06 Volume Conversions
06 Volume Conversions
06 Volume Conversions
Volumetric conversions
Volume conversions
Reservoir (downhole) volumes of oil, gas and water after produced to surface conditions
undergo changes, which affect the fluid volumes as they pass from one set of conditions
to another. These volume changes occur due to the compressibility of the fluids, their
thermal expansion and the solubility of the gases.
Conversion factors are commonly used to account for these changes of the fluid volumes.
The volumes at surface are measured or converted at a standard set of pressure and
temperature conditions, so that they can be universally comparable.
Standard conditions
Gas volumes are expressed in cubic meters (m3) or in standard cubic feet (scf) at 15.56
°C (60 °F) and 1 bar or 1 atmosphere (14.7 psia).
Oil Volumes are expressed in cubic meters (m3) or the API barrels at stock tank conditions
(STB) same reference conditions 15.56 °C (60 °F) and 1 atmosphere (14.7 psia).
Gas-Oil Ratios (GOR) result from the division of the above volumes. Units used are cubic
3 3
meters of oil per cubic meters of oil (m /m ) or standard cubic feet per stock tank barrel
3 3
(scf/STB). GORs can be converted from (m /m ) to scf/STB using the conversion factor
3 3
5.615 (1 scf/STB = 5.615 m /m ).
There are three volumetric parameters used in reservoir engineering: Bo, Bg and Bw.
Solution
Gas
Solution
SURFACE Gas
Water
Oil
Free
Gas
Gas Water
Oil (Free)
DOWNHOLE
The downhole to surface volume relationships are shown graphically above. The total
gas volume collected at surface is the sum of the released gas that it was in solution
downhole plus the gas that it was in free gas state inside the porous media.
Formation Volume Factor for oil (oil volume factor) is equal to:
A typical range of the formation volume factor for oil (Bo) is 1.2 - 1.6 for low shrinkage
(black) oils and 1.7 4.0 for high shrinkage (volatile) oils.
Being dependent essentially on the amount of dissolved gas, Bo increases with pressure,
up to the bubble point, where all of the available gas is dissolved and then decreases at
a rate determined by the liquid compressibility.
Solubility of natural gas in oil is dependent on the composition of the hydrocarbons, the
temperature and pressure applied. Charts, derived from correlations are also available
to estimate the values for Bo.
Figure below is a typical plot of PVT data for undersaturated oil. Bo increases from
8,000 psia down to the bubble point pressure at 6,350 psia due to the expansion of the
single-phase oil (green line). From 6,350 psia down to atmospheric pressure, increasing
amounts of gas are liberated and therefore Bo decreases.
2000
1800
1600
Compression of liquid after
all gas is in solution
1400 2.4
1200 2.2
1000 2.0
800 1.8
600 1.6
400 1.4
200 1.2
0 1.0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000
Pressure (psia)
o
Typical PVT data for differential vaporisation of an under-saturated oil at constant temperature (305 F)
Rs is different from producing GOR, since the producing GOR includes also in the
nominator the volume of gas that was in free gas state in the pores of the reservoir.
pB p<pB
Bg(Rsb-Rs)
Bob
Rsb
Bo
Rs
The total formation volume factor Bt (two-phase formation oil factor) may be defined as
the volume in barrels one stock tank barrel and its initial complement of dissolved gas
occupies at any pressure and reservoir temperature.
Therefore:
Bt = Bo + Bg (Rsb − Rs )
Oilphase, Aberdeen.