MATERIAL

BALANCE
EQUATION

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
The material balance equation (MBE) is
one of the basic tools of reservoir
engineers for interpreting and
predicting reservoir performance. The
MBE can be used to:
Estimate initial hydrocarbon volumes
in place
Predict future reservoir performance
Predict ultimate hydrocarbon
recovery under various types of

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
The equation can be written on
volumetric basis as:
Initial volume = volume remaining + volume
removed
Before deriving the material balance, it is
convenient to denote certain terms by
symbols for brevity. The symbols used
conform where possible to the standard
nomenclature adopted by the Society of

THE MATERIAL BALANCE EQUATION

Terms

Symbols

Initial reservoir pressure, psi

Pi

Change in reservoir pressure = pi p, psi

Bubble point pressure, psi

pb

Initial (original) oil in place, STB

Cumulative oil produced, STB

Np

Cumulative water produced, bbl

Wp

Cumulative gas produced, scf

Gp

Cumulative gas-oil ratio, scf/STB

Rp

Instantaneous gas-oil ratio, scf/STB

GOR

Initial gas solubility, scf/STB

Rsi

Gas solubility, scf/STB

Rs

THE MATERIAL BALANCE EQUATION

Terms

Symbol
s

Initial oil formation volume factor, bbl/STB

Boi

Oil formation volume factor, bbl/STB

Bo

Initial gas formation volume factor, bbl/scf

Bgi

Gas formation volume factor, bbl/scf

Bg

Cumulative water injected, STB

Winj

Cumulative gas injected, scf

Ginj

Cumulative water influx, bbl

We

Ratio of initial gas-cap-gas reservoir volume

to initial reservoir oil volume , bbl/bbl

Initial gas-cap gas, scf

Pore volume, bbl

P.V

THE MATERIAL BALANCE EQUATION

Terms

Symb
ols

Water compressibility, psi1

cw

Formation (rock) compressibility, psi1

cf

Gas formation volume factor of the gas cap

gas ,bbl/scf

Bg c

Gas formation volume factor of the solution

gas ,bbl/scf

Bg s

cumulative gas production from gas cap

Gpc

.cumulative gas production from solution gas

Gps

Derivation of the oil MBE

Let us define the following
:quantities
N= the initial oil in place(STB) = V BO
(*1-Swi) /Boi
Gas cap expansion = New gas cap
volume
original gas cap
volume New gas cap volume = (G-Gpc)
B gc
Original gas cap volume = G x Bgci

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
Remaining release gas = original( 2)
soluble gas
remaining soluble gas cumulative
produced gas
= [N Rsi -(NNp)Rs -Gps] Bgs
(3) Remaining oil volume = (N-Np) Bo
(4) Net water influx

= (We -Wp Bw)

(5) Rock and water expansion is

THE MATERIAL BALANCE EQUATION

Condition II
P<Pi

Condition I

Pressure = Pi
NP = Zero
NP = +ive

GP = Zero

GP = +ive

WP = Zero

WP = +ive

Condition II
P<Pi

Condition I

Pressure = Pi
NP = Zero
NP = +ive

GP = Zero

WP = Zero

Condition I

GP = +ive
WP = +ive

Condition II

Pressure = Pi

P<Pi
N P = Zero
N P = +ive

GP = Zero
W P = Zero

G P = +ive
W P = +ive

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
Now, by equating the initial
conditions , to the final conditions
resulting from a finite pressure drop:
N Boi = (N-NP) Bo + [(G-GPC) Bgc -G Bgci]
+[NRsi
-(N-NP)RsGPS ]Bgs+
(We -WPBw)
N Boi = NBo NPBo + G Bgc- GPC Bgc - G
+ Bgci

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
NBoi-NBo-NRsi Bgs +NRsBgs=-NPBo+NPRsBgs
- GPSBgs+
+GBgcGPcBgc-GBgci+(We-WPBw)
N[Boi-Bo-RsiBgs+RsBgs] =Np[-Bo+RsBgs]-Gps
- Bgs+GBgc
Gpc Bgc-GBgci+(WeWpBw)
But : Bgc
= Bgs = Bg
= Bgsi Bgi

and

Bgci

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
Np[Bo-RsBg]+(Gps+Gpc)Bg =N[Bo-Boi+(Rsi+Rs)Bg]
G(Bg-Bgi)+(WeWpBw)

But : (Gpc+Gps)Bg = GpBg

and Rp
= Gp/Np
and
Bt =
Bo+(Rsi-Rs)Bg
, Therefore
Np [ Bo - RsBg]+Gp Bg =N[(Bo-Boi)+

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
By adding and subtracting RsiBg
RsiBg:
Np [Bo -(Rsi-Rs)Bg]- RsiBg]+Gp Bg
=N[(Bo Boi)+
+ (Rsi-Rs)Bg]+ G(Bg-Bgi)
+(We-WpBw)
Np[Bt-RsiBg]+Np Rp Bg =N[(Bo-Boi)+
(Rsi-Rs)Bg] + G(Bg-Bgi)+(We-WpBw)
Np[Bt Rsi Bg + Rp Bg]= N[(Bo - Boi)+
(Rsi-Rs) Bg]

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
:And finally
Np [Bt + (Rp - Rsi) Bg] = N (Bt
+ Bti )
mNBoi(Bg - Bgi) + (WeWpBw) ..(1)
Bgi

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
Np [Bt +(Rp - Rsi) Bg]=N (Bt Bti )+mNBoi(Bg Bgi) + (We-WpBw)
Bgi
Cumulative oil
Depletion Drive Gas cap
drive Water drive
withdrawal
mechanism
mechanism
mechanism

And this is the generalized material balance

equation for combination drive reservoir
neglecting the rock and connate water
expansion.

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
N ( Bt B tI )
D.D.I
Np[Bt+(Rp-Rsi)Bg]

(m N Boi/ Bgi) (Bg - Bgi)

GCDI
Np [Bt + (Rp - Rsi) Bg]

( We- Wp Bw)

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
Driving indices :
The driving index of any mechanism
represents
the fractional contribution of the total
oil
withdrawal produced by that
mechanism.

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION

Driving indices

Driving indexes in a combination-drive

reservoir

Driving indices

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
Several of the material balance
calculations require the total pore
volume (P.V) as expressed in terms of
the initial oil volume N and the volume
of the gas cap.
The expression for the total pore
volume can be
derived by conveniently introducing
the parameter m into the relationship
as follows:

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
Change in Pore Volume Due to Initial Water
:and Rock Expansion

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
where V represents the net changes
or expansion of the material as a result
of changes in the pressure. Therefore,
the reduction in the pore volume due
to the expansion of the connate water
in the oil zone and the gas cap is given
by:

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
Connate water expansion = [(pore volume)
Swi] x cw p
Substituting for the pore volume (P.V) with
Equation 11-1 gives:

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
The total volume of the hydrocarbon system
is then given by:
Initial oil volume + initial gas cap volume =
(P.V)(1 Swi)
N Boi + m N Boi = (P.V) (1 Swi)
or

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
Similarly, the reduction in the pore
volume due to the expansion of the
reservoir rock is given by:

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION

The total pore volume occupied by the two injected

fluids is given by:
Total volume = Ginj Bginj +Winj
Bw

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
The most general form of Material
Balance
Equation is
Np [Bt + (Rp - Rsi) Bg] =
(Bt Bti ) +
mNBoi(Bg - Bgi)
(We-WpBw) +

N
+

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
Case (1): Water drive reservoir:
A-Below the bubble point
: pressure
: The driving mechanisms involved are
Water drive mechanism.1
Depletion drive mechanism.2
: The material balance equation is
Np [Bt + (Rp - Rsi) Bg]=N(Bt Bti )
+(We-WpBw)
..(3)

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
B) Above the bubble point
:pressure
The driving mechanisms involved
: are
Water drive mechanism.1
Depletion drive mechanism and.2
Rock and water expansion.3
.
mechanism
: The material balance equation is
Np Bo = N (Bo Boi ) + ( We

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
Since
Rp = Rsi = Rs = )
( . Constant
Effective oil compressibility :
Co = - Vo
1
= BoBoi
1
Vo
P
Boi
(Pi-P)
Bo - Boi
= Co Boi (Pi-P)
Substitute this value in equation

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
Np Bo + Wp Bw = N Boi (Pi-P) Cf
+CwSw + Co + We
-1
)
(Swi
...
(
6..)
Np Bo + Wp Bw = N Boi (Pi-P)
Cf
+CwSw +Co So
(1-Swi )
We .... +
...

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
Where :
Ce = Cf + Cw Sw +So So
Swi-1
Ce = effective oil compressibility.

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
:Case (2): Gas cap drive reservoir
The driving mechanisms involved are :
Gas cap drive mechanism and.1
Depletion (solution gas) drive.2
mechanism
Np [Bt + (Rp - Rsi) Bg] = N (Bt
Bti ) +
+ mNBoi (Bg - Bgi)
Bgi

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
Case (3): Depletion drive
reservoir:
A) Below the bubble point pressure:
The driving mechanism involved is :
Depletion (solution gas) drive
mechanism only.
:The material balance equation is
Np [Bt + (Rp - Rsi) Bg]

N (Bt

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
B-Above the bubble point pressure
The driving mechanism involved is :
. Rock and fluid expansion only
The material balance equation is:
Np Bo
= N(Bo-Boi) +
Cf
+CwSw +Co So
(1-Swi )
+N Boi
( Pi - P )
+ We

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
Bo-Boi = Co Boi (Pi P ) , finally:
Np Bo =
N Boi Ce P
If there is water production :, the
equation form becomes :
Np Bo + Wp Bw =
N Boi Ce
P
This is the material balance equation
for depletion drive reservoir (DDR)
producing above the bubble point
pressure (under- saturated reservoir).

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
When the rock and water expansion
mechanism cancelled. Therefore , the
equation will be as follows:
Np Bo =
N (Bo - Boi )

Np Bo =
N Bo - N Boi
and
therefore :

(N Np ) Bo = N Boi

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION
this is the simplest form of the
material balance equation which
represents
a depletion drive
reservoir (DDR) producing above the
bubble point pressure (undersaturated reservoir) neglecting the
rock and water expansion mechanism.
The last equation can be driven simply
by considering the initial and
remaining oil in-place only ( of

THE MATERIAL BALANCE

EQUATION