Reservoir Drive Mechanisms

and Producing Characteristics

Instructional Objectives
List the major reservoir drive mechanisms
for oil reservoirs
List the major reservoir drive mechanisms
for gas reservoirs
Describe the typical production
characteristics for the major drive
mechanisms
Give typical recovery factor ranges for the
different drive mechanisms

Oil Reservoir Drive

Mechanisms
Solution-gas drive
Gas-cap drive
Water drive
Combination drive
Gravity-drainage drive

Gas Reservoir Drive

Mechanisms
Volumetric reservoir (gas expansion
drive)
Water drive

Reservoir Energy Sources

Liberation, expansion of solution gas

Influx of aquifer water
Expansion of reservoir rock
Expansion of original reservoir fluids
- Free gas
- Interstitial water
- Oil, if present
Gravitational forces

Solution-Gas Drive in Oil Reservoirs

Oil producing wells

Oil

A. Original Conditions

Oil producing wells

B. 50% Depleted
Cross Section

tedn
a
er tio
b
i
L olu s
s ga

Solution-Gas Drive in Oil

Reservoirs
Reservoir type
Main source(s) of reservoir energy
Reservoir behavior characteristics
Typical production characteristics

Solution-Gas Drive in Oil Reservoirs

Formation of a Secondary Gas Cap
Wellbore

tion
u
l
o
ds
e
t
era gas
b
i
L

Secondary
gas cap
ves
o
s m cture
a
G tru
s
up

Solution-Gas Drive in Oil Reservoirs

600

400

200

400

300
200

100

400
Gas/oil
ratio

Reservoir
pressure

200

Oil production rate

Production data

300

100

Time, years

Gas/oil ratio, SCF/STB

800

Pressure, psia

Oil production rate, STB/D

Typical Production Characteristics

Solution-Gas Drive in Oil Reservoirs

Typical Production Characteristics
Reservoir pressure, psig

Initial reservoir
pressure

Bubblepoint
pressure

5
15

Oil recovery, % of OOIP

Reservoir pressure behavior

10

Gas-Cap Drive in Oil Reservoirs

Oil producing well

Oil
zone

Gas cap

Cross Section

Oil
zone

Gas-Cap Drive in Oil Reservoirs

Reservoir type
Main source(s) of reservoir energy
Reservoir behavior characteristics
Typical production characteristics

Gas-Cap Drive in Oil Reservoirs

Reservoir pressure

Gas/oil ratio

2
1

Oil

Production data

Time, years

800
600
400
200
0

Gas/oil ratio, scf/STB

1300
1200
1100
1000
900

Oil production rate,

MSTB/D

Pressure, psia

Typical Production Characteristics

Water Drive in Oil Reservoirs

Reservoir type
Main source(s) of reservoir energy
Reservoir behavior characteristics
Typical production characteristics

Water Drive in Oil Reservoirs

Edgewater Drive
Oil producing well

Oil

Zone

Water

Water

Cross Section

Water Drive in Oil Reservoirs

Bottomwater Drive
Oil producing well

Oil

Zone
Water

Cross Section

Water Drive in Oil Reservoirs

Production data

Gas/oil ratio

Water

Oil

Time, years

2
1
0

40
30
20
10
0

Water cut, %

100
80
60
40
20
0

Reservoir pressure

Gas/oil ratio, MSCF/STB

2300
2200
2100
2000
1900

Oil production rate,

MSTB/D

Pressure, psia

Typical Production Characteristics

Water Drive in Oil Reservoirs

Reservoir pressure

Gas/oil ratio

Oil production,
MSTB/D

Water

20
15
10
5
0

Oil

Time, years

Production data - lower oil production rate

2
1
0

60
40
20
0

Water Cut, %

2000
1900
1800
1700

Gas/oil ratio, MSCF/STB

Pressure, psia

Effect of Production Rate on Pressure

Combination Drive in Oil Reservoirs

Gas cap

Oil zone
Water

Cross Section

Gravity Drainage in Oil Reservoirs

Reservoir type
Reservoir behavior characteristics
Gas
Gas
Oil
Gas

Point C

Oil
Point B

Oil
Point A

Pressure and Gas/Oil Ratio Trends

100
Water drive

Reservoir pressure,
Percent of original

80

60
Gas-cap drive

40

20

Solution
-gas drive

0 0

20

40

60

80

100

Cumulative oil produced, percent of original oil in place

Reservoir pressure trends

Pressure and Gas/Oil Ratio Trends

5

Solutiongas drive

Gas/oil ratio, MSCF/STB

Gas-cap drive
3

Water drive

20

40

60

80

100

Cumulative oil produced, percent of original oil in place

Gas/oil ratio trends

Gas Reservoir Drive Mechanisms

Volumetric reservoir (gas expansion
drive)
Water drive

Volumetric Gas Reservoirs

Reservoir type
Main source(s) of reservoir energy
Typical production characteristics

Water Drive in Gas Reservoirs

Reservoir type
Main source(s) of reservoir energy
Typical production characteristics

Oil Reservoir Drive Mechanisms

Summary of Source(s) of Reservoir Energy
Solution-gas drive
Gas-cap drive
Water drive
Combination drive
Gravity-drainage drive

Gas Reservoir Drive Mechanisms

Summary of Source(s) of Reservoir Energy
Volumetric reservoir (gas expansion
drive)
Water drive

Exercise 1
Given: Source(s) of reservoir energy
Determine:

Drive mechanism

Exercise 2
Gas/oil ratio trend
GOR

Reservoir 1

Pressure

Pressure trend

Time
GOR

Reservoir 2

Pressure

Time

Time

GOR

Reservoir 3

Pressure

Time

Time

Time

Average Recovery Factors

Oil Reservoirs
Drive Mechanism
Solution-gas drive
Gas-cap drive
Water drive
Gravity-drainage
drive

Average Oil Recovery

Factors,
% of OOIP
Range
Average
5 - 30
15
15 - 50
30
30 - 60
40
16 - 85
50

Average Recovery Factors

Gas Reservoirs
Drive Mechanism
Volumetric reservoir
(Gas expansion drive)
Water drive

Average Gas Recovery

Factors,
% of OGIP
Range
Average
70 - 90
80
35 - 65

50

Exercise 3
Given: Recovery factors
Determine:

Drive mechanism

Properties Favorable for

Oil Recovery
Solution-gas drive oil reservoirs
Low oil density
Low oil viscosity
High oil bubblepoint pressure

Properties Favorable for

Oil Recovery
Gas-cap drive oil reservoirs
Favorable oil properties
Relatively large ratio of gas cap to oil
zone
High reservoir dip angle
Thick oil column

Properties Favorable for

Oil Recovery
Water drive oil reservoirs
Large aquifer
Low oil viscosity
High relative oil permeability
Little reservoir heterogeneity and
stratification

Properties Favorable for

Oil Recovery
Combination drive oil reservoirs
Gravity drainage oil reservoirs
High reservoir dip angle
Favorable permeability distribution
Large fluid density difference
Large segregation area
Low withdrawal

Properties Favorable for

Gas Recovery
Volumetric gas reservoir (gas
expansion drive)
Low abandonment pressure
Water-drive gas reservoir
Small aquifer
Small degree of reservoir
heterogeneity and stratification

Exercise 4
Given: Reservoir properties
Determine:

Will oil recovery increase

or decrease?

Estimating Oil Recovery Factors

Solution-gas drive - API study
1 S
wi
ER 41.8

B ob

S wi

0.3722

pb

pa

0.1611

0.1741

ob

0.0979

Estimating Oil Recovery Factors

Water drive - API study
1 S
wi
ER 54.9

B oi

S wi

0.1903

pi

pa

0.0422

0.2159

k w

oi

0.0770

Estimating Oil Recovery Factors

Water drive - Guthrie-Greenberger
study

E R 0.272 log10 k 0.256 S wi 0.136 log10 o

1.538 0.0003 h 0.114

Exercise 5
Estimating Oil Recovery Factors
Given: Reservoir and fluid properties
Determine:

Expected oil recovery

factors

Exercise 6
Estimating Oil Recovery Factors
Given: Reservoir and fluid properties
Determine:

Expected oil recovery

factors

Summary
Reservoir drive mechanisms
Sources of reservoir energy

Summary
Typical production characteristics
Average recovery factors
Favorable reservoir properties
Estimating oil recovery factors