Chapter 6-Oil Properties

CGE567: Reservoir
Engineering 1
Chapter 6: Oil Properties
Lesson Outcomes (LOs):
Able to determine the crude oil gravity, API degree and other basic properties
Describe the gas solubility: GOR and Rs
Describe the bubble point pressure in phase diagram
Determine the oil formation volume factor; oil FVF
Calculate the crude oil compressibility
Calculate the oil density and oil viscosity
Introduction
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.
Data on most of these fluid properties are 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.
Crude Oil Gravity
The crude oil density is defined as the mass of a unit volume of the
crude at a cubic foot. The specific gravity of a crude oil is defined as
the ratio of density of the oil to that of water. Both densities are
measured at 60F and atmospheric pressure;
The density of water is approximately 62.4 lb/ft

API Gravity
The API gravity is the preferred gravity scale

The gravity scale is precisely related to the specific gravity by the
following expression:
The API gravities of crude oils usually range from 46 API for the lighter
crude oils to 10 API for the heavier asphaltic crude oils
Exercise 1
Calculate the specific gravity and the API gravity of a crude oil
system with a measured density of 53 lb/ft3 at standard conditions.
Solution
Step 1 Calculate the specific gravity from equation
Step 2 Solve for the API gravity:

API Gravity
Light crude have lower density (sp.gr.) API is higher.
High API crude produces more distillates (valuable) than it does

residue (less valuable)
API Gravity
In general, crude oil is sold through a variety of contract arrangements and in spot
transactions. Oil is also traded on futures markets but not generally to supply physical
volumes of oil, more as a mechanism to distribute risk. These mechanisms play an
important role in providing pricing information to markets.
In fact, the pricing of crude oils has become increasingly transparent from the 1990s
onwards through the use of benchmark crudes such as:
-West Texas Intermediate (WTI USA)
-Brent (Europe, Africa and Asia)
-Dubai and Oman (Middle East)
-Dubai, Tapis and Dated Brent (in Asia-Pacific)
AIP (Australian Institute of Petroleum)
API Gravity
In Asia there is no futures exchange where crude oil is traded and which
would provide pricing information to the same extent as WTI and Brent. In Asia
the pricing mechanism for say Tapis, a benchmark for light sweet crudes in
the region, is based on an independent panel approach where producers,
refiners and traders are asked for information on Tapis crude trades.
There are details assessment done by Platts, McgGraw Hill Financial as for the
benchmarking. Generally this is based on a formula approach where a
benchmark crude is used as the base and then a quality differential
(premium/discount) as well as a demand/supply (premium/discount) is
added depending on the crude being purchased.
API Gravity
Prices of benchmark crude oil and petroleum product markers are

affected by a myriad of factors including:
-overall supply/demand for crude
-supply/demand for petroleum products
-freight rates
-competition in the crude markets
-competition in the regional and domestic markets for petroleum
products.
API Gravity
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) is the benchmark oil prices most

often used in North America
Also known as Texas light sweet.
WTI is light crude oil with API gravity of around 39.6 , specific gravity
0.827 (lighter than Brent crude) and sulfur content of 0.25%
API Gravity
Brent Crude is a major trading classification of sweet light crude oil that serves as
a major benchmark price for puchase of oil worlwide.
Brent Blend crude oil has an API
gravity of 37.9 degrees and
0.45 percent sulfur.
Brent is the leading global
price benchmark for Atlantic basin
crude oils
API Gravity
The Tapis field, off the coast of Terengganu in Peninsular Malaysia, was
discovered in 1969 and started production in 1978.
Tapis, among Asias premium grades along with Australias Cossack and
Griffin, is valued because it enables refiners to produce a greater amount of
gasoline without increased investments. Most types of crude oil from the
Middle East contain a greater proportion of sulfur and other pollutants.
Tapis has an API gravity of 46 degrees and contain 0.0343 % sulfur by weight
Malaysias Tapis crude oil, once the worlds most expensive grade, is losing
its status as a benchmark for Asian refiners buying grades from Australia,
Indonesia and Vietnam because of declining output.
Christian Schmollinger, Blooberg; December 15, 2008
API Gravity
Specific Gravity of the Solution Gas
The specific gravity of the solution gas g is describe by the
weighted average of the specific gravities of the separated gas
from each separator.
This weighted-average approach is based on the separator gas-oil
ratio;
Exercise 3
Solution
Ostermann et al. (1987) proposed a correlation to account for the
increase of the gas gravity of a solution gas drive reservoir with
decreasing the reservoir pressure, p, below the bubble-point
pressure, pb.
Crude Oil Density
Defined as the mass of a unit volume of the crude at a specified
pressure and temperature, mass/volume.
Usually is expressed in pounds per cubic foot and it varies from 30
lb/ft3 for light volatile oil to 60 lb/ft3 for heavy crude oil with little or
no gas solubility
When laboratory crude oil density measurement is not available,
correlations can be used to generate the required density data
under reservoir pressure and temperature.
Crude Oil Density
Based on the available limited measured data on the crude, the
correlations can be divided into the following two categories:
Correlations that use the crude oil composition to determine the

density at the prevailing pressure and temperature.
Correlations that use limited PVT data, such as gas gravity, oil gravity,
and gas/oil ratio, as correlating parameters.
Density Correlations Based on the Oil
Composition
Standing-Katzs Method
-The authors developed the correlation from evaluating
experimental, compositional, and density data on 15 crude oil
samples containing up to 60 mol% methane.
-Expressed the density of hydrocarbon liquid mixtures as a function of
pressure and temperature:
Standing and Katz
density correlation.
STEPS:
1. Calculate the total weight and the weight of each
component in 1 lb-mole of the hydrocarbon mixture by
applying the following relationships:
STEPS:
2. Calculate the weight percent of methane in the entire
system and the weight percent of ethane in the ethane-plus
from the following expressions:
STEPS:
3. Calculate the density of the propane-plus fraction at
standard conditions by using the following equations:
STEPS:
4. Using Standing Katz Density Correlation, enter the C3+

value into the left ordinate of the chart and move horizontally
to the line representing (mC2 )C2+ , then drop vertically to the
line representing (mC1 )C1+.
The density of the oil at standard condition is read on the right
side of the chart
Standing (1977) expressed the graphical correlation in the
following mathematical form:
where C2+ = density of the ethane-plus fraction.

STEPS:
5. Correct the density at standard conditions to the actual

pressure by reading the additive pressure correction factor,
p,(Figure on next slide)
The pressure correction term p can be expressed

mathematically by:
Density correction for
the compressibility of
crude oils.
STEPS:
6. Correct the density at 60F and pressure to the actual

temperature by reading the thermal expansion correction term,
T, from Figure (next slide)
The thermal expansion correction term, T, can be expressed

mathematically by:
where T is the system temperature in R.

Density correction for
the isothermal
expansion of crude
oils.
Example
A crude oil system has the following composition:
If the molecular weight and specific gravity of the C7+ fractions are 215
and 0.87, respectively, calculate the density of the crude oil at 4000 psia
and 160F using the Standing and Katz method.
Solution:
Step 1 Calculate the weight percent of C1 in the entire system
and the weight percent of C2 in the ethane-plus fraction:
Step 2 Calculate the density of the propane and heavier:
Step 3 Determine the density of the oil at standard conditions from

Figure(Standing and Katz density correlation)
sc = 47.5 lb/ft3
Step 4 Correct for the pressure using Figure (Density correction for
the compressibility of crude oils)
p = 1.18 lb/ft3
Density of the oil at 4000 psia and 60F is then calculated by the
expression:
Step 5 From Figure (Density correction for the isothermal expansion of

crude oils), determine the thermal expansion correction factor:
Step 6 The required density at 4000 psia and 160F is
Composition
Alani-Kennedys Method
- Developed an equation to determine the molar liquid volume, Vm, of
pure hydrocarbons over a wide range of temperatures and pressures.
- Equation then was adopted to apply to crude oils with heavy
hydrocarbons expressed as a heptanes plus fraction, that is, C7+.
Composition
- Whereas a and b parameters;
K, n, m, and c are constants for each pure component in the mixture and
are tabulated in Table (next slide)
-For heptanes-plus, contains no constants from which the values of the
parameters a and b
For heptane-plus:
For heptane-plus:
Alani and Kennedy Coefficients
Composition
-For hydrocarbon mixtures, values of a and b of the mixture are
calculated using the following mixing rules:
Where: coefficients ai and bi refer to the values of pure hydrocarbon, i

xi is the mole fraction of component i in the liquid phase.
Composition
-values am and bm are then used in equation to solve for the molar
volume Vm.
- Density of the mixture at the pressure and temperature of interest is

determined from the following relationship:
STEP by STEP: Alani and Kennedy
Method
1. Calculate the constants a and b for each pure component from
equations
2. Determine the C7+ parameters a C7+ and b C7+

3. Calculate values of the mixture coefficients a m and b m from
equations
Method
4. Calculate the molar volume Vm by solving equation for the
smallest real root:
**can be solved iteratively by using the Newton-Raphson iterative

method
** assume a starting value of Vm = 2 and evaluate equation above
using the assumed value
Method
If the absolute value of this function is smaller than a preset

tolerance, say, 1010, then the assumed value is the desired
volume.
If not, a new assumed value of (Vm)new is used to evaluate the
function.
Method
The new value can be calculated from the following expression:
where the derivative f'(Vm) is given by:

Method
5. Compute the apparent molecular weight Ma from
6. Determine the density of the crude oil from

Bubble point pressure
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.
Pressure at which the first gas bubble is liberated from the reservoir
oil
Upon isothermal pressure reduction
This is important property can be measured experimentally for a
crude oil system by conducting a constant-composition expansion
test.
Bubble point determination
Why need to know bubble point?

-want to understand how HC behave in reservoir
-indicate probable drive mechanism
Why need to know bubble point?
If P res= P bubble point
- Gas cap exist will expand pushing oil towards well
- Imporve recovery
If P res < P bubble point

- Gas coming out of solution either produced or if production slow but vertical
permeability high, can migrate upward forming secondary gas cap
- Help drive the reservoir
If P res > P bubble point

- Oil is undersaturated (contain only dissolved gas)
- Drive will be monophasic (only liquid expansion)
- Poor recovery
Bubble-Point Pressure
Several graphical and mathematical correlations for determining
pb have been proposed during the last four decades.
These correlations are essentially based on the assumption that the
bubble-point pressure is a strong function of gas solubility, Rs; gas
gravity, g; oil gravity, API; and temperature, T:
should be used with caution if nonhydrocarbon components are

known to be present in the system.
Lasater (1958)
- introducing and using the mole fraction of the solution gas,
ygas, in the crude oil as a correlating parameter,
Mo = molecular weight of the stock-tank oil

o = specific gravity of the stocktank oil, 60/60.
Lasater (1958)
-If the molecular weight is not available, it can be estimated from
Cragoe (1997):
- Pb proposed
by Lasater:
T is the temperature in R and A is a graphical correlating

parameter that is a function of the mole fraction of the solution
gas, ygas.
Vasquez-Beggss Correlation
-where the temperature, T, is in R.
- Gas specific gravity gs at the reference separator pressure is
defined by:
Glasos Correlation
Glasos Correlation
- For volatile oils, Glaso recommends that the temperature
exponent be slightly changed from 0.172 to the value of 0.130
Marhouns Correlation
- Correlated the bubble-point pressure with the gas solubility, Rs,
the temperature, T, and the specific gravity of the oil and the gas.
- reported average
absolute relative error
for the correlation is 3.66%
Petrosky-Farshads Correlation
- authors concluded that
the correlation predicts
measured bubble-point
pressures with an average
absolute error of 3.28%.
Gas Solubility
The gas solubility Rs is defined as the number of standard cubic feet
of gas that will dissolve in one stock tank barrel of crude oil at
certain pressure and temperature
Known as solution gas-oil ratio (the volume of gas in SCF dissolved in
one STB of oil at a specific reservoir pressure)
Gas Solubility
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.
Gas Solubility
Below the bubble-point pressure,

the solution gas is liberated and the
value of Rs decreases with pressure.
Gas Solubility
Rather than measuring the amount of gas that will dissolve in a

given stock-tank crude oil as the pressure is increased, it is
customary to determine the amount of gas that will come out of a
sample of reservoir crude oil as pressure decreases.
Gas Solubility
Empirical Derived Correlations
a) Standings Correlation
- Graphical correlation for determining the gas solubility as a
function of pressure, gas specific gravity, API gravity, and system
temperature
- Has an average error of 4.8%.
Gas Solubility
a) Standings Correlation
- Graphical correlation for determining the gas solubility as a
function of pressure, gas specific gravity, API gravity, and system
temperature
- Valid for applications at and below the bubblepoint pressure of
the crude oil.
Gas Solubility
a) Vasquez-Beggss Correlation
Gas gravity used to develop all the correlations reported by the
authors was that which would result from a two-stage separation.
The first-stage pressure was chosen as 100 psig and the second
stage was the stock tank.
Gas Solubility
Based on oil gravity, the measured data were divided into two
groups. This division was made at a value of oil gravity of 30API:
(used when separator

condition unknown)
Gas Solubility
Proposed that the value of the gas specific gravity as obtained
from a separator pressure of 100 psig be used in this equation.
The reference pressure was chosen because it represents the
average field separator conditions
For adjustment of the gas gravity, g, to the reference separator
pressure:
Gas Solubility
pressure:
Gas Solubility
pressure:
Gas Solubility
a) Glasos Correlation
- Proposed a correlation for estimating the gas solubility as a function
of the API gravity, the pressure, the temperature, and the gas
specific gravity.
- reported an average error of 1.28% with a standard deviation of
6.98%.
Gas Solubility
a) Marhouns Correlation
- Developed expression for estimating the saturation pressure of the
Middle Eastern crude oil systems
Gas Solubility
a) Petrosky and Farshads Correlation
- used nonlinear multiple regression software to develop a gas
solubility correlation.
Gas Solubility
a) Petrosky and Farshads Correlation
- used nonlinear multiple regression software to develop a gas
solubility correlation.
Gas Solubility
a) Material Balance Approach
- Calculated rigorously from the experimental, measured PVT data.
- The following expression relates the gas solubility, Rs, to oil density,
specific gravity of the oil, gas gravity, and the oil formation volume
factor
Oil Formation Volume Factor, Bo
The reservoir volume in barrels (RB) that is occupied by one
stock tank barrel (STB) of oil and its dissolved gas
The oil formation volume factor can be expressed
mathematically as;
Example
Solution
Shrinkage factor
Reciprocal of formation volume factor

As the pressure is reduced

below the initial reservoir
pressure pi, the oil volume
increases due to the oil
expansion (oil compressibility).
At pb, the oil reaches its

maximum expansion and
consequently attains a
maximum value of Bob for the
oil formation volume factor.
As the pressure is reduced

below pb, volume of the oil
and Bo are decreased as the
solution gas liberated
When the pressure is reduced

to atmospheric pressure and
temperature to 60F, the
value of Bo is equal to 1
Empirical Bo correlations
Utilize the following generalized relationship:
Standings Correlation
- presented a graphical correlation for estimating the oil formation volume
factor with the gas solubility, gas gravity, oil gravity, and reservoir
temperature as the correlating
Parameters: average error of 1.2% was reported
Vasquez and Beggss Correlation
-developed a relationship for determining Bo as a function of Rs, o, g, and T
- Reported an average error of 4.7%
- Using the regression analysis technique, best form to reproduce the
measured data:
Glasos Correlation
- Following expressions for calculating the oil formation volume factor:
- where T = temperature, R, and o = specific gravity of the stock-tank oil,

60/60.
Average error of the correlation was reported at 0.43% with a standard
deviation of 2.18%.
- Developed a correlation for determining the oil formation volume factor as
a function of the gas solubility, stock-tank oil gravity, gas gravity, and
temperature
Petrosky and Farshads Correlation
- Used a nonlinear regression model to match experimental crude oil from the
Gulf of Mexico hydrocarbon system
- Correlation as following:
Material Balance Equation
- Oil volume under p and T can be replaced with total weight of the
hydrocarbon system divided by the density at the prevailing pressure and
temperature:
Material Balance Equation
- Given the gas solubility, Rs, per barrel of the stock-tank oil and the specific
gravity of the solution gas, the weight of Rs scf of the gas is calculated as:
where mg = weight of solution gas, lb of
solution gas/STB
- The weight of one barrel of the stock-tank oil is calculated from its specific
gravity by the following relationship:
- Substituting for mo and mg,

Underground withdrawal rates (RB/D)
Oil and gas production rates, Qo (STB/D) and Qg (SCF/D), are measured at
the surface at a time when the reservoir pressure
is P. This pressure is below the bubble point pressure Pb.
What are the corresponding underground withdrawal rates (RB/D)?
Below bubble point
Exercise
Oil Compressibility, Co
The fractional reduction in oil volume that results from a pressure increase of
one psi.
The volume changes of oil above the bubble point are very significant in
the context of recovery of undersaturated oil.
The oil formation volume factor variations above the bubble point reflect
these changes.
The equation for oil compressibility :
Isothermal Compressibility Coefficient
of Crude Oil
Defined as the rate of change in volume with respect to pressure

increase per unit volume, all variables other than pressure being
constant, including temperature.
of Crude Oil
For a crude oil system, the isothermal compressibility coefficient of the
oil phase, co, is categorized into the following two types based on
reservoir pressure:
a) P > Pb
- crude oil exists as a single phase with all its dissolved gas still in solution
- termed undersaturated isothermal compressibility coefficient
b) P < Pb
- solution gas is liberated with decreasing reservoir pressure or redissolved
with increasing the pressure.
- Termed as saturated isothermal compressibility coefficient
of Crude Oil
Undersaturated Isothermal Compressibility Coefficient
- The volume of the oil is allowed to expand as its pressure declines
- This volume is recorded and plotted as a function of pressure.
of Crude Oil
- Craft and Hawkins (1959) introduced the cumulative or average isothermal
compressibility coefficient, which defines the compressibility from the initial
reservoir pressure to current reservoir pressure.
of Crude Oil
-Trubes Correlation introduced the concept of the isothermal pseudo-
reduced compressibility, cr, of undersaturated crude oils
Trubes Graphical
correlations:
Trubes pseudo-reduced compressibility

of understaurated crude oil.
Trubes Graphical
correlations:
Trubes pseudo-critical
temperature correlation.
Trubes Graphical
correlations:
Trubes pseudo-critical
properties correlation.
of Crude Oil
-Trubes Procedure:
1) From the bottom-hole pressure measurements and pressure-gradient data,
calculate the average density of the undersaturated reservoir oil, in
gm/cm3, from the following expression:
where (o)T = oil density at reservoir pressure and temperature T, gm/cm3,

and dp/dh = pressure gradient as obtained from a pressure buildup test.
of Crude Oil
-Trubes Procedure:
2) Adjust the calculated undersaturated oil density to its value at 60F using
the following equation:
where (o)60 = adjusted undersaturated oil density to 60F, gm/cm3, and T =

reservoir temperature, R.
of Crude Oil
-Trubes Procedure:
3) Determine the bubble-point pressure, pb, of the crude oil at reservoir
temperature. If the bubble-point pressure is not known, it can be estimated
from Standing (1981), equation (430), written in a compacted form as
of Crude Oil
-Trubes Procedure:
4) Correct the calculated bubble-point pressure, pb, at reservoir temperature
to its value at 60F using the following equation as proposed by Standing
(1942):
of Crude Oil
-Trubes Procedure:
5) Enter in Figure Trubes pseudo-critical temperature correlation the values of
(pb )60 and (o )60 and determine the pseudo-critical temperature, Tpc, of
the crude.
6) Enter the value of Tpc in Figure Trubes pseudo-critical properties
correlation and determine the pseudo-critical pressure, ppc, of the crude.
7) Calculate the pseudo-reduced pressure, ppr,
and temperature, Tpr, from
the following relationships:
of Crude Oil
-Vasquez-Beggss Correlation:
of Crude Oil
-PetroskyFarshads Correlation:
where T = temperature, R, and Rsb = gas solubility at the bubble-point

pressure, scf/STB.
-Standings Correlation
of Crude Oil
Saturated Isothermal Compressibility Coefficient-Petrosky
of Crude Oil
Saturated Isothermal Compressibility Coefficient-Petrosky
-Mc Cain (1988)
If bubble point known:

Oil Compressibility, Co
In term of formation volume factors this equation yields :
Assuming that the compressibility does not change with pressure, the above equation
can b integrated to yield :
Where P1 & P2 and V1 & V2

represent the pressure and the volume at condition 1 & 2.
Total Formation Volume Factor, Bt
Total formation-volume factor Bt or the two-phase volume-factor and
is defined as the volume in barrels that 1.0 STB and its initial
complement of dissolved gas occupies at reservoir temperature and
pressure i.e. it include the volume of the gas which has evolved from
liquid and represented by:
Defined as the ratio of the total volume of the hydrocarbon mixture,
that is, oil and gas, if present, at the prevailing pressure and
temperature per unit volume of the stock-tank oil.
Total Formation Volume Factor, Bt
When reservoir pressures are greater than or equal to the bubble-point
pressure, pb, no free gas will exist in the reservoir and, therefore, (Vg )p,T = 0.
Plot of Bt as a
function of
pressure for an
undersaturated
crude oil
Several correlations can be used to
estimate the two-phase formation volume
factor
- Used combined correlating parameter that is given by:
factor
Glasos Correlation
- modified Standings correlating parameter A* and used it in a regression
analysis model to develop the following expression for Bt::
factor
- used a nonlinear multiple regression model to develop a mathematical
expression for Bt.
Black Oil Correlation
Over the years there have been
many correlations generated
based on the two component
based black oil model
characterization of oil
The black oil model considers the

fluid being made up of two
components gas dissolved in oil
and stock tank oil. The
compositional changes in the gas
when changing pressure and
temperature are ignored
Based on measured data on oils of interest.
To determine black oil parameters such as Pb, Bo, Rs, Co etc.
through various correlations & equations, we need data of;
- reservoir temperature
- reservoir pressure
- oil & gas surface density
For example, there are five known methods to predict the Bo
through correlations ;
-Standing -Marhouns -Glassos
-Vasquez-Beggs -Petrosky-Farshad
Important to appreciate that these correlations are empirical
They apply to a particular set of oils using a best fit approach.
Using correlation for fluids whose properties not similar to the

correlation can lead to errors.
The most commonly used is Standings correlation
Correlations and ranges
Fluid density
Liquid have a greater density and viscosity than gases and the density is
affected much less by changes in temperature and pressure.
Petroleum engineer needs to be able to estimate the density of the

reservoir liquid at the reservoir conditions.
Calculation of liquid density using Ideal-Solution principle
When liquid are mixed to give ideal solution. There is no heat effect and
the properties are strictly additive.
The volume of the ideal solution is the sum of the volumes of the liquid
components
Fluid density
Calculating the density of a liquid for a mixture is analogous to the

properties learned in gas behaviors.
- Firstly, calculate the mass of the mixture.

- Next, calculate the volume of the mixture.
- Then , = mass/volume
Note : Densities of pure components are provided in Appendix A

(McCains Textbook)
Example:
Physical Content table
Solution
More example:
Solution
Crude Oil Viscosity
Is an important physical property that controls the flow of oil through

porous media and pipes.
Defined as the internal resistance of the fluid to flow.
It ranges from 0.1 cp for near critical to over 100 cp for heavy oil.
Strong function of the temperature, pressure, oil gravity, gas gravity, gas
solubility, and composition of the crude oil.
Classification of crude oil viscosity
Dead oil viscosity, od. The dead oil viscosity (oil with no gas in the
solution) is defined as the viscosity of crude oil at atmospheric pressure
and system temperature, T.
Saturated oil viscosity, ob. The saturated (bubble-point) oil viscosity is
defined as the viscosity of the crude oil at any pressure less than or
equal to the bubble-point pressure.
Undersaturated oil viscosity, o. The undersaturated oil viscosity is
defined as the viscosity of the crude oil at a pressure above the bubble-
point and reservoir temperature.
Crude oil viscosity as a function of Rs
and p.
and p. At atmospheric pressure and reservoir
temperature, there is no dissolved gas
in the oil (i.e., Rs = 0) and therefore the oil
has its highest viscosity value of od.
and p.
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.
and 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 ob
and p.
With increasing the pressure above pb, the

viscosity of the undersaturated crude oil
o increases with pressure due to the
compression of the oil.
Predicting The Oils Viscosity
Step 1 Calculate the dead oil viscosity, od, at the specified reservoir
temperature and atmospheric pressure without dissolved gas: Rs = 0.
Step 2 Adjust the dead oil viscosity to any specified reservoir pressure (p pb)
according to the gas solubility at p.
Step 3 For pressures above the bubble-point pressure, a further adjustment is

made to ob to account for the compression of the oil above pb.
Viscosity Correlations Based on PVT
Data
Dead Oil Correlations
--Beals Correlation-
Developed a graphical correlation for determining the viscosity of the
dead oil as a function of temperature and the API gravity of the crude.
Data
--Beggs-Robinsons Correlation-
Developed an empirical correlation for determining the viscosity of the
dead oil.
Data
--Glasos Correlation
Proposed a generalized mathematical relationship for computing the
dead oil viscosity
This expression can be used within the range of 50300F for the system
temperature and 2048 for the API gravity of the crude
Data
Saturated Oil ViscosityCorrelations
Chew-Connally Correlation
Presented a graphical correlation to account for the reduction of the
dead oil viscosity due to gas solubility
Where ob = viscosity of the oil at the bubble-point pressure, cp, and od

= viscosity of the dead oil at 147.7 psia and reservoir temperature, cp.
Data
Chew-Connally Correlation
Presented a graphical correlation to account for the reduction of the
dead oil viscosity due to gas solubility
Where ob = viscosity of the oil at the bubble-point pressure, cp, and od

= viscosity of the dead oil at 147.7 psia and reservoir temperature, cp.
Data
Beggs-Robinson Correlation
Proposed an empirical correlation for estimating the saturated oil viscosity
Data
Saturated Oil Viscosity Correlations
Abu-Khamsim and Al-Marhoun
Saturated oil viscosity, ob, correlates very well with the saturated oil
density, ob,
Data
Undersaturated OilViscosity Correlations
Beals Correlation
Presented a graphical correlation for the variation of the undersaturated
oil viscosity with pressure where it has been curve-fit by Standing (1981)
where o = undersaturated oil viscosity at pressure p and ob = oil

viscosity at the bubblepoint pressure, cp.
Data
Undersaturated OilViscosity Correlations
Khans Correlation
Estimating the viscosity of the oil above the bubble-point pressure
Example
Using all the oil viscosity correlations discussed in this chapter, calculate
od, ob, and the viscosity of the undersaturated oil.
Example
Using all the oil viscosity correlations discussed in this chapter, calculate
od, ob, and the viscosity of the undersaturated oil.
SOLUTION: DEAD OIL VISCOSITY
SOLUTION: DEAD OIL VISCOSITY
SOLUTION: SATURATED OIL VISCOSITY
SOLUTION: UNDERSATURATED OIL VISCOSITY
SOLUTION: UNDERSATURATED OIL VISCOSITY
Gas Solubility
The following five empirical correlations for estimating the gas solubility are
given below:
Standings correlation
The Vasquez-Beggs correlation
Glasos correlation
Marhouns correlation
The Petrosky-Farshad correlation
It should be noted that Standings equation is valid for applications at

and below the bubble-point pressure of the crude oil.
It should be noted that Standings equation is valid for applications at

and below the bubble-point pressure of the crude oil.
showed that the oil formation volume factor can be expressed more
conveniently in a mathematical form by the following equation.
The Vasquez-Beggs Correlation
an improved empirical correlation for estimating Rs

can be solved for the bubble-point pressure pb to give:
Using the regression analysis technique, Vasquez and Beggs found the
following equation to be the best form to reproduce the measured data:
Using the regression analysis technique, Vasquez and Beggs found the
following equation to be the best form to reproduce the measured data:
Glasos Correlation
Correlation was developed from studying 45 North Sea crude oil samples.
Reported an average error of 1.28% with a standard deviation of 6.98%.
Glasos Correlation
Correlation was developed from studying 45 North Sea crude oil samples.
Reported an average error of 1.28% with a standard deviation of 6.98%.
Glasos Correlation
Glasos Correlation
Developed an expression for estimating the saturation pressure of the Middle Eastern
crude oil systems
used 160 experimentally determined bubble-point pressures from the PVT analysis of 69
Middle Eastern hydrocarbon mixtures to develop a correlation for estimating pb
used 160 experimentally determined bubble-point pressures from the PVT analysis of 69
Middle Eastern hydrocarbon mixtures to develop a correlation for estimating pb
The Petrosky-Farshad Correlation
used a nonlinear multiple regression software to develop a gas solubility

correlation.
The Petrosky-Farshad Correlation
used a nonlinear multiple regression software to develop a gas solubility

correlation.
can be solved for the bubble-point pressure to give:

Chapter 6-Oil Properties

Încărcat de

Informații document

Drepturi de autor

Formate disponibile

Partajați acest document

Partajați sau inserați document

Opțiuni de partajare

Vi se pare util acest document?

Este necorespunzător acest conținut?

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

Chapter 6-Oil Properties

Încărcat de

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

CGE567: Reservoir

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

The density of water is approximately 62.4 lb/ft

The API gravity is the preferred gravity scale

Step 2 Solve for the API gravity:

Light crude have lower density (sp.gr.) API is higher.

High API crude produces more distillates (valuable) than it does

Prices of benchmark crude oil and petroleum product markers are

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) is the benchmark oil prices most

Correlations that use the crude oil composition to determine the

4. Using Standing Katz Density Correlation, enter the C3+

where C2+ = density of the ethane-plus fraction.

5. Correct the density at standard conditions to the actual

The pressure correction term p can be expressed

6. Correct the density at 60F and pressure to the actual

The thermal expansion correction term, T, can be expressed

where T is the system temperature in R.

Step 3 Determine the density of the oil at standard conditions from

Step 5 From Figure (Density correction for the isothermal expansion of

Where: coefficients ai and bi refer to the values of pure hydrocarbon, i

- Density of the mixture at the pressure and temperature of interest is

2. Determine the C7+ parameters a C7+ and b C7+

**can be solved iteratively by using the Newton-Raphson iterative

If the absolute value of this function is smaller than a preset

where the derivative f'(Vm) is given by:

6. Determine the density of the crude oil from

The bubble-point pressure pb of a hydrocarbon system is defined

Why need to know bubble point?

If P res < P bubble point

If P res > P bubble point

should be used with caution if nonhydrocarbon components are

Mo = molecular weight of the stock-tank oil

T is the temperature in R and A is a graphical correlating

As the pressure is reduced from the

Below the bubble-point pressure,

Rather than measuring the amount of gas that will dissolve in a

(used when separator

Reciprocal of formation volume factor

As the pressure is reduced

At pb, the oil reaches its

As the pressure is reduced

When the pressure is reduced

- where T = temperature, R, and o = specific gravity of the stock-tank oil,

- Substituting for mo and mg,

Defined as the rate of change in volume with respect to pressure

Trubes pseudo-reduced compressibility

where (o)T = oil density at reservoir pressure and temperature T, gm/cm3,

where (o)60 = adjusted undersaturated oil density to 60F, gm/cm3, and T =

where T = temperature, R, and Rsb = gas solubility at the bubble-point

If bubble point known:

In term of formation volume factors this equation yields :

Where P1 & P2 and V1 & V2

The black oil model considers the

They apply to a particular set of oils using a best fit approach.

Using correlation for fluids whose properties not similar to the

Petroleum engineer needs to be able to estimate the density of the

Calculation of liquid density using Ideal-Solution principle

Calculating the density of a liquid for a mixture is analogous to the

- Firstly, calculate the mass of the mixture.

Note : Densities of pure components are provided in Appendix A

Is an important physical property that controls the flow of oil through

As the pressure reaches the bubble-point

With increasing the pressure above pb, the

Step 3 For pressures above the bubble-point pressure, a further adjustment is