Crude Oil PVT Matching using PROSPER

Simulated by : Reynaldi Virgiawan R.P.

 Introduction
PETROLEUM (an equivalent term is crude oil) is a complex mixture consisting predominantly
of hydrocarbons and containing sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, and helium as minor constituents.
The physical and chemical properties of crude oils vary considerably and depend on the
concentration of the various types of hydrocarbons and minor constituents present.

An accurate description of physical properties of crude oils is of a considerable importance in

the fields of both applied and theoretical science and especially in the solution of petroleum
reservoir engineering problems.

Physical properties of primary interest in petroleum engineering studies include :

1. Fluid gravity.
2. Specific gravity of the solution gas.
3. Oil density.
4. Gas solubility.
5. Bubble point pressure.
6. Oil formation volume factor (FVF).
7. Isothermal compressibility coefficient of undersaturated crude oils.
8. Undersaturated oil properties.
9. Total FVF.
10. Crude oil viscosity.
11. Surface tension.

Data on most of these fluid properties is usually determined by laboratory experiments

performed on samples of actual reservoir fluids. In the absence of experimentally measured
properties of crude oils, it is necessary for the petroleum engineer to determine the
properties from empirically derived correlations.

(Tarek, 2006)

Simulated by : Reynaldi Virgiawan R.P.

 Introduction
Let's discuss some of the physical properties of crude oil which have several correlations,
including:

1. Gas Solubility (Rs)

The gas solubility (Rs), is defined as the number of standard cubic feet of gas that dissolve in
one stock-tank barrel of crude oil at certain pressure and temperature. The solubility of a
natural gas in a crude oil is a strong function of the pressure, the temperature, the API gravity,
and the gas gravity.

A typical gas solubility curve, as a function of pressure for an undersaturated crude oil. As the
pressure is reduced from the initial reservoir pressure (pi), to the bubble point pressure (pb),
no gas evolves from the oil and consequently the gas solubility remains constant at its
maximum value of (Rsb). Below the bubble point pressure, the solution gas is liberated and
the value of Rs decreases with pressure.

(Tarek, 2006)

(Tarek, 2006)

Simulated by : Reynaldi Virgiawan R.P.

 Introduction

Gas Solubility (Rs) can be predicted using several correlations, of course each correlation
requires PVT data. Here are some correlations of gas solubility (Rs):

Glaso Correlation

Standing Correlation

Vasquez-Beggs
Correlation

And there are many other correlations, each correlation has different calculation
characteristics. Starting from the crude oil sample taken, the source/place of crude oil
sampling, consideration of the API degree of the oil and much more.
(Tarek, 2006)

Simulated by : Reynaldi Virgiawan R.P.

 Introduction

2. Bubble Point Pressure (Pb)

The bubble point pressure (Pb), of a hydrocarbon system is defined as the highest pressure at
which a bubble of gas is first liberated from the oil. This important property can be measured
experimentally for a crude oil system by conducting a constant composition expansion (CCE)
test. Several bubble point pressure correlations :

Standing Correlation

Glaso Correlation

Vasquez-Beggs
Correlation

(Tarek, 2006)

Simulated by : Reynaldi Virgiawan R.P.

 Introduction
3. Formation Volume Factor (Bo)
The oil FVF (Bo), is defined as the ratio of the volume of oil (plus the gas in solution) at the
prevailing reservoir temperature and pressure to the volume of oil at standard condition
(SC). Evidently, Bo always is greater than or equal to unity. The oil FVF can be expressed
mathematically as

As the pressure is reduced below the initial reservoir pressure (pi), the oil volume increases
due to the oil expansion. This behavior results in an increase in the oil FVF and continues until
the bubble point pressure is reached. At pb, the oil reaches its maximum expansion and
consequently attains a maximum value of Bob for the oil FVF. As the pressure is reduced
below pb, volume of the oil and Bo are decreased as the solution gas is liberated. When the
pressure is reduced to atmospheric pressure and the temperature to 60°F, the value of Bo is
equal to 1

(Tarek, 2006)

Simulated by : Reynaldi Virgiawan R.P.

 Introduction
4. Oil Viscosity
Depending on the pressure, the viscosity of crude oils can be classified into three categories :

At atmospheric pressure and reservoir temperature, there is no dissolved gas in the oil (Rs =
0) and therefore the oil has its highest viscosity value of μod. As the pressure increases, the
solubility of the gas increases accordingly, with the resulting decrease in the oil viscosity. The
oil viscosity at any pressure pb is considered “saturated oil at this p”. As the pressure reaches
the bubble point pressure, the amount of gas in solution reaches its maximum at Rsb and the
oil viscosity at its minimum of μob. With increasing the pressure above pb, the viscosity of
the under saturated crude oil μo increases with pressure due to the compression of the oil.

(Tarek, 2006)

Simulated by : Reynaldi Virgiawan R.P.

 Actual Crude Oil PVT Data

Let's say we have crude oil PVT data from laboratory/chemistry engineer as follows:
- Solution GOR = 400 scf/STB
- Oil gravity = 30 API
- Gas gravity = 0.75
- Water salinity = 80000 ppm
- No contaminant (no H2S, CO2, and N2)
- With the PVT data above, the physical properties of crude oil are obtained as follows:
(at temperature = 200 degF and bubble point 2500 psig)

Point Pressure Gas Oil Ratio Oil FVF Oil Viscosity

psig Scf/STB RB/STB cp

1 1500 237 1.138 1.34

2 2000 324 1.178 1.15

3 2500 400 1.214 1.01

4 3000 400 1.207 1.05

5 4000 400 1.198 1.11

We will compare the actual crude oil physical properties data with the correlations (using
actual PVT data) in PROSPER. Let's check it out

(Tarek, 2006)

Simulated by : Reynaldi Virgiawan R.P.

 Input PVT Data in PROSPER
- Solution GOR = 400 scf/STB
- Oil gravity = 30 API
- Gas gravity = 0.75
- Water salinity = 80000 ppm
- No contaminant (no H2S, CO2, and N2)

Bubble point pressure (Pb), gas solubility (Rs),

Oil viscosity correlations :
dan oil FVF (Bo) correlations :
- Beal et al
- Glaso
- Beggs et al
- Standing
- Petrosky et al
- Lasater
- Egbogah et al (heavy oil)
- Vazquez-Beggs
- Bergman-Sutton
- Petrosky et al
- De Ghetto et al (heavy oil)
- Al-Marhoun
- De Ghetto et al (modified)
- De Ghetto et al (heavy oil)

Simulated by : Reynaldi Virgiawan R.P.

Input Actual Physical Properties Data in PROSPER
Point Pressure Gas Oil Ratio Oil FVF Oil Viscosity

psig Scf/STB RB/STB cp

1 1500 237 1.138 1.34

2 2000 324 1.178 1.15

3 2500 400 1.214 1.01

4 3000 400 1.207 1.05

5 4000 400 1.198 1.11

Click “match”
Simulated by : Reynaldi Virgiawan R.P.
 PVT Matching in PROSPER

Click “match all”

Simulated by : Reynaldi Virgiawan R.P.

 Result PVT Matching in PROSPER

Numerical comparison: Correlations

Pshysical properties Std Deviation, the greater the value,

the more it deviates from the actual
data

For Solution GOR and Oil FVF we chose Lasater Correlation. For oil viscosity we chose the
Beal et al correlation because it has a smaller deviation value.

Simulated by : Reynaldi Virgiawan R.P.

 Result PVT Matching in PROSPER
Graphic comparison:

Black dots represent actual (laboratory) data

Lasater Correlation is selected to calculate Solution GOR (Rs) and Oil FVF (Bo) (green line)

Simulated by : Reynaldi Virgiawan R.P.

 Result PVT Matching in PROSPER

Graphic comparison:

Black dots represent actual (laboratory) data

Beal et al is selected to calculate oil viscosity (red line)

Simulated by : Reynaldi Virgiawan R.P.

 Conclusion
PVT matching is very important for us to do before we carry out further analysis
(generating Inflow Performance Relationship (IPR) curves, etc.) on the crude oil
system. PVT matching aims to select the correlation that is closest to the actual
data that will be used in oil and gas software such as PROSPER, Pipesim, etc.

Using PVT data and actual physical properties as follows:

- Solution GOR = 400 scf/STB
- Oil gravity = 30 API
- Gas gravity = 0.75
- Water salinity = 80000 ppm
- No contaminant (no H2S, CO2, and N2)

Point Pressure Gas Oil Ratio Oil FVF Oil Viscosity

psig Scf/STB RB/STB cp

1 1500 237 1.138 1.34

2 2000 324 1.178 1.15

3 2500 400 1.214 1.01

4 3000 400 1.207 1.05

5 4000 400 1.198 1.11

Lasater correlation can be used to predict bubble point pressure (Pb), gas
solubility (Rs), and oil formation volume factor (Bo). Beal et al correlation will
be used to calculate oil viscosity. This correlation was chosen because it has the
smallest deviation value from the actual data compared to other correlations.

Simulated by : Reynaldi Virgiawan R.P.

 Sources
Tarek. 2016. Equations of State and PVT Analysis. Gulf Professional Publishing.
Schlumberger

Thank You