obtained ~
.~
f\ "-
-Y-<I 'V~
1'(0
~
from the discovery well soon after its
~
I
V)

completion, was determined to be as f-

z
~ "" ."'"""
~ ~~
follows:
l- ,0 ~
~
V)
Table I Z
-<1-11
0
. I'-e-
Initial Comp03ition of Reservoir u 1.0
"- - 1.0
Fluid :::E
~
'" ~v
"-
/;:
/

"" '" ~
M oZ. Fraction a: ,.j'-</
Methane _________________ 0.769:> to 1\Ie-
~
Ethane --------________________ 0.0770. .J

Propane ---------_________.0.0335
:J
0 ~ ' - r-.
~
vI;
W
Butanes ----____________ 0.0350

~ ~~..<JI\I~
Pentanes ----------____________ 0.0210
Hexanes ------~______________ 0.0150
~t---.
-
/7
Heptanes - plus -___________________ o.0360
Carbon Dioxide ---___________0.0135
~
Heptanes - plus: 1.0000 ~ r-=:- tv~
Mol Wt 130
Sp Gr 0.7615
o. I
---- I
0.1

CALCULATED THEORETICAL /
PERFORMANCE
~ /
Employing this initial composition
and the vaporization equilibrium con-
~ /y
1/
~e-.s
stants of Roland, Smith and Kaveler' /~

corrected to a convergence pressure of -</'11

0'?"
~7
4200 psia at 220F, the theoretical per-
formance of the reservoir was calcu- 'I'-- AND -<-
lated under the two separate assump-
tions of flash and differential vaporiza-
.0 1 _01
tion. These are comparable to two 100 1.000
methods under which laboratory cell PRESSURE P,S.I.A.
experiments are normally conducted in
investigations to determine the changes
which will occur in the composition of
FIG. 2 - BACON LIME CONDENSATE RESERVOIR, VAPORIZATION EQUILIBRIUM CONSTANTS,
the production from a voJumetric con-
densate reservoir during its depletion. RESERVOIR TEMPERATURE 220F.
The vaporization equilibrium constants
which were used in these calculatioJ!s

84 PETROLEUM TRANSACTIONS, AIME Vol. 189, 1950

 F. H. ALLEN AND R. P. ROE T.P. 2708

are shown plotted against pressure in
Fig. 2. The constant for the Heptane-
plus fraction was estimated, taking into
account its reported molecular ,weight
and specific gravity. The two types of
estimated performance calculations are
illustrated graphically in Fig. 3. The
Hash vaporization calculations were
accomplished by assuming a constant
composition of the whole system and
computing the composition and volumes
of each phase which resulted at suc-
cessive reductions in pressure. The dif-
ferential vaporization calculations were
made hy Hashing the original composi-
tion to the first pressure from which the
compositions and volumes of the two
phases were computed. The volume of
the vapor phase which it was necessary
to produce in order to maintain a con-
stant volume wa,s then calculated and
the number of mols of each component
in the vapor represented by this volume
was subtracted from the system. This
resulted in a new over-all composition
which was then Hashed to the second or
next lowe~ pressur~. This series of cal-
culations representing differential va-
porization assumed that only the vapor
phase was produced from the reservoir
with no How, or production of the liq-
uid phase. The resulting variations in
composition of the vapor phase which
was assumed to represent the compo-
sition of the well stream during the
decline in reservoir' pressure under both
these methods of calculated theoretical
performance are shown in Fig. 4. The
two methods of calculation indicate the
same well stream composition until the
reservoir pressure drops to approxi-
mately 1500 psia after which differen
tial vaporization produces greater re-
vaporization of the ethane through hex-
anes components than is obtained from
the Hash vaporization process. Both va-
porization processes indicate significant
re~aporization of the heavier compo-
n'ents at reservoir pressures below 1200
psia. The pressure at which revaporiza-
tion commences for each component
varies progressively from approximately
3000 psia for ethane to about 1400 psia
for the heptanes-plus fraction.
Gas deviation factors determined from
reduced temperature and pressure cor-
relations shown in Fig. 5 indicate essen-
tially no difference in compressibility
of the vapor phases ohtained from the
differential and flash vaporization proc-

FLASH (CONSTANT COMPOSITION-VARIABLE VOLUME)

4.o------~------------------------------------------------------~-----------4.0

~
w 3.0 - 3.0
I-
(J)
>-
(J)

~ 2.0 - - 2.0
w
~
ORIGI NAL DEW POINT
::::> ~AS VOLUME
o-' 1.0 l- t--- !---- f- l- I- I- 1.0
>
:"'" I-VA POR

f-L 1QUID
o 1,400 1,000
o
3,690 3,400 3,000 2,600 2,200 1,800
PRESSURE-P.S.I. A.

DIFFERENTIAL (VARIABLE COMPOSITION-CONSTANT -VOLUME)

~
~
(J)
2.0
I t Ir--1
I l !
11
I t t I
~
I t I 'I
:-t t :---1 t I~I t r-
I I I
2.0
~ ORIGI NAL ANDI y-rPRODP CE 9 VAP9. R II" PREjsSUFE Il\jCRE,MENTr--k.. I
g, 1.0 FINAL t,VOLUMEI /' 1.1 I I I I f : '\ I
II I I
I 0--'-1"--t1-+-l#--i]-i-L,--TJ-i--L--+J----:-"IT--wA--+J--T--lnw---+J-T--l--+J-l~"'1ff4-+J----.:. I -:

3,690 3,400 3,000 2,600 2200 1,800 1,400 1,000

PRESSURE - P.S.I.A.

FIG. 3 - BACON LIME CONDENSATE RESERVOIR, METHODS OF CALCULATING THEORETICAL RESERVOIR PERFORMANCE.

Vol. 189, 1950 , PETROLEUM TRANSACTIONS, AIME 85

 T.P.2708 PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A VOLUMETRIC CONDENSATE RESERVOIR

esses. -The calculated compressibility of
the vapor phases, with and without ret-
rograde condensation, differ markedly.
The pressure reduction versus cumula-
tive gas production 'relationship was
practically identical for the two vapori-
zation processes. The specific volumes
calculated for the two phases as illus-
trated by Fig. 6,' give some idea of the
similarity of properties of the two
phases at high pressures. Again, the
difference in the two computations is
demonstrated by different values of
vapor specific volumes at the lower
pressures. Definite variation in the vol-
umes of liquid condensed by the two
vaporization processes was computed as
shown in Fig. 7. The reservoir fluid
was indicated to be at its dew point
initially.
A qualitative indication of the phase
envelope based on the estimated origi-
nal critical point and the upper dew
point of the initial reservoir hydro-car-
bon system, and the liquid volume satu-
rations at reservoir temperature as in-
dicated from the flash vaporization proc-
ess is shown in Fig. 8. It is of interest
to note the changes 'which occur in the
critIcal point and the upper dew point
of the remaining reservoir hydrocarbon
fluids at reservoir t~mperature as the
pressure depletion progresses under dif-
ferential vaporization.
rate due to revaporization at the lower positions of the well stream which
reservoir pressures. were obtained from this series of sam-
Companion samples of the well ple analyses are indicated in Fig. 10.
stream from two wells and reservoir It will be noted that in the main, the
pressure measurements from several obzerved changes in composition of the
wells were obtained at intervals of six well stream during the depletion' of the
months throughout the productive life reservoir conformed reasonably well
of the reservoir. The pressure measure- with the theoretical compositions re,
ment and sampling interval was reduced ported in Fig. 4.' The observed variation
to three months during the latter stages in molecular weight and specific grav-
of the reservoir depletion. The com- ity of the 'heptanes-plus fraction of the
1.0
0.8
'-. MIETHA~E
0.6
0.4
0.2
O. I
z fETHANE
o .08
i=
u
...: . 06
a::
l.L.
.J
o
~ .
04
"'" -::::-....
;:!! ' .

,
OBSERVED RESERVOIR b- ,,-PROPANE _:t
I
. PERFORMANCE Z
o
_ BUTANES~
/
t-
The calculated performance of res- l/) .02
ervoir pressure decline with cumulative li ~ "'"-
~
.....
.....
I
FP~NTANES
..-

7 --
, "',
/
gas withdrawals, with and without cor- :::E
~
~ V
o CARBON DlOXIDE-- /'"
rection for gas compressibility factors, u t-... ....--'
is plotted in Fig. 9. Points represent .0 I ....".., ioo-
. r-- ""-HEXANES
averag~ reservoir pressures obtained .008
from field pressure surveys. Gas with- ..-/" ~HEPTANES-PLUS
.006
drawal!:? have been converted to a wet
gas basis and most pressures were ob-
tained by bomb after a minimum of .004
48-hour shut-ins. Good agreement was
obtained on most surveys in view of
the apparent -lack of communication
between individual wells. A "best line" .002
through the points indicates the actual LEGEND:
pressure production trend to be leveling DIFFERENTIAL VAPORIZATION
I
out slightly and is interpreted as being - - - - FLASH VAPORIZATION
production from extremely tight por- .00 I
0
I -l I I J
400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 2800 3200 3600 4000 4400.4800
I i
tions of the reservoir rock. The same t
RESERVOIR PRESSURE - P.S.I.A. AT -7,200
figure shows the recovery rate of stock
tank liquid condensate and indicates no
FIG. 4 - BACON LIME CONDENSATE RESERVOIR,. CALCULATED THEORETICAL COMPOSITION
substantial increase in liquid recovery . OF WELL StREAM DURING PRESSURE DEPLETION

. 86 . PETROLEUM TRANSACTIONS, AIME Vol. 189, 1950

 F. H. ALLEN AND R. P. ROE T.P. 2708

tOO
well stream which occurred during the

96 I~ 'productive life of the reservoir are

indicated in Fig. n. This variable na-

P0~
'\ ture of the heptanes-plus fraction was
not considered in making the theoreti-
cal calculations.
~I~

~~ ~
92

""
II Of principal interest in an economic
'" f-VARIABLE COMPOSITION
analysis of condensate reservoir per-
88
formance is the concentration of the
"" ~ -----r------ -~ ~
butanes-plus fraction which occurs in
the produced well streams throughout

-V
84
ORIC,INjL COMPorTION....-'"
I'---t-- the depletion of the reservoir. The ob-
served history of the butanes-plus con-
centration in the produced well streams
400 aDo 1.200 1,600 2,000 2,400 2,600 3.200 3.600
PRESSURE - P.S.I.A. as indicated from the series of com-
panion samples is plotted in Fig. 12.
FIG. 5 - BACON LIME CONDENSATE RESERVOIR VAPOR PHASE COMPRESSIBILITY FACTORS.
These data illustrate definite revapori-
zatiori of these. fractions from the con-
densed liquid in the reservoir. This in-
1.0 crease was not reflected in stock tank

aio.a \ liquid recovery, however, as illustrated

in Fig. 9. Superimposed on these data
is the butanes-plus concentration which

"...:;;J-'
yo.a \
was calculated under the two assump-
tions of differential and flash vapori-

\
'":::E zation. It was found that the early life
:>
..J of the reserv~ir is characterized by sub-
g stantially higher concentration of bu
u.4
~IFFERENTIAL ~ tanes-plus in the well stream ~alyses
~ ---..c-
Li:
...U
II.
FrASH
than was predicted under the calcu-
'" 0.2 VAPOR PHASE
lated theoretical performance. Theoreti-
t-- cal calculations show that 54 per cent
LIQUID P H A t - of the original butanesplus material
o
0 400 aDD 1,,200 1,600 2,000 2,40C? 2,800 3,600 4,000 should be produced down to a rese~oir
PRESSURE - P.S.I.A. pressure of 600 psia. Allowing for nOr-
FIG. 6 - PHASE SPECIFIC VOLUMES 220F, FLASH AND DIFFERENTIAL CALCULATIONS. mal separator recovery factors, the cu-
mulative stock tank recovery would be
1.54 GPM compared to initial recovery
of 3.50 GPM. Actually, the cumulative
14 stock tank recovery to 600 psia has been
1. 70 GPM as compared to an initial

- --
average recovery of 3.60 GPM.
12
..-- :--- ----- --.

......-...- '~
w
:;
:> FLA~
..J
g /"
-' 10
.... COMPARISON OF

--

"
a:o
u.. 8
o
.... - /
/ / ...- ' DIFFERENTIAL
...
\ ESTIMATED AND ACTUAL
RESERVOIR PERFORMANCE
z
w
u
a: (;
w ",
.../ /
10-- -
\ Several 'possible interpretations have
been proposed. for the variation betwe~~
the observed and the theoretical esti-

\
II. V
I
mated reservoir performances which are
W
:::E
::>
-' 4
/ most evident in Fig. 12. One of these
o lies in the possibility that the initial
>
o
:; companion samples were not entirely
o
:::; 2 repre;sentative of the original reservoir
fluid due to. the pressure drawdown

400 800 1,200 1)600 2,000 2,400

PRESSURE - P.S.I.A.
2,800
\ 4,000
which was required for production dur-
ing the sampling operations. This might
have resulted in condensation around
FIG. 7 - VOLUMES OF LIQUID CONDENSED, 220F. the wei! bore to produce a ~ell effluent,

Vol. 189, 1950 PETROLEUM TRANSACTIONS, AIME 87

T.P. 2708 PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A VOLUMETRIC CONDENSATE RESERVOIR

which was unduly rich in the lighter
hydrocarbons. A second possible ex-
planation is derived from the fact that
small amounts of nitrogen, never in ex-
cess of one mol per cent, have been
picked up in several of the sets of
companion samples during the life of
the reservoir_ Nitrog~n was not included
in the original analysis of the reservoir
fluids nor taken into account in the cal-
culations. It is conceivable that the
nitrogen exerted a depressing effect on
the . methane vola~ility which wg.s not
taken into account in the calculations.
This effect may be discounted.'somewhat
by the prohably opposite effect nitrogen
would have on the convergence pressure
and thus on the equilibrium constants
recognized, however, that neither of the shown on Fig. 13. This effect would, of
calculated reservoir performances as- coUrse, be limited hy the equilibrium
sumed the possibility of the production saturation fOJ;.liquid flow.
of liquid condensate from the reservoir: This part of the relative permeability
Liquid condensate production would re- relationship repre~e!lting liquid satura-
sult in a progressive reduction in the tions just in excess of the equilibrium
reservoir liquid hydrocarbon saturation . value for liquid flow has not been em-
which should, in turn, decrease the phasized in laboratory measurements of
slope' of the approximate Kg/Ko curve relative permeability relationships to
I I I
RESERVOIR ISOTHERM 220 0
I I I , - I I I
... II , /
,
3,000 P~S.I,A.
.L-
----- -...F=::$; -
4.000
I I 3,300 P.S.I.A.
DEW POINTS OF RESERVOIR _ ~

l>: ~
I
for the other components. An adjust- ~KRIGINAL RESERVOIR
.~
corOSITIO, AT 2,600 P'S':6 ~
COMPOSITION
ment in the constant for the heptanes-
plus fraction to account for its chang- ~,oo 0
~ \ 1\ I I
~ I \
ing properties would tend to give a ORIGINAL
CRITICAL POINT",
10% L I OU I D BY r--, I l'
smaller calculated GPM content in the
L
VOLUME
/ II \'-. DEW
- - '- --
POINT
vi ..- LOCUS
well stream.
! I
Ii

A more likely interpretation, how-

I
~ 2,00 0
'7"- /
LOCUS OF CRITICAL PaiNTS AS /1
:>
/
..,'"'"
1/
ever, of the discrepancy between the RESERVOIR PRESSURE DECLINES

observed and the estimated theoretical a:

a.
-DIFFERENTIAL VAPORIZATION
/- '-S%LIO.

performance seems to he that liquid

1,000
I
condensate was flQwing into the well
bore throughout most of the life of the V
reservoir which resulted in increasing
the ohserved 'GPM of the well stream.
/
o
Following this hypothesis, an 'approxi- o 20.. .4Q 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300
TEMPERATURE- OF
mate Kg/Ko relationship was estimated
hyas$l1ming that the difference hetween
.
FIG. 8 - OUTLINE OF PHASE DIAGRAM CONSTANT AND VARIABLE COMPOSITION.
.
the observed and calculated GPM val-
Ues sho~ in Fig. 12 was p~oduced from
the reservoir form~tion as a liquid. The
liquid hydrocarhon saturations ohtained 4, $00
from the differential vaporization cal-
culations were considered to be uniform 4 ,000
~
0
throughout the reservoir rather than
'concentrated in the vicinity of the well
hore. A connate water saturation of 30
,50
['.... "0
~
0::,. . . . .
~o ~ ~ ~%
'Q
per cent of the reservoir pore space and'
a constant gas-liqUid viscosity'l:atio of ...
"3 ,0

I :20 were employed in' determining

these approximate Kg/Ko relatiouships.
...
.,; ~ ........~ ~ SOLID LlNES-CALCUl.ATEO THEORETICAL
I PRESSURES .r
DATA POtNTS- f'1 ELO PRESSURE SURV,YS

~2 ;500
IV D~

~~
a:
The results of these calculations are
shown in Fig. 13 along with severaf ~
w2
_. .D~

~ "'-
c: .
Q.
laboratory gas-oil relative permeabili.: a:
o
ties which have' been reported in the
literatUie.. The estimated Kg/K6 tela-
tionship' for the Bacon' Liine Reservoir~
r'" I ,000
5

..
0

D
~~
-....;::
fallsweUwithin the range of the ',pre-
f\J~ '"'---'C _s;>o
~.
!-ClRM.
viously reported experimental data ahd h
500
closely approximates the limestone reIa-.
tive permeability relationships reported
r-
IL- -........r-'
0
hy Bulnes and Fitting' except for the o 4 6 8 10 12 14 l6 18 20 22
CVMVLATtV~ WET GAS RECOVERY-MtLLION STANDARD M.C.r:
steeper slope of the' approximated Ba~
conLime Kg/Ko ourve_ It must be FIG. 9 - BACON..L1ME CONDENSATE RESERVOIR, RESERVOIR PERFORMANCJ;:.

P.E:r.ROLEUM TRANSACTIONS, AIME Vol. 189, 1950

 F. H. ALLEN AND R. P. ROE T.P. 2708
1.0
(")
the same extent as the' other end of the
0.8 v v
0
~MkTHA~Eo curve which includes the total liquid
0.6 saturations in the vicinity of the equi-
librium saturation for gas flow. Neither
has it heen possible to derive gas-oil
0.4
relative permeahility relationships in
the region of the equilibrium point for
liquid flow from actual field data. The
0.2
availability of such gas-oil relative per-
meability data would make it possihle
to reve~se the train of calculation from
which the KgJKo relationship reported
o. I in Fig. 13 was derived and thus ohtain
z an' estimate by means of theoretical cal-
o .08
.rETHANE0

~
<{

@
@ 0 culations of the flow rates of both gas
and condensate from the formation and
.06
0::
l1.. resulting enrichment of the well stream
L>
J compositions. Reservoir performance
o
~
.04 6-
x
x . x "
x
x ~=
x
(HEPTANES PLUSll.
. . . . BUTANESo
I I
predictions computed in this manner
~
J would closely reproduce the observed
PROPANE x

~
0
Z B D ;,
I I
o n
changes in composition of the produc-
. P~NTA~ES
E 0
tion which occurred during the pressure

--
.02 2 .........: 0
({) ;.
. v---
",....

----: ~ depletion of the Bacon Lime Reservoir.

8
o
a..
~
I~ ~
~ t:---
---.
~ 1&
~
0

:--
~
....cHJXANJS
I I
~CARBON
0

-
e e DIOXIDEe
SIGNIFICANCE OF
-
0 0 0
.0 I e e OBSERVED PERFORMANCE
.008 0 '!
INDICATING CONDENSATE
.006
0 REVAPORIZATION
e
.004 Although the data from actual com-
panion samples of the produced well
stream reported in Fig. 12 indicate defi-
nite revaporization of the heavier hydro-
.002 carbon components, no conclusive evi-
e
dence of increased recovery of these
fractions is indicated by the conden-
sate recovery curve .shown in Fig. 9.
.00 I This lack of increased recovery due to
o 400 800 1200 1600 2000 240028003200360040004400 4800
RESERVOI R PRESSURE - P.S.I.A. AT -7,200 I
revaporization during the final stages
FIG. 10 - BACON LIME CONDENSATE RESERVOIR OBSERVED COMPOSITION OF of depletion is apparently due to the
WELL STREAM WITH PRESSURE DEPLETION. low level of separator efficiency at these

-- -
conditions. In the particular reservoir
~ '" under study, the temperature of the
- ~ high pressure separator gas increased
5
, steadily, with seasonal fluctuation, as
1
~
:--- -r- ~SPECJFIC6RAVITY'" 0
reservoir pressure declined and is pr~s
0
13 0 3 ently 40F higher than those orighlally
1/

12 0
3-- V obserted. This increase in separator
temperature with decreasing reservoir
pressure is interpreted as the result of
~V 0

decreasing effectiveness of Joule-Thom-

~
0

3- k
0
0
MOLECULAR WEIGHT son cooling as the well production is
~IJ 0
.J
:>
lJ
g
flashed in the high pressure separator.
At optimum separation pressures the
'".Jo
::;,0 0 liquid condensate recovery from stage
separation is a direct- function of the
separation temperatures. It is, therefore,
90
0 400 800 1,200 1,600 2,000 2.400 2,800 3,200 3,600 4,000 concluded that' revaporizaiion was tak-
RESERVOI R PRESSURE - P.S.l.A. AT 7.. 200'
ing place in the formation during the
FIG. 11 - BACON LIME CONDENSATE RESERVOIR PROPERTIES OF HEPTANES PLUS FRACTION
FROM OBSERVED WELL STREAM ANALYSES. latter stages of depletion of this Bacon

Vol. 189, 1950 PETROLEUM TRANSACTIONS, AIME 89

T.P. 2708 PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A VOLUMETRIC CONDENSATE RESERVOIR

5
Lime Condensate Reservoir, but the
efficiency of the conventional three- 3...
stage separation system had declined ..,'"
~4
COMPANl SAMPJ ANALysIs WELL I r---,., -rl1
to a level which prevented any signifi-
V
\
cant additional recovery of liquid hydro-
.,:::> \
./
///
-''/
:i ")... .....- ./~ /"
carhons from the revaporization process. 0:

'"~ ~ 1:_-=:::::::_
--
.:;3
I / __ .~V
.....-'
~
I-
I---
~~:::::-
Z
w
SUMMARY AND :::>
J 1'-.~7 CALCULATED -FLASH

CONCLUSIONS :::2
.., lCALCULATED-DI FFERENTIAL "'- COMPANION SAMPL ANALYS S-WELL
:l;
Predicted theoretical performance for <
W
0:
a small volumetric condensate reservoir l- I
II)

has been calculated on the two assump- -'

...J
tions of flash and differential vaporiza- ....
~

tion. The results of these calculations 400 800 1,200 1,600 2,000 2,400 2,800 3,200 3,600 4,000
RESERVDI Ii PRESSURE-P.S.I.A. AT -7,200'
have heen compared with ohserved per-
formance determined from companion FIG. 12 - BACON LIME RESERVOIR WELL STREAM COMPOSITION.
samples ohtained throughout the pro-
ducing life of the reservoir. It is con-
cluded that the principal discrepancy
hetween the computed and observed
performance was due to the flow of
liquid condensate from the formation
which enriched the GPM of the well
streams throughout most of the pro- 1.000
ductive life of the reservoir. Revapori-
zation of condensed liquids is indicated
by the data representing the latter
stages of reservoir depletion. It is evi-
dent, however, that the low level to
which separator efficiency had declined
/ " BOTSET U1NCONSOLIDATED SAND
by the time revaporization of the heav- I I I
ier hydrocarbons became appreciable TTl I
prevented taking definite advantage of VLEVfRETT 8.. LEWIS
this increased GPM of the well streams. ,~
100 T
I \
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
\
The authors wish to acknowledge I
\ \_L- BOTSET
permission granted hy the Stanolind Oil \ CONSOLI DATED SAND
and Gas Co. to publish this paper. We
also wish to acknowledge cooperation
of field personnel in collecting samples
and compiling the production data. \1\ ~ \
~\
\'
REFERENCES
BULNES &
FITTING ---.,
WASSON DATA
\\
\ '
\ r, 1\
1. Roland, Smith and Kaveler, "Equi-
librium Constants for a Natural Gas:
10
\ f\ \ ". 1
Distillate Mixture", Oil and Gas \ \ \
Journal, 39, No. 46, 128 (March 27,
1941). \ f
2. Bulnes, Fitting, "An Introductory ~ BULNES 8. FITT ING
AVG( OF 26 LIMESTONE
Discussion of the Reservoir Perform- ?ORE~
ance of Limestone Formations",
I I
AIME TP 1791 Petro Tech., January,
1945.
3. Brown, Katz, Oherfell and Alden,
"Natural Gasoline a~d the Volatile 10 20 30
I
40o 60 80 100
r- i-BACON LIME
I I
I

I
TOTAL RESE.RVOIR L IQUI 0 SATURATION- PERCENT OF PORE SPACE
Hydrocarbons", Section I, 1948, Mid-
west Printing Co., Tulsa. * * * FIG. 13 - BACON LIME CONDENSATE RESERVOIR GAS OIL RELATIVE PERMEABILITY RATIOS.

PETROLEUM TRANSACTIONS, AIME Vol. 189, 1950