Active Oil and Reservoir

By RALPH.J. SCHILTHUlS,* JUNIOR A.f.M.K

(Houston Meeting. October, 1935)
IN 1929, Coleman, Wilde, and Moore! undertook an investigation
of the theoretical decline in reservoir pressure as related to the produc-
tion of oil and gas. The most important part of this work was presented
in an equation defining the relationship between the reservoir pressure,
the quantities of oil and gas produced, the oil and gas content of the
reservoir, and the properties of the reservoir fluids. With this equation,
it appeared that, with sufficient data, it would be possible to calculate
the oil content of the reservoir and predict quantitatively the effect of gas-
oil ratio on the decline of reservoir pressure. Needless to say, such an
expression would be highly important in evaluating fields and in arriving
at a choice of production methods to be used.
Unfortunately, at the time these investigators published their work,
there were not sufficient data available to permit application of the
equation. The technique of measuring reservoir pressures had not been
developed, gas measurements were uncommon, oil and water production
records were in most cases inadequate, and little was known of the proper-
ties of the complex hydrocarbon mixtures making up the oil and gas in
the reservoirs. For these reasons, little additional work of a similar
nature could be done. However, during the past four years many data
have been systematically accumulated on reservoir pressures and the
properties of oil and gas, and it is now possible to use these data in further-
ing the studies on the behavior of oil and gas reservoirs.
It is the purpose here: first, to present the derivation of a modified
form of the equation given by Coleman, Wilde and Moore, which will
permit thA calculation of what later will be defined as the" active oil"
content of a reservoir; second, to derive formulas for calculating the
reservoir-energy changes that occur during the course of production,
and finally, to discuss the limitations and application of the equa-
tions developed.
Manuscript received at the office of the Institute Oct. 10, 1935.
* Research Engineer, Humhle Oil & Refining Co., Houston, Texas.
IS. P. Coleman, H. D. Wilde, Jr. and T. V. Moore: Quantitative Effects of Gas-
oil Ratios on Decline of Average Rock Pressure. Trans. A.I.M.E. (1930) 86, 174.
33
34 ACTIVE OIL AND RESERVOIR ENERGY
DERIVATION OF EQUATIONS FOR CALCULATION OF "ACTIVE OIL"
Whm an oil and gas rpservoir is tUPIwd with 'WPilR and oil and gas are
produced, the reservoir pressure is lowerpd and the oil and gas remaining
are thus caused to expand to fill the space vacated by the oil and gas
removed. In connection with this occurrence, it often is the case, where
the oil and gas-bearing strata have good connection with strata contain-
ing water, that the lowering of pressure in the oil and gas reservoir will
cause water to encroach and in effect aid in filling space left vacant by
the oil and gas produced. This, of course, decreases the extent to which
the remaining oil and gas must expand and accordingly retards the
decline in reservoir pressure.
Inasmuch as the temperature in oil and gas reservoirs remains sub-
stantially constant during the course of production, the expansibilities,
under equilibrium conditions, of the oil and gas remaining in a reservoir
are unique functions of pressure, which are determinable through the
examination of samples of the oil and gas. The sampl ps 2.3 for sneh
pxaminations are preferably and most easily obtained 1I1l(IPr 1)l'('ssuI'p
from the bottom of weils. Thus, if the assumption is made that eomplptp
equilibrium is at all times attained in reservoirs, it is possible to write an
expression relating the quantities of oil, gas and water produced, the
reservoir pressure decline atteIlding the production, the quantity of water
that may have encroached into the reservoir, and finally the total oil and
gas content of the reservoir. These thoughts form the basis for the
development of the expressions mentioned in the foregoing. The
derivation is as shown in the nomenclature on the next page.
The total volume of the liquid in any oil and gas reservoir under
original conditions is the product of the total original number of units
(barrels, or cubic feet) of oil, as measured at the surface, by the volume of
each unit, with its dissolved gas, as it originally existed in the reservoir:
Original liquid volume = nuo
Similarly, .
Original free gas volume = gvo
where g is the original number of units of free gas in the reservoir. Hence,
the original volume of the oil and gas reservoir is:
V = nuo + gvo [1]
Now if ~ n units of oil be removed, and the specific volume of the
remaining oil be changed to Un, the volume of liquid remaining will bE':
2 B. E. Lindsly: A Study of Bottom-hole Samples of East Texas Crude Oil. U.s.
Bur. Mines R.I. 3212 (1933).
3 R. J. Schilthuis: Technique of Securing and Examining Subsurface Samples of
Oil and Gas. Oil & Gas Jnl. (May 16, 1935).
UALPH J. SCHILTHUIS 35
(n - fln)un
If, at the same time, the free gas in the reservoir has been changed by an
amount flg and its specific volume changed to v, the volume of free gas
will be:
(g - flg)v
The "lim of these two quantities is the new volume of the reservoir, which
Nomenclature
Symbol Definition Expressed as
pu Original average reservoir pressure Puunds per unit area, absolute
p Average reservoir pressure at any time 8 after Pounds per unit area, absolute
produl'tIon bep;ins
pu. Atmo:::;pheric pressure Pounds per unit area, absolut.e
n Units of "aetive oil" originally in Voltunes, measured at 1 atm. and noo F.
Unit:s of .. active free gas" originally in reser- Volume:::;, measured at 1 atm. and 60 F.
voir
m Original ratio between reservoir I-;pal'e O('('U- No units
pied by free gas and that occupied by oil
V Apparent original volume of reservoir Volumes, under original reservoir
dn Units of oil produeed up to time e Volumes, measured at 1 atm. ann 60 F .
.1u Change in umts of free gas in reservoir up to Volumes, measured at 1 atm. and 60 F.
timefi
Z Units of water that have entered reservoir up Volumes, measured at 1 atIn. and 60 F.
to time (J
Units of water produ('ed up to time fJ
Gas-oil ratio, produced
TO Gas-oil ratio, originally dissolved
Ts Gas-oil ratio, dissolved at time 8
n Gas-oil ratio, returned to reservoir
Tn Gas-oil ratio, net produced
Uo
"
Vo
t,
Original specific volume of oil and it::; original
complement of dissolved gas
Hpecific volume of oil and its originally
solved gas at any time e
8peclfic volume of oil and its orif;(inally dis-
solved gas at 1 atm. and reservoir tempera-
ture
Specific volume of oil (one phase) at any time
e
Original specific volume of free gas
Specific volume of free gas at any time (J
Rpecific volulne of free gas at 1 atm. and
re8crvoir temperature
Time after production
Reservoir energy (.onsumpd up to time 8
Volumes, measured at 1 atm. and 60 F.
Volumes gas per volume oil, measured at
1 atm. and 60 F.
Volumes gas per volume oil, measured at
1 atm. and GOo F.
Volumes gas per volume oil, measured at
1 atm. and 60 F.
Volumes gas per volume oil, measured at
I atm. and 60 F.
Volumes gal"! per volume oil, measured at
1 atm. and 60 F.
Volumes, under original reservoir conditions
per volume of oil at 1 atm. and 60 F.
Volumes, under reservoir ('onditions per
volume of oil at 1 atm. and GO F.
Volumes, at 1 atmosphere and reservoir tem-
perature per volume of oil at 1 atm. and
60 F.
Volumes, under reservoir conditions per
volume of oil at 1 atm. and 60 F.
Yolumes, under original reservoir
per volume of gas at 1 atm. and 60 F.
Volumes, under reservoir conditions per vol-
ume of gas at 1 atm. and 60 F.
Volumes, at 1 atmosphere and reservoir tem-
perat.ure per volume of gas at 1 atm. and
00 F.
Days or months
Unit length times pounds
36 ACTIVE OIL AND RESERVOIR ENERGY
is equal to the original volume less the volume of any water that may havc
encroached into the reservoir:
(n - Lln)u" + (y - Lly)v = V - (Z - z) [2]
where:
Z = volume of water that may have encroached into the reservoir, and
z = volume of water produced
Subtracting equation 1 from equation 2:
-n(uo - Un) = unLln + vLly - y(v - vo) - (Z - z) l3]
The term Lly is the change in the number of units of free gas III the
reservoir. It may be divided as follows:
1. The free gas produced, LlYl - LlY2, where LlYl is the total gas
produced, and LlY2 is the dissolved gas produced.
2. The gas escaping from solution in the oil remaining, LlYa.
3. Any gas that may be returned to the reservoir, LlY4.
Then:
But:
Lly = LlYl - LlY2 - LlYa - LlY4
d(LlYl) = rd(Lln)
wherc r = produced gas-oil ratio,
d(LlY2) = r srl(Ll1l)
whcre r. = dissolved ga;;-oil ratio,
and d(LlY3) = (n - Lln)d(ro - r.)
d(.:1g4) = /"id(Lln)
- (II - Lln)dr. and
where ri = illj('('t.ed gas-oil ratio.
Therefore:
d(Lly) = rd(Lln) - f.d(Lln) + (n - /1n)dr. - rid(Lln)
= r"d(Lln) - d(r.Lln) + ndl".
where rn = net gas-oil ratio.
Integrating between the limits of the original and final conditions,
Lly = Lln(rn - r.) - nero - r.)
or, Lly = Lln(rn - ro) - (n - Lln)(ro - r.)
[4]
[5]
[6]
The number of units of gas released from solution from one unit of
oil, multiplied by its specific volume, is the volume of the gas released.
This is equal to the volume of the mixture of oil and its released gas minus
the volume of the oil:
(ro - r.)v = (u - Un)
or,
( )
(u - Un)
ro - 1". =
V
[7J
RALPH J. SCHILTHUIS 37
From pquations 6 and 7,
vAg = vAn(rn - ro) - (n - An)(u - Un) [8]
Substituting equation 8 in equation 3,
-n(uo - u) = unAn + vAn(rn - ro) - (n - An)(u - Un)
-g(v - vo) - (Z - z) [9]
whpnce,
n = An[u + (rn - ro)v] - g(v - vol - (Z - z) [10]
(u - uo)
If m is the ratio between the volume of the rpservoir originally occupied
by frpe gas and that occupied by oil,
gvo
1n =-
nuo
KlIb:;titllting t'lJlmtioll 11 ill t'quatioll 10,
Anlu + (rio - /"u)vj - _ 0 . _ = ~ z ~
II = - mUII(v - VII)
(11-1111)+ ~ - - . ~
VII
[11]
[121
Equation 12 is the general equilibrium expression for fields having an
original free gas cap and water drive. Where there is no water intrusion
and no water is produced,
An[u + (rio - ro)v]
n = ---'-------C.----;--'------'---c
( )
+
muo(v - vol
u - Uo
Vo
[13]
Whpre thpre is no original free gas cap,
An[u + (rn - ro)v] - (Z - z)
n = - - ~ - ~ ~ - ~ ~ - ~ - ~
(u - uo)
[14]
Where there is neither water drive nor an original free gas cap,
An[u + (rio - ro)v]
'/l = -
. (u - uu)
[1.5]
There are three unknowns in equation 12; namely, the original
quantity of oil in the reservoir, the original gas, and the quantity of water
that may have encroached into the reservoir, attending the production of
oil and gas. These unknowns are related to the quantities of oil, gas and
water produced as well as the specific volumes of the oil and gas remaining
in the reservoir. As stated before, the specific volumes are in turn func-
tions of reservoir pressure. Equations 13, 14 and 15 hold for the specific
casps where either water drive or an original free gas cap, or both, are
absent. In the first two of these, the number of unknowns is reduced
38 ACTIVI<.: OIL AND HESEUVOIH j<JNEHGY
to two, while III the laRt only one unknown, the original quant.it.y of
oil, appears.
UTILITY AND LIMITATIONS OF EQUATIONS
These formulas have certain advantages over that proposed by
Coleman, Wilde and Moore, who made use of the laws for perfeet gasPH
and perfect solutions in their derivation. Here, such an assumption iH
not made; instead, the relations between pressure and volume determined
in the laboratory on samples of the oil and gas are used in the application
of the equations. Thus, the equations are applicable to the study of
high-pressure reservoirs, whereas one that assumed the laws for ideal
gases and solutions is very likely to be seriously in error. Most of the
terms used in the expressions may be read directly from curves pre-
pared from the laboratory data; therefore the calculations involved
are simplified.
Except in so far as the specific volumes of the oil and gas in a reservoir
are dependent upon the manner of liberation of the gas from solution
in the oil, upon reduction of pressure, the equations are exact for a reser-
voir in which complete equilibrium between all phases is at all times
established. Unfortunately, equilibrium is never attained. The devia-
tions from equilibrium are such that reservoirs behave as though they
contain considerably smaller quantities of oil and gas than they actually
do contain. There are believed to be two conditions that make for this
behavior. First and probably most important, it appears that much
of the oil and gas is contained in relatively impermeable portions of the
reservoirs wherein the pressures are not lowered to the same extent as in
the more permeable sections that are first to furnish oil and gas for produc-
tion. Thus, the oil and gas confined in the" tight" or relatively imper-
meable parts of the reservoirs do not have opportunity to expand and
contribute toward filling the space vacated by oil and gas produced to the
same extent as the oil and gas in the more permeable strata. A second
possible condition that also may play some part in causing reservoirs to
behave as though they contain less oil and gas than they actually do is the
tendency for the oil remaining to fail to liberate its dissolved gas aH
pressure upon it is lowered, and thus for it to become supersaturated. It
is clear that oil in such condition would fail to do its full part in expanding
to fill voided space. Both of these conditions bring about the result that
the reservoir pressures measured during the course of production arr
lower than those that would prevail if thf' drdine in pressure were uniform
and complete equilibrium established on the rntire quantity of oil and gaH
in the reservoirs. For these reasons, the oil and gas content of a reservoir,
as calculated by either of the equilibrium exprf'ssions 12, 13, 14 or 15, is
always less than the true contf'nt. Despite the discrepancy, however, it
is believed that the calculated quantity of oil has significancr. It iR
RALPH J. SCHILTHUIS 39
probably that part of the total quantity of oil that is contained in the
interconnected and permeable portions of a reservoir, and, which actively
contributes to the maintenance of the reservoir pressure. This introduces
the concept of "active oil." Aside from its interpretation as the portion
of the oil contained in the permeable parts of a reservoir, the" active oil"
also has possible applications to the study of the performance of oil and
gas reservoirs, as follows:
1. Determination of the effectiveness of any natural water drive that
may be acting upon a reservoir.
2. To calculate the approximate pressure changes to be expected
under various rates of flow in a field under water drive.
3. Evaluation of the benefits to be derived from gas return operations.
4. Estimation of the reservoir energy changes that occur during the
course of production.
The use of the" active oil" in connection with the latter problem will
be discussed in a part of the paper to follow.
GENERAL ApPLICATION
The exact details of the manner in which the equations 12, 13, 14 or 15
may be employed to best advantage can be worked out only from a con-
sideration of the data available in the particular case. No specific rules
can be laid down. Where an original free gas cap is encountered, it is
necessary to make some estimate, from geologic data, of the original size
of the gas cap. This quantity is usually best expressed in the equations
as a ratio between the portion of the original volume of the reservoir
filled with free gas and that portion filled with oil.
Although ordinarily it is best to have the original reservoir conditions
as a starting point for the application of the equations, it is not absolutely
necessary. When little is known regarding actual original reservoir
pressures, etc., any convenient subsequent time in the operations may be
used; provided, of course, that all production and reservoir-pressure data
employed in the computations are referred to the time chosen as a
starting point.
The effect of any water drive that may be active is evaluated in the
following manner: In many cases, it may be assumed that the rate at
which water enters a field is proportional to the pressure gradient that
exists between the water-bearing strata and the oil and gas reservoir.
For practical purposes, the value of this gradient would be the difference
between the value of the original reservoir pressure and any subsequent
Yalue, or (Po - p). Thus, the rate of water encroachment would
be expressed:
dZ
-- = k(po - p)
dO
[16]
40 ACTIVE OIL AND RESERVOIR ENERGY
whence:
dZ = k(po - p)dO
and
[17]
To evaluate k, 'it is assumed that over any reasonably long period of
time, during which the reservoir pressures and the production rate may
have remained constant, the volume of water encroaching into the oil and
gas reservoir is equal to the volumetric withdrawal, that is, the volume
of oil, gas, and water withdrawn, all under reservoir conditions of pressure
and temperature, Thus, from equation 16:
k = dZ
(Po - p)dO
and from equation 12:
dZ d(tin) dz
dO = [u + (rn - To)V]-----ctO + dO
Com bining these expressions:
d(tin) dz
[n + (rn - ro)v]1iO + dO
k = - - - - ~ ~ - ---,------
(po - p)
d h d
' , h d(tin) dz d ( . )
un er t e con ItlOns t at ------ao' dO an po - p are constant,
[18J
In
applying equation 18 to evaluate k from the production data over some
particular period of time, it must be kept in mind that the value of rn, the
net gas-oil ratio produced, to use, is that observed for the particular period
and not the average from the beginning. Having determined the
constant k, the total influx of water over the entire period of production
can be calculated, using equation 17.
It is of interest to know what the reservoir pressure would have been
in a field under active water drive had the water drive been absent. For
determining this, the following procedure may be employed: The reservoir
volume filled with oil and gas at any time is given by either of
the expressions,
Resen"oir YO\llme = nUII(1 + rn) - (Z - z)
Reservoir yolume = (n - tin)u + [n:ou
o
- tin(rn - ro)]v
Equating:
nUo(1 + m) - (Z - z) = (n - tin)u + [n:ou
o
- tin(rn - ro)]v [19]
Had there been no water drive, (Z - z) would be zero, and the terms
RALPH J. SCHILTHUIS 41
u and v would have had values u' and' v', corresponding to the pressure p',
that would have prevailed in the absence of water drive. Therefore,
nUo(1 + m) = (n - 1n)u' + [n7
o
u
o
- 1n(rn - ro) ]V' [20]
Then, suhtraeting equation 20 from equation 19 and rearranging:
(Z - z) - [nmu
o
- 6n(rn - ro)](v
l
- v)
I Vo
1l - U = [21]
n - 6n
Values of p' may be assumed, the corresponding values of u' and v' sub-
stituted in equation 21, and, by trial and error, the correct value of
p' determined.
A specific example illustrating the application of the equations devel-
oped in the foregoing will be presented after consideration has been given
to the energy changes that occur during the course of production.
RESERVOIR ENERGY
Reservoir energy may be defined as the energy available to produce
oil. There are three sources of reservoir energy:
1. The expansive energy of the oil and the gas with which it is asso-
ciated, both dissolved and free.
2. The energy supplied by water drive.
3. The energy of gravity, which usually is small and therefore may be
neglected in most cases.
In producing oil, all of the expansive energy associated with all of the
oil and gas produced is consumed. In addition, a part of the energy of
the remaining oil and gas is also used, the amount depending upon the
reduction in the reservoir pressure that accompanies the production.
Water-drive or gas-return operations, by maintaining the reservoir
pressure, conserve the energy of the oil and gas remaining in the reservoir.
To develop the expressions for calculating the energy changes that
attend production, the following assumptions and conditions have been
set out:
1. Oil 'and gas are considered to have been produced when they are
brought to one atmosphere absolute pressure at the temperature of
the reservoir.
2. The process of production is considered to be isothermal.
3. The fluids in reservoirs originally are considered to be free gas, if
any is present initially, and oil with its dissolved gas. The oil with its
dissolved gas is assumed to behave as a homogeneous fluid. The pres-
sure-volume relations of both the original free gas and the oil with its
original complement of dissolved gas are assumed to be independent
of the quantities of each that remain in the reservoir.
42 ACTIVE OIL AND RESERVOIR ENERGY
4. Realizing that complete equilibrium is not attained within oil and
gas reservoirs, the" active oil," calculated as outlined in the foregoing, is
used as a basis for calculation of the energy changes. The probable
-4
I
.3
I
2
I
FIG. 1.-IMAGINARY THERMODYNAMIC ENGINE IN WHICH NET CHANGE IN ENER(;Y IS
EQUIVALENT TO THAT IN OIL AND GAS RESERVOIR.
limitations involved in using the "active oil" in this manner will be
discussed later.
In analyzing the reservoir energy change occurring on account of
production, it is convenient to set up an imaginary thermodynamic
engine, in which the net change in energy is equivalent to that brought
A
J
FIG. 2.-PRESSURE-VOLUME DIAGRAM.
about in the reservoir. Such an engine is illustrated in Fig. 1 and the
process involved is as follows:
1. The fluids in the reservoir are allowed to expand isothermally to
one atmosphere absolute pressure, the piston moving from position 1 to
position 2. The curve of isothermal expansion is represented as the line
AB on the pressure-volume diagram in Fig. 2. The work performed by
the fluids is,
.;!pdv, or the area ABEH, under the line AB.
2. The fluids to be produced are discharged from the engine at atmos-
pheric pressure, the piston moving from position 2 to position 3. The
volumes of the fluids change by the amount that is produced, but the
pressure remains constant at atmospheric. This operation is indicated on
the p-v diagram as the horizontal line BC, and the work done on the fluids
is Paf:.v, or the rectangular area BCFE.
RALPH J. SCHILTHUIS 43
3. The fluids remaining in the reservoir must be recompressed to the
new reservoir conditions; that is, the pressure and volume of the reservoir
after the production has been obtained, the piston moving from position 3
to position 4. The final volume of the reservoir is less than the original
volume by the net amount of water that has encroached into the reservoir.
If there is no water drive, the final and original volumes are identical.
The isothermal compression curve is represented by the line CD in the
p-v diagram, and the work done on the fluids by the area CDGF.
The net energy change is the difference between the work performed
by the fluids and the work later done on, or restored to, the remaining
fluids. This is seen to be the area ABCJ less the area DJHG, the latter
being the energy contributed by any water drive that may be
present. Thus, the change or consumption of reservoir energy is given
by the expression
t>E = ABEH - BCFE - CDGF
The quantities above may be expressed as follows:
J:
po J:Po
ABEH = n pdu + g pdv
pa -4111 pa
BCFE = Pa[t>nua + t>n(rn - ro)va]
The energy remaining in the reservoir,
[22]
[23]
[24]
CDGF = (n - t>n) rppdu + [g - t>n(rn - ro)] rVpdv [25]
J ~ J ~
Then,
t>E = n .copdu + g J:Popdv + t>n[L:pdu + (rn - ro) L:pdv ]
- Pat>n[u a + (rn - ro)va] [26]
If the energy consumption is to be expressed in units of energy per unit of
oil produced,
t>E nJ:Popdu + g .!:popdv
-, - = P P + rppdu + (rn - ro) rppdv
.:In t>n JPa JPa
- pa[Ua + (rn - ro)va] [27]
where
nmuo
g=--
Vo
To calculate the extent to which any water drive that may be present
contributes to the energy of the reservoir, the following equation applieR:
t>Ew = (n - t>n) pdu + _.- - t>n(r" - ro) pdv
L
p [nmuo J1P
p' Va p'
[28]
44 ACTIVE OIL AND RESERVOIR ENERGY
which is closely approximated by the expression
f1Ew = (Z - z)(p ~ p')
In equation 28, p' is the reservoir pressure that would have prevaiIPd ill
the absence of the water drive.
Under ideal operation, without considering gas return, the oil would
be produced with only its dissolved gas and at such a rate that water
drive would maintain the reservoir pressure at its original value. Under
this operation, the energy consumption would be limited to that asso-
ciated with the oil, and its dissolved gas, produced. Thus:
f1E II< = f1n[J::opdu - p"u" - pouoJ
[29]"
It is observed that the following information must be known before
the energy relationships expressed by equations 23 through 28 can
be calculated:
1. Original store of oil and gas.
2. Data on oil and gas production.
3. Reservoir pressure behavior.
4. Data on the pressure-volume propertimi of the oil and gas, ohtaillf'd
through laboratory examination of samples.
For the original oil content of the reservoir, the " a c ~ i v e oil" as (iPkr-
mined from the applicable one of the equilibrium equations 12 to 15 is uSf'd
in the energy expressions. As explained before, the calculated quantity of
"active oil" is always less than the true total quantity of oil in the reser-
voir because the observed reservoir pressure decline is always greatpl"
than would have occurred if complete cquilibrium wme at all timf's
cstablished. By using the "active oil," or apparent quantity of oil
contained in the reservoir, together with the observed decline in reservoir
pressure, compensating errors are introduced. The quantity of fluids
that are considered to have expanded is too small, but the pressure range
over which the expansion occurs is too large by about the same order of
magnitude. It is probable, therefore, that the use of the "active oil"
and observed pressure decline leads to a fairly good approximation of the
reservoir energy consumed.
EXAMPLE OF ApPLICATION
By way of illustrating the use of the equations developed for cal-
culating the "active oil" and the energy consumption, the Conroe field,
Montgomery County, Texas, has been chosen as an example upon
which the calculations will be made. This field has a free gas cap and
there is considerable evidence to indicate that it is under active water
drive. The case is therefore the most complicated for the application.
RALPH J. SCHILTHUIS 45
-
I
1

I,
...
I

V-A __ __ "'"
..or_IF.
.,
r-.


8
r'A,mo
. ---


t-
,



1:1
I-
,.
"I-
1--1-'
I-

I-

,
roo
j,... j,...

....

r-

... f-

I;)
N
IY2 nH /,.N /J!
IFIG. 3.-RESERVOIR PRESSURE AND PRODUCTION DATA, CONROE FIELD.
0 aDo
...,
- -
.-
--
- -
't\.

'\ I\.
v,. /.z/ Cu H. _ Cu./;:; AT" IATM., _,.
/;:;LJID Cu./;:;

1\'
l'\.
/7t:J"F
'1\

.
'\.
'"

"
I"-

'"
"
bJ.;-.t.-v

If
r'
f::::
"
""-

........
"-
S
""
,
i'...
...........

"
.- ._ ._ .111/ .OII .111$ _
H:wu_. CGWoWT;aov3, tiA3ArIArM
FIG. 4.-PRESSURE-VOLUME RELATIONS AND CALCULATED ISOTHERMAL ENERGY OF
EXPANSION FOR CONROE OIL AND ORIGINAL COMPLEMENT OF DISSOLVED GAS.
46 ACTIVE OIL AND RESERVOIR ENERGY
The data on production and behavior of the average reservoir pressure
are given in Fi!l:. 3. Thp gas-oil ratios arf) referred to a. 2-lb. pressure basf'.
III Fig. 4 are presented the presRure-volume data on the oil with its
original complement of dissolved gas, determined in the laboratory on
subsurface samples of the oil from the Conroe field. Fig. 5 contains
similar data on the gas from the free gas cap. In the calculations to
follow, it is assumed that the production and reservoir-pressure data
,
1\
1\ \
7t:t:' Cu. IT: P"!=-,1 6at AT / ATM.I
\
;'.du U$OM,Ii' 1.63. 'CO ...... alI!. AT IATM.,
r--
'\.
P,
/?f7Y
'\
"-

"-
'\.
'"
"-
'\.
V-
U
C::J.
r-..
N-/P'du
"I'-.,
'"
I ...........
t'-...,
"'"
r-.....
f'...
"'"
f'.-
-..........
I'--
'"
t'.... u u _ _ _ _
U>l.UML-, UN.VML-O/.i Ar /ATHMoO&?"'-: Cu.Ii/B8<.
FIG. 5.-PRESSURE-VOLUME RELATIONS AND CALCULATED ISOTHERMAL ENERGY OF
EXPANSION FOR CONROE FREE GAS.
apply only to the main Conroe sand and not to both the Conroe and upper
Cockfield sands.
The field originally contained, in the Conroe sand, about 181,225 acre-
feet of gas sand and 810,000 acre-feet of oil sand
4
Therefore,
181,225
m = 810 000 = 0.224
,
During the period, Oct. 1, 1934, to Apr. 1, 1935, the production rate
and reservoir pressure remained substantially constant. The data for
this period are as follows:
Reservoir pressure, p; 2090 lb. per sq. in.
Pressure differential, (Po - p); 185 lb. per sq. in.
Production rate, d(f:.n)/d8; 44,100 bbl. per day
4 E. O. Buck: Engineering Report on the Conroe Field, to Conroe Operators
Association, Nov. 1, 1934.
HALPH J. SCHILTHUIS 47
Average volumetric displacement per barrel oil produced, *
u + (rn - ro)v; 9.09 cu. ft. per bbl.
Average volumetric displacement,
dZ
dO; 401,000 cu. ft. per day
Rate of water encroachment, 401,000 cu. ft. per day
k = (Po ~ p) . ~ ~ ; 2170 cu. ft. per day per lb. per sq. in.
In Fig. 6, the curve of pressure drop against time is plotted, from which
the expression,
.fo8 (po - p) dO
is obtained graphically. From this, Z is calculated from equation 17.
~
~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
'"
~ I
"
.. iii ~ ~ ~ :\
-
...- -
/
--
"
,;
if'
" ,
/'
"
,
~
,,"
"
,
I
"
" <:>
0 z 4 6
.,
m /Z
,
/6 HI zo N ,;U 26 oM 30 6.2 !U !l6 M
TiME' IJ.1/:)NTH.5
40
Fw. 6.-CALCULATION OF QUANTITY OF WATER THAT HAS ENCROACHED INTO CONROE
FIELD.
A summary of the calculations involved in determining the original
quantity of" active oil" in the reservoir by equation 12 is given in Table 1.
" Active oil" is plotted against production in Fig. 7, wherein it is noted
that the quantity haH ranged between 550 and 600 million barrels for some
time. Up to Sept. 1, 1935, between 8 and 9 per cent of the original
Water production small and was neglected,
48 ACTIVE OIL AND RESERVOIR ENERGY
"active oil" had been produced. It is pointed out that the Conroe field
has a slow rate of pressure decline, which may be due to one of two
causes: (1) a very high content of "active oil," or (2) a lower" active oil"
content coupled with a powerful water drive. To be conservative, the
highest rate of water intrusion compatible with the data was used, which,
in turn, makes the figures for" active oil" minimum values.
TABLE I.-Active Oil and Energy Calculations, Conroe Sand
= 737 eu*-/AV . .:s.c.
" =.00';"7 cv-h/cw.# . .:sc.
;;t?O
" /.rl C'v.Ii1/cvl'i!.tI.c
pdu" G.CIt/O' h/a,!DbI.&c.
-7..: -/Z.MG
n7:
IZ'f:Ib :: eu 19, ,;c/.u.L. .:s.C.
In Fig. 8, the observed record of the average reservoir pressures iR
compared with the values, calculated from equation 21, that wOllld ha\'p
prevailed had there been no water on the field. The figure :-:howH
that the average reRervoir pres:-:ure as of Sept. 1, 1935, would have been
1820 lb. per sq. in. instead of the value observed, 2087 lb. per sq. in. It
is apparent that the water drive has been of considerable importance in
maintaining the reservoir pressure.
A summary of the calculations involved in determining the energy
changes that attended production is also given in Table 1. The calcu-
lated values of the" active oil" were used in these computations. Thf'
RALPH J. SCHILTHUIS 49
total energy consumption, expressed in foot-pounds, is plotted against the
production in Fig. 9. The consumption of energy, assuming the water
7f
"v
/

V
......
i"
/"
r-
/
-V
"",...
V

I---

"I


$ /5 III> 2!S 5D

.-0 4tJ
-
..
Fw. 7.-AcTIVE OIL, CONROE FIELD.
drive had i>eon inactive, is also shown in Fig. 9. The energy lip
to Sept. 1, 1935, would have been between 19 and 20 per cent higher had
I\..



" '"
I UNQH! w,,77F>Ir
l
,
,
,
I
1'""--
----
-... _-
-
... Ab w"T""'"
'-';---... ,

--,
,
- .........
.....
,
,
i! III> _ _
ML.UON$ Or tJ4./:";
FIG. 8.-AvERAGE RESERVOIR PRESSURE DECLINE, CONHOE FIELD.
the water drive been inactive. In Fig. 10, the reservoir energy consump-
tion is expressed also as foot-pounds per barrel of oil produced. The
50 A()'l'IVE OIL AND RESERVOIR ENERGY
original energy content of the reservoir, including both the energy
associated with the oil and its original complement of dissolved gas and

V
/
/
"....
At> Hl4r_ 01/7
./
V
l/"/
,;'
,
/'

l

V
...
..."....

i"""



\)
o
/:J _ n ", _ ..
MILLIOVS OF
FIG. 9.-ToTAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION, CONROE FIELD.

IA

a
I \

...

1\ '-
r---- ,riEOH
!) \ --
r---
-
'!l<:e-NAt. r_Y \"

/' .....
Cl:wrJ!'olVr ,orA? (2-
....
\..-
V fc",eA?rIVT V
I'-
"l
o _ M _ n _ n _ _
.. M//ON:J ai'" &J8L5.
FlU. lO.-ENERGY CONSUMED PER BARREL OF OIL PIWDUCED, CONROE FIELD.
the original free gas was 9.97 million foot-pounds per barrel of oil. In
Fig. 10, it is seen that the energy consumed per barrel of oil produced was
much higher during the early stages of production than the original
DISCUSSION 51
energy content, per harrel of oil. This was caused hy the waste of
excessive qllantities of free gaR during the early stageR of productioll.
Currently, the eommmption of pnergy is even lesR than the original COI1-
tent per barrel because very few wells now produce with excessive gas-oil
ratios. Most of the oil is produced with its dissolved gas only.
CONCLUSION
Where sufficient and proper data on production, reservoir-pressure
behavior and the properties of the oil and gas are at hand, it is believed
that the methods outlined herein permit the calculation of the approxi-
mate quantity of oil contained in the interconnected and permeable parts
of a reservoir. Although the importance or significance of this quantity,
termed" active oil," is not completely understood, it does appear to be of
considerable interest. Its application at present seems to be in providing
a means by which equilibrium expressions can be employed to calculate
the effect of any natural water drive that may be present, to calculate the
approximate pressure changes to be expected under various rates of flow
in a water-drive field, to determine the benefits to' be derived from gas-
return operations, or to calculate the changes in reservoir energy that
occur during the course of production. It is possible that the procedure
may prove to be useful in estimating reserves, although its value along
these lines cannot be determined until it has been applied in a number of
cases so that comparison can be made with actual performance.
The application of production and subsurface pressure data in
studies of the nature outlined herein points out their usefulness, and
emphasizes the need for keeping even more adequate production and
reservoir-pressure records than are now obtained.
DISCUSSION
(M. Alber/son presiding)
W. K. LEWIS, * Cambridge, Mass.-The factors determining the hehavior in an oil
reservoir are very complex, involving progressive segregation of oil frolll gas, simul-
tImeous travel of the two phases through the structure, and the like. There seellls no
hope of solving the problem along purely theoretical lines. The solution must involve
the use of empirical methods, but these should follow the best possible theoretical
approach, as, for example, the development of formulas into which experimentally
determined coefficients of performance may be introduced.
. No true equilibrium can exist under conditions of production between free gas
segregated at the top of the formation and the oil beneath it. However, while
the gas actually liberated from the oil by reduction in pressure does not have the sallie
composition as the segregated gas, where the pressures are high the difference is not
great and probably can be neglected. Schilthuis' concept of active oil is a move in
the right direction. Its use should give a clearer insight into what is actually occur-
ring in the reservoir and, when adequately developed, a safer method of estimating
ultimate performance.
* Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
52 ACTIVE OIJ, AND RESERVOIR ENERGY
D. L. KATZ, * Bartlesville, Okla.-As reservoir pressure declines, is the mechan-
ism by which gas escapes from solution in the oil that of equilibrium or differential
vaporization?
R. J. SCHlLTHUIs.-The actual mechanism is probably some combination of both.
However, the data on the saturation pressures and oil to gas ratios of subsurface
samples taken from a few reservoirs after moderate decline in pressure had occurred
seem to indicate that any gas that had escaped solution remained in contact with the
oil from whence it came. Such samples were found to be substantially identical with
others obtained very soon after development of the fields began and before any
appreciable pressure decline had occurred. In view of this, it is believed that the
t.entative conclusion is justified that gas liheration in oil reservoirs conforms more
closely with the equilibrium rather than the differential process o\"er moderate preH-
sure decline at least.
* Phillips Petroleum Co.