CHAPTER SIX

HYDROCARBON VOLUME IN PLACE

6.1 Calculation of Hydrocarbon Volume in Place

Consider a reservoir which is initially filled with liquid oil. The oil volume in the reservoir (oil
initially in place) is:

) (6.1)

Where
OIIP = oil initially in place (res. Volume)
V = the net bulk volume of the reservoir rock
Φ = the porosity, or volume fraction of the rock which is porous
Swc = the connate or irreducible water saturation and is expressed as a
fraction of the pore volume

The product V is called pore volume (PV) and is the total volume in the reservoir which can be
occupied by fluids. Similarly, the product ) is called the hydrocarbon pore volume
(HCPV) and is the total reservoir volume which can be filled with hydrocarbons either oil, gas or
both. The existence of the connate water saturation, which is normally 10−25% (PV), is an example
of a natural phenomenon which is fundamental to the flow of fluids in porous media. That is, that
when one fluid displaces another in a porous medium, the displaced fluid saturation can never be
reduced to zero. This applies provided that the fluids are immiscible (do not mix) which implies
that there is a finite surface tension at the interface between them. Thus oil, which is generated in
deep source rock, on migrating into a water filled reservoir trap displaces some, but not all, of the
water, resulting in the presence of a connate water saturation.
Since the water is immobile its only influence in reservoir engineering calculations is to reduce the
reservoir volume which can be occupied by hydrocarbons. The oil volume calculated using eqn.
(6.1) is expressed as a reservoir volume. Since all oils, at the high prevailing pressures and
temperatures in reservoirs, contain different amounts of dissolved gas per unit volume, it is more
meaningful to express oil volumes at stock tank (surface) conditions, at which the oil and gas will
have separated. Thus the stock tank oil initially in place is:

V 1  S wc 
STOIIP = N = 7758 (6.2)
Boi
EXAMPLE
Calculate the initial oil-in-place (N) of an oil reservoir if A = 1,600 acres, h = 32 ft, Ø = 22%, S iw =
20%, and Boi = 1.23 bbl/STB.

SOLUTION
Using Equation 6.2, we have:
N = 7,758 (1,600) (32) (0.22) (1- 0.20)/1.23 = 56.8 x 106 STB
where Boi is the oil formation volume factor, under initial conditions, and has the units reservoir
volume/stock tank volume, usually, reservoir barrels/stock tank barrel (rb/stb).
Thus a volume of Boi rb of oil will produce one stb of oil at the surface together with the volume of
gas which was originally dissolved in the oil in the reservoir. The parameters Φ and S wc are
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CHAPTER SIX: HYDROCARBON VOLUME IN PLACE

normally determined by petrophysical analysis. The net volume, V, in (acre-feet) is obtained from
geological and fluid pressure analysis. The geologist provides contour maps of the top and base of
the reservoir, as shown in fig. 6.1. Such maps have contour lines drawn for every 50 feet, or so, of
elevation and the problem is to determine the level at which the oil water contact (OWC) is to be
located. Measurement of the enclosed reservoir rock volume above this level will then give the net
bulk volume, V. For the situation depicted in fig. 6.1 (b) it would not be possible to determine this
contact by inspection of logs run in the well since only the oil zone has been penetrated. Such a
technique could be applied, however, if the OWC were somewhat higher in the reservoir. The
manner in which the oil water contact, or fluid contacts in general, can be located requires a
knowledge of fluid pressure regimes in the reservoir.

Fig. 6.1: (a) Structural contour map of the top of the reservoir and, (b) cross section through the reservoir
along the line X-Y

Recoverable Reserves
This is given by;

V 1  S wc 
recoverable oil =  RF (6.3)
Boi
in which RF is the recovery factor. The recoverable oil or reserve is sometimes referred to as
ultimate recovery (UR).

Movable Oil
This is defined as that oil that can be physically moved during a secondary recovery flood by either
water or gas injection and is given by;

V 1  S or  S wc 
movable oil = (6.4)
Boi
where Sor = residual oil saturation

6.2 Gas Initially in Place

An expression similar to Equation 6.2 may be derived for estimating the initial gas-in-place. In this
case it is convenient to express the gas volume in cubic feet. At standard conditions, that is; Psc=
14.7 psia and Tsc = 60°F, the initial gas- in-place in a volumetric reservoir is given by:

Ah 1  S iw 
G = 43,560 (6.5)
Bgi

Compiled by Adeleye J. O., Petroleum Engineering Department, UMaT, Tarkwa, Ghana 103
CHAPTER SIX: HYDROCARBON VOLUME IN PLACE

where Bgi, the initial gas formation volume factor in ft3 /SCF, is calculated from:

zT
Bgi = 0.02629 i  (6.6)
 pi 

The initial gas deviation (also called compressibility) factor, zi, is calculated at the initial pressure pi
of the gas reservoir and must be accounted for in the PVT for gas at reservoir conditions. This
factor accounts for the difference between the actual and ideal gas volumes. The reservoir
temperature T is in degree Rankin (OR).

Example
A volumetric gas reservoir has the following characteristics:
A = 1,320 acres T = 200°F
h = 45 ft Pi= 4,000 psia
ϕ = 0.175 zi = 0.916
Siw = 0.23

Calculate the initial gas -in – place.

SOLUTION
The initial gas formation volume factor is:

0.916( 460 + 200 ) ft 3

Bgi = 0.02829 = 0.004276
4,000 SCF

The initial gas in place is:

G = 43,560
1,320450.1751  0.23 ) = 81.539 x109 SCF
0.004276

References

(1) William D. McCain (1990), “The Properties of Petroleum Fluids”, 2nd Edition, PennWell
Publishing Company Oklahoma USA, pp. 1 – 400.
(2) Tarek Ahmed (1989), “Hydrocarbon Phase Behavior”, Gulf Publishing Company Houston
USA, pp. 2 - 3
(3) Tarek Ahmed (2006), “Reservoir Engineering Handbook”, 3rd Edition, Gulf Publishing
Company Houston USA, pp. 29 – 250.
(4) Dake L. P. (1998), “Fundamental of Reservoir Engineering”, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 1 –
10.
(5) [Link]

Compiled by Adeleye J. O., Petroleum Engineering Department, UMaT, Tarkwa, Ghana 104