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Graphical Interpretations for Gas Material Balances
A materials balance for a volumetric gas reservoir
leads to the well known conclusion that p/z should
be a linear function of the cumulative gas produced.
Data needed to prepare this balance usually take the
form of tabulations of mean reservoir pressure and
corresponding cumulative gas production in chrono-
logical sequence. It is then necessary to find corre-
sponding gas law deviation factors, zs, compute P/ z,
and make file plot of P!Z vs GP. If the data form a
straight line, it is possible to forecast pressures after
any future cumulative gas production by finding the
P/ z for some future value of GP. Thus performance
matching and production forecasting require finding
p/z corresponding to some p, or finding the value of p
that corresponds to a specific p/z. To aid these calcu-
lations, a large-scale plot of p/z vs p is often con-
structed. But if a plot of z vs p is available (as it
usually is), this step is not necessary, and it is also not
necessary to calculate p/z. This can be seen with the
aid of Fig. 1.
Fig. 1 is a conventional plot of z vs p that has been
rotated 90 to illustrate the basis of a simple graphical
interpretation. The heavy line presents the relation-
ship between z and p for a particular reservoir tem-
perature and gas composition. First, assume that we
wish to know the value of pressure that corresponds to
a specific value of p/z, say 5,000 psia. The statement
p/z = 5,000, or p = 5,000z,
represents the equation of a straight line on a graph
ofp vs z. The line passes through the point (O, O), and
also through the Doint where D = 5.000 and z = 1.
This line ~ sho& as the li~t line on Fig. 1. The
intersection of the light line and the heavy line pro-
vides both the p and z that correspond to a p/z value
of 5,000. Now let us assume we want the p/z value
corresponding to a given pressure p. Locate the pres-
sure on the heavy line. Pass a straight line from the
origin (O, O) through the point, and read p/z from
the pressure scale where the line intersects the line
c~am to determine z to fmd
z = i. Tinus it is riot fiece..u.~ _ -
P from P/ z, or p/z from p if a graph such as Fig. 1
is available.
To summarize, any straight line through the origin
on Fig. 1 will represent some constant value of P/ z.
The intersection of such a liqe with an appropriate
z curve provides a point (p, z) corresponding to the
particular value of p/z. This is a graphical solution
of two simultaneous equations. This method could be
used to find an empirical pressure coordinate scale for
a plot of p vs GPthat would yield a straight line satis-
fying a gas materials balance.
Often, z vs p plots prepared for field work have
limited z and p scales such that the graphs can be read
with good accuracy. An example is given in Fig. 2.
Conventional alignment of the coordinate axes is used
in this case. The point at the origin (O, O) is not on
the graph in this case. The graph can still be used
readily to find values ofp corresponding to p/z values.
Again, assume we wish the pressure p corresponding
to a p/z value of 5,000 psia. Plot the point p = 5,000
on the line z = 1. We can easily find another point on
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t
5000 p/z. BOO() .
REAO P a Z FIX PIZ s 5000
4000
3000
*
s
a.
~- 2000
a
m
m
z
a 1000
o
0 0.2 04 0.8 Lo I
#
NRT
Fig. l-Graphical calculation of p/z.
the straight iine thrcmgii the origin, because every
point on this line will correspond to pressure values
of 5,000z. Thus at z = 0.8, p = 5,000(0.8) = 4,000
psia. Plot thk point, connect the two points with a
straight line, and read the appropriate p and z at the
intersection with the z curve. This is exactly the same
procedure as carried out previously with Fig. 1.
Finally, it should beclear that the preceding opera-
tions might conveniently be earned out directly on a
P/ z vs GO plot, if a plot of z vs p is superimposed.
Fig. 3 presents such a plot. The left-hand ordinate
and lower abscissa represent p/z and GP, respectively.
The right-hand ordinate and upper abscissa represent
p and Z, respectively. The right-hand pressure scale is
actually not necessary. It would be scaled exactly the
same as the p/z coordinate. I have shown it separately
to clarify operations with the combined graphs.
Typical operations are as follows. Locate the initial
pressure pi on the z vs p line using either the P or p/z
scale, Then follow a straight line from this point
through the origin (O, O) to the line z = 1. This
estab~shes pJzi as shown on Pig. ~. QL$er Wints of
P/ z vs Go may be plotted in a similar fashion. Then
construct a straight line through the field data to
represent the materials balance. ApproprMe pre-
ssuresat some future cumulative production may now
be found. For example, find the mean pressure at a
cumulative production of half the initial gas in place,
0.5G. Enter Fig. 3 at a production of 0.5G and move
vertically to the material balance line. This establishes
the corresponding value of p/z, although it is not
necessary to read this value. Then move horizontally
to the right and plot a point on the z = 1 line. From
this point, draw a line to the origin and read the
(,0
0.9
0.8
1!
P/z .5000 -
.
REAO P * Z FOR
p/z. moo ~
1//
P* SOOOZ
~
/
. .
z . ?(PI
-.. .
Owo 4000 moo 6000
PRESSURE , PSIA
Fig. 2-Graphical calculation ofp from p/z.
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NW
6000?
02 04 0.6 08 (0
60W
I I I [ I I
I Z F(P)
s000 . ?,!Z,
HISTORY +
Pi
,/
I
,
4CQ0 ,. I
,,
- PI L
>/
P/z Vs Gp~
7
s 3000
,/
2
- P/z mR Qp . 0,3G
,/
: ~ooo
,,
,/ /
P FOR 0# 0.S6
/-
, ---
, ,.. ,
100a
,/ ,-
0.s6
, ..,
, -.,
,/ ,,
.. ,
0 J
0 0.5I3 G
CUMULATIVE GM PRODUCED, Qp
Fig. 3Combined material balance and p/z calculation.
appropriate value of pressure at the intersection with
the z vs p line.
These graphical constructions can be used to avoid
a great deal of calculation and trial and error.
Although I have not encountered the specific graph-
ical constmctions described previously, Burcik2 has
described a solution for the pressure of a gas mixture
in a tank that involves a similar graphical solution on
the generalized plot of z vs p.,. It is hoped hat the
preceding discussion will aid application of the graphi-
~a! method to field problems.
References
1. Craft, B. C. and Hawkins, M. F.: Applied Petroleum Res-
ervoir Engineering, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs,
N. J. (1959) ~~ .-.
2. Burci~, E. J.: Properties of Petroleum Reservoir Fluids,
John Wiley &Sons, Inc., New York (1957) 34.
Henry J. Ramey, Jr., SPE-AIME
Stanf&rd U.
Stanford, Calif.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY