PETROLEUM RESERVOİR ENGİNEERİNG 1 (PNGE 311)
DR OKAN YARDIMCI
Made by :
Isa da Graça Antonio Manhiça
Alycia du Plessis
Christian Mudinga İlunga
Casimir Omesombo Akake Lokale
On
FORMATİON VOLUME FACTOR
Introduction
The formation volume factor ( FVF) is the ratio of fluid volume at
reservoir conditions to its volume at surface conditions. For oil, it is usually
greater than one because dissolved gas expands as pressure drops, while for
gas, it is less than one since gas shrinks under reservoir pressure. Engineers
use it to convert reservoir volumes into stock-tank volumes, making it vital
for production forecasting and reserves estimation. Its value depends on
fluid composition, pressure, and temperature, and is measured through
laboratory PVT analysis. In essence, it links reservoir behavior with surface
production realities.
The formation volume factor is fundamental fluid property in reservoir
engineering . It is defined as :
V reservoir
FVF=
V surface
FVF expresses how much volume a fluid occupies in the reservoir
compared to how much it occupies at the surface.
It accounts for:
Fluid expansion or shrinkage
Gas liberation or dissolution
Changes in density due to pressure and temperature
FVF is a fundamental property in reservoir engineering, PVT analysis,
and material balance calculations.
FVF is esential because fluids in the reservoir do not behave the same way
as at the surface.
Oıl shrinks when pressure is reduced .
Gas expands significantly at the surface
Water slightly expands or contracts depending on salinity and
pressure.
1. Types of formation volume factors
There are three main FVFs:
1. Oil FVF (Bo)
2. Gas FVF (Bg)
3. Water FVF (Bw)
Each has different behaviors and formulas.
1.1. oil formation volume factor (Bo)
Bo is the ratio of the volume of oil in the reservoir (at reservoir pressure and
temperature) to the volume of the same oil at surface conditions.
It is defined as the ratio :
Voil at reservoir conditions
B=
Voil at surfaces conditions
Oil at reservoir conditions contains dissolved gas and is expanded
because of high pressure and temperature.
When it reaches the surface:
Pressure drops
Temperature drops
Gas is released
Oil shrinks
Therefore, Bo is always greater than 1.
Why Bo changes?
At high pressure: more gas dissolved in oil → bigger volume
At low pressure: gas liberates → oil shrinks
Bo decreases when pressure falls below the bubble point.
Typical values: 1.1 to 2.0 RB/STB
1.2. Gas formation volume factor (Bg)
The ratio of the volume of gas in the reservoir to the volume of the same gas
at standard surface conditions. It is expressed as :
Vgas at reservoir conditions
Bg=
Vgas at surface conditions
Units:
Reservoir cubic feet per standard cubic foot (rcf/scf)
Or RB/scf, depending on unit system
0.0283 ZT
The Bo is also expresse as : Bg=
P
Where:
0.0283 : unit conversion factor
Z = gas compressibility factor
T = reservoir temperature (°R or K)
P = reservoir pressure
Gas in the reservoir is under high pressure and sometimes lower
temperature, which makes it compressed, so it occupies less volume
underground.
When gas reaches surface (14.7 psi & 60°F):
Pressure drops a lot
Gas expands massively
So Bg is always much less than 1.
Typical values: 0.002 to 0.01rcf/scf
Gas behavior is strongly controlled by pressure and temperature:
1. As pressure increases, gas compresses, therefore Bg decreases
2. As pressure decreases, gas expands, therefore Bg increases
1.3. water formation volume factor (Bw)
The ratio of the volume of water at reservoir conditions to the volume of the
same water at standard surface conditions. Expressed as :
Vwater at reservoir conditions
Bw=
Vwater at surface conditions
Water is very slightly compressible, and it expands a bit with
temperature.
Compared to oil or gas, water’s volume does not change much between
reservoir and surface.
Therefore:
✔ Bw is very close to 1
✔ Typically ranges from 1.00 to 1.07
Bw is controlled by two physical effects:
A. Compressibility (cw) — Effect of Pressure
When pressure increases:
Water compresses → occupies slightly less volume
Density increases
Bw decreases
When pressure decreases:
Water expands
Bw increases
B. Thermal Expansion (αw) — Effect of Temperature
When temperature increases:
Water expands
Bw increases
When temperature decreases:
Water shrinks
Bw decreases
The water FVF equation is : Bw=1+C w ( P−Pref ) +∝w ( T −T ref )
Where:
cw = compressibility of water (≈ 3–5 × 10⁻⁶ psi⁻¹)
αw = thermal expansion coefficient
P = reservoir pressure
T = reservoir temperature
This calculates how much water expands/compresses relative to surface
conditions.
2. importance and applications
Formation Volume Factor is important because it converts fluid volumes from
reservoir conditions to surface conditions. Oil shrinks as pressure drops, gas
expands massively, and water changes slightly — FVF captures these effects,
so engineers can work with correct volumes.
It is used to calculate oil and gas in place, to forecast production, and to
perform material balance, since all these tasks require knowing how much
fluid exists in the reservoir versus what arrives at the surface. FVF is also
essential in reservoir simulation, well testing, and designing production
systems because it adjusts flow rates and volumes to real reservoir behavior.
In simple terms, FVF is the key that links underground fluid behavior to
surface measurements, ensuring accurate reservoir evaluation and
production planning.
Conclusion
Formation Volume Factor is a fundamental parameter in reservoir
engineering, serving as the quantitative bridge between fluid
volumes in the reservoir and those measured at the surface. By
accounting for the thermodynamic and phase-behavior changes that
occur as pressure and temperature decline, FVF ensures reliable
estimates of hydrocarbons in place and supports accurate material
balance and reservoir simulation analyses. Its role in interpreting
production behavior and guiding reservoir management decisions
underscores its essential contribution to both theoretical evaluation
and practical field operations.