Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology

Department of Petroleum and Mining Engineering

PME - 111
Reservoir Rock and Fluid Properties

Topics: Phase Behavior and Identification of Reservoir Fluid

Instructor: Md. Mizanur Rahman

Assistant Professor
Email: [email protected]
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 Phase Behavior
Phase
- any homogeneous and physically distinct part of a system which is
separated from other parts of the system by definite bounding surfaces.
- three-phase system: solid, liquid, and gas.
Physical properties
 Intensive Properties:
- independent of the quantity of material present
- Example: Density, specific volume, and compressibility factor
 Extensive Properties:
- dependent of the quantity of material present such as volume and
mass;
- their values are determined by the total quantity of matter present.
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 Phase Behavior-Cont.
Variables
 Pressure, Temperature and Volume
 Pressure and temperature are imposed on the system
and determine the phase or phases which exist.
 The phases which exist are identified by their specific
volumes or densities.
• Phase Diagram
- graph of pressure plotted against temperature showing
the conditions under which the various phases of a
substance will be present.
- often called pressure-temperature diagrams. 3
 Phase Diagram for a Pure Substance

The Vapor-Pressure Line

 TC
 Pressure-Temperature points
- above TC indicates liquid
phase
- Below TC indicates gas
- Exactly on the TC line
indicates the coexistence of
gas and liquid
Fig. 2-1. Typical phase diagram of
a pure substance.

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 Phase Diagram for a Pure Substance
The Critical Point
• Point C: The upper limit of the vapor-pressure line
Critical Temperature
- temperature above which the gas cannot be liquefied,
regardless of the pressure applied.
critical pressure
- the pressure above which liquid and gas cannot coexist,
regardless of the temperature. T

Note: These definitions of critical properties are invalid for

systems with more than one component.
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 Phase Diagram for a Pure Substance
Triple point
• Point T on the vapor-pressure line
• This point represents the pressure and temperature at which
solid, liquid, and gas coexist under equilibrium conditions.
The Sublimation-Pressure Line
- At temperatures below the triple-point temperature,
- Substance transform from sloid to gas and gas to solid
The Melting Point Line
- This line separates solid conditions from liquid conditions.
- pressure-temperature points, fall exactly on this line
indicate a two phase system—coexistence of solid and
liquid.
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Fig. 2-3. Typical phase diagram of a pure substance with two
lines of isothermal expansion: 123 below critical temperature, 45 above
critical temperature. 8
Fig. 2-4. Typical phase diagram of a pure substance with two lines of
isobaric temperature change: 123below critical pressure, 45 above
critical pressure. 9
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 Phase Diagrams of Two-Component Mixtures
• saturation envelope, phase envelope, or two-phase region
Bubble Point
- The point at which a few molecules
are able to leave the liquid and form a
Small bubble of gas
Bubble Point Pressure
- The pressure at which the first gas is
formed

Dew Point
- The point at which a small droplet
of liquid form from gas
Fig. 2-13. Typical diagram of a two-
component mixture with line of
Dew Point Pressure isothermal expansion, 12.
The pressure at which first dew is formed 11
 Phase Diagrams of Two-Component Mixtures
The Critical Point
- common point of bubble point line
and dew point line
- liquid and gas can coexist at
temperatures and pressures above
the critical point.
- the saturation envelope exists at
temperatures higher than the critical
temperature and at pressures higher
than the critical pressure.
- the point at which ail properties of
the liquid and the gas become Fig. 2-14. Typical phase diagram of a
identical. two-component mixture with vapor-
pressure lines of the two pure
components.
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 Phase Diagrams of Two-Component Mixtures
- The critical temperature of the
mixture lies between the critical
temperatures of the two pure
components.
- the critical pressure of the
mixture is above the critical
pressures of both of the
components.

Cricondentherm
The highest temperature on the Fig. 2-17. Typical phase diagram of a two-
saturation envelope after which component mixture with definitions of
cricondenbar and cricondentherm.
two phase can not exist
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 Phase Diagrams of Two-Component Mixtures
Cricondenbar
- The highest pressure on the
saturation envelope after which
two phase can not coexist

Retrograde Condensation

Fig. 2-18. Typical phase diagram of a two-

component mixture with line of isothermal
expansion, 123, in the retrograde region.
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 Identification of Fluid Type
Reservoir fluid type can be identified by
Laboratory test (accurate method)
Rules of thumb based on
the initial producing gas-oil ratio,
the gravity of the stock-tank liquid, and
the color of the stock-tank liquid.
Phase diagram

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 Black Oils
Phase Diagram
- the iso-vols are spaced
fairly evenly within the
envelope.

Undersaturated Oil
- indicate that the oil
could dissolve more
gas if more gas were
present
- Above bubble pint Fig. 5-1. Phase diagram of a typical black oil with line of
pressure Isothermal reduction of reservoir pressure, 123, and
surface separator conditions.
- Single phase in
reservoir 16
 Black Oils
Saturated Oil
• Oil is at its bubble point or less pressure
• Two phase exist in reservoir (oil and free gas)
• Oil can not dissolve more gas
Black oil also known as low shrinkage crude oil or ordinary oil

Field Identification of Biack Olis

- initial producing gas-oil ratios of 2000 scf/STB or less
- Producing gas-oil ratio will increase during production when
reservoir pressure falls below the bubble-point pressure of the
oil.
- Stock tank oil gravity below 45°API,
- Stock-tank oil gravity will slightly decrease with time
- the stock-tank oil is very dark, indicating the presence of heavy
hydrocarbons, often black, sometimes with a greenish cast, or
brown.
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 Black Oils
Laboratory Analysis of Black Oils
- initial oil formation volume factor of 2.0 res bbl/STB or
less
- Composition of heptanes plus will be higher than 30
mole percent,

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 Volatile Oils
- contain relatively fewer
heavy molecules and more
intermediates (defined as
ethane through hexanes) than
black oils

Fig. 5-2. Phase diagram of a typical volatile oil

with line of isothermal reduction of reservoir
pressure, 123, and surface separator
conditions. 19
 Volatile Oils
Volatile Oil Phase Diagram
- The temperature range covered by the phase envelope is
somewhat smaller,
- The critical temperature is much lower than for a black oil and,
is close to reservoir temperature.
- the iso-vols are not evenly spaced but are shifted upwards
toward the bubble-point line.
- a small reduction in pressure below the bubble point, causes
the release of a large amount of gas in the reservoir.

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 Volatile Oils
Field Identification of Volatile Olis
- initial producing gas-oil ratios between 2000 and 3300 scf/STB.
- The producing gas-oil ratio increases as production proceeds
- The stock-tank oil gravity is usually 40°APT or higher
- Stock-tank oil gravity increase during production as reservoir
pressure falls below the bubble point.
- The stock-tank oil is colored (usually brown, or: orange, or
sometimes green)

Laboratory Analysis of Black Oils

- initial oil formation volume factor greater than 2.0 res bbl/STB
- 12.5 to 30 mole percent heptancs plus

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 Retrograde Gases
Retrograde Gas Phase Diagram
- Contains fewer of the heavy
hydrocarbons than do the
oils
- the phase diagram of a
retrograde gas is somewhat
smaller than that for oils
- critical temperature less
than reservoir temperature
and a cricondentherm
Fig. 5-3. Phase diagram of a typical
greater than reservoir retrograde gas with line of isothermal
temperature reduction of reservoir pressure, 123,
and surface separator conditions.

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 Retrograde Gases
- Initially, the retrograde gas is totally gas in the reservoir, point 1
- As reservoir pressure decreases, the retrograde gas exhibits a
dew point, point 2
- As pressure is reduced, liquid condenses from the gas to form a
free liquid in the reservoir
- This liquid will normally not flow and cannot be produced
- at some low pressure the liquid begins to revaporize.

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 Retrograde Gases
Field Identification of Volatile Oils
 The lower limit of the initial producing gas-oil ratio is
approximately 3300 scf/STB.
 The upper limit is not well defined; values of over 150,000
scf/STB have been observed.
 Producing gas-oil ratios increases after production begins when
reservoir pressure falls below the dew-point pressure of the
gas.
 when producing gas-oil ratio is above 50,000scf/STB, the
quantity of retrograde liquid in the reservoir is very small and
the reservoir fluid can be treated as if it were a wet gas
 Stock-tank liquid gravities are between 40° and 60°API and
increase as reservoir pressure falls below the dew-point
pressure 24
 Retrograde Gases
 The liquid can be lightly colored, brown, orange, greenish, or
water-white.
Laboratory Analysis of Black Oils
 Retrograde gases exhibit a dew point when pressure is reduced at
reservoir temperature.
 The heptanes plus fraction is less than 12.5 mole percent.
 Retrograde behavior will occur at reservoir conditions for gases
with less than one percent heptanes plus, but for these gases the
quantity of retrograde liquid is negligible.
Comments:
 Retrograde gases are also called retrograde gas-condensates,
retrograde condensate gases, gas condensates, or condensates.”
 The use of the word “condensate” in the name of this reservoir
fluid leads to much confusion. 25
 Wet Gas
Phase Diagram
- exists as a gas in the reservoir
throughout the reduction in
reservoir pressure.
- separator conditions lie within the
phase envelope, causing some
liquid to be formed at the surface.

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 Wet Gas
Field Identification of Wet Gases
 Stock-tank liquid gravities are between 40° and
60°API
 the gravity of the stock tank liquid does not change
during the life of the reservoir
 a gas which produces more than 50,000 scf/STB can
be treated as if it were a wet gas
 Producing gas-oil ratios will remain constant during
the life of a wet gas reservoir.

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 Dry Gases
Dry Gas Phase Diagram
- primarily methane with some
intermediates
- exists solely as a gas in the
reservoir throughout the
reduction in reservoir pressure
- normal surface separator
conditions fall outside the phase
envelope
- no liquid is formed at the
surface
- A dry gas reservoir often is
called simply a gas reservoir.
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