INTRODUCTION TO

COMPOSITIONAL SIMULATION
SIG4042 Reservoir Simulation
4
H C
6 2
H C
8 3
H C
10 4
H C
12 5
H C
14 6
H C
16 7
H C
18 8
H C
FAQ References Summary Info
Definitions
Introduction
Flow Equations
Questions
Nomenclature
Functional
Dependencies
Black Oil Model as a
Pseudo-
Compositional
Model
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Flow Equations
Introduction
Definitions
Functional Dependencies
Black Oil Model as a Pseudo-
Compositional Model
Questions
FAQ References Summary Info
Definitions
Introduction
Flow Equations
Questions
Nomenclature
Functional
Dependencies
Black Oil Model as a
Pseudo-
Compositional
Model
Introduction
So far, we have only considered so-called Black Oil models. These models assume
that the hydrocarbons may be described as two components, oil and gas, and
that hydrocarbon fluid composition remain constant during the simulation. All
fluid properties are assumed to be determined by oil pressure and bubble point
pressure only. All mass transfer between the two components is normally
described by the solution gas-oil ratio term, R
so
(although a oil-in-gas term to
handle condensate may easily be included in the Black Oil formulation).
In reservoirs containing light oil, the hydrocarbon composition as well as pressures
affect fluid properties. Equilibrium flash calculations using K values or and
equation of state (EOS) must be used to determine hydrocarbon phase
compositions. Compositional simulation is beyond the scope of this course,
however, we will in the following give a short introduction to the subject.
In a compositional model, we in principle make mass balances for each
hydrocarbon component, such as methane, ethane, propane, etc. In practice,
we limit the number of components included, and group components into
pseudo-components.
Continue
Continue
FAQ References Summary Info
Definitions
Introduction
Flow Equations
Questions
Nomenclature
Functional
Dependencies
Black Oil Model as a
Pseudo-
Compositional
Model
Definitions
We still have oil and gas as flowing hydrocarbon phases. In the following we will
for simplicity exclude water, which would have a form identical to its form in
the Black Oil model.
We define:
Continue
C
kg

= mass fraction of component k
present in the gas phase
Thus, we have the conditions that for a system of N
c
components:
1
1
=

=
c
N
k
kg
C
1
1
=

=
c
N
k
ko
C
C
ko

= mass fraction of component k
present in the oil phase
FAQ References Summary Info
Definitions
Introduction
Flow Equations
Questions
Nomenclature
Functional
Dependencies
Black Oil Model as a
Pseudo-
Compositional
Model
Flow Equations
Then, a mass balance of component k may be written
(in one dimension, for simplicity):
Darcy's equations for each flowing phase are identical to the Black Oil equations:
Continue
Where:
( ) ( ) | |
o o ko g g kg o o ko g g kg
S C S C
t
u C u C
x
| +
c
c
= +
c
c

x
P kk
u
o
o
ro
o
c
c
=
x
P kk
u
g
g
rg
g
c
c
=

P
cog
= P
g
P
o
P
cow
= P
o
P
w
S
o
+ S
g
=1
Thus, we may write flow equations for N
c
components as:
( ) | |
o o ko g g kg
o
o
ro
o ko
g
g
rg
g kg
S C S C
t x
P kk
C
x
P kk
C
x
|

+
c
c
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
+
c
c
c
c
c
N k ,..., 1 =
Continue
FAQ References Summary Info
Definitions
Introduction
Flow Equations
Questions
Nomenclature
Functional
Dependencies
Black Oil Model as a
Pseudo-
Compositional
Model
Functional Dependencies
The properties of oil and gas phases depend on pressures and composition,
so that the functional dependencies may be written:
The equilibrium K-values may be used to determine component ratios:
Continue
The number of equations that must be solved in compositional simulation depends on
the number of components modeled. Often, we model the lighter components
individually, and group heavier components into a pseudo-component. If non-
hydrocarbons are involved, these may have to also be modeled separately.
Continue
,...) , , (
2 1 g g g g
C C P
C
ig
C
io
= K
igo
(T, P,C
ig
, C
io
)
,...) , , (
2 1 o o o o
C C P
,...) , , (
2 1 g g g g
C C P
,...) , , (
2 1 o o o o
C C P
FAQ References Summary Info
Definitions
Introduction
Flow Equations
Questions
Nomenclature
Functional
Dependencies
Black Oil Model as a
Pseudo-
Compositional
Model
Black Oil Model as a Pseudo-Compositional Model
The Black Oil model may be considered to be a pseudo-compositional model with
two components. Again neglecting water, if we define our components as:
Then:
Continue
Substitution of these mass fractions into the compositional flow equation yields:
Continue
1
1
=
g
C
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
+
c
c
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
+
c
c
c
c
g
so o
g
g
o
o o
so ro
g
g g
rg
B
R S
B
S
t x
P
B
R kk
x
P
B
kk
x
|

|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
c
c
o
o o
o o
ro
B
S
t x
P
B
kk
x
|

which are identical to the Black Oil model equations.

0
2
=
g
C
o o
so gS
o
B
R
C

=
1
o o
oS
o
B
C

=
2
component 1 is gas
component 2 is oil
FAQ References Summary Info
Definitions
Introduction
Flow Equations
Questions
Nomenclature
Functional
Dependencies
Black Oil Model as a
Pseudo-
Compositional
Model
Questions
1) What are the principal differences between a Black Oil model
and a compositional model?
All questions are taken from former exams in Reservoir Simulation
Next
2) Under what conditions do we need to use a compositional model?
3) What are the components and the phases used in Black Oil modeling?
4) What are the components and the phases used in compositional
modeling?
5) Write the continuity equations required for compositional modeling.
6) A Black Oil fluid description may be regarded as a subset of
a compositional fluid description. Define the pseudo-components
required in order to reduce the compositional quations to Black Oil
equations.
FAQ References Summary Info
Definitions
Introduction
Flow Equations
Questions
Nomenclature
Functional
Dependencies
Black Oil Model as a
Pseudo-
Compositional
Model
Nomenclature
B - formation volume factor
C
kg
- mass fraction of component k
present in the gas phase
C
ko
- mass fraction of component k
present in the oil phase
EOS - equation of state
K - absolute permeability, m
2

k - permeability, m
2

k
r
- relative permeability,
N
c
- number of components
P - pressure, Pa
P
c
- capillary pressure, Pa
R
so
- solution gas-oil ratio
S - saturation
t - time, s
u - Darcy velocity, m/s
x - spatial coordinate
Back to presentation
| - porosity
- viscosity, Pas
- density, kg/m
3


Subscripts:
g - gas
o - oil
w - water
FAQ References Summary Info
Definitions
Introduction
Flow Equations
Questions
Nomenclature
Functional
Dependencies
Black Oil Model as a
Pseudo-
Compositional
Model
General information
About the author
Title:
Introduction to Compositional Simulation
Teacher(s):
Jon Kleppe
Assistant(s):
Szczepan Polak
Abstract:
Black Oil model assumes that the hydrocarbons may be described
as two components, oil and gas, and that hydrocarbon fluid
composition remain constant during the simulation. In reservoirs
containing light oil, the hydrocarbon composition as well as
pressures affect fluid properties. In a compositional model, we
make mass balances for each hydrocarbon component.
Keywords:
Black Oil model, compositional model, mass fraction, component
Topic discipline:
Reservoir Engineering -> Reservoir Simulation
Level:
4
Prerequisites:
Good knowledge of reservoir engineering
Learning goals:
Learn basic principles of Reservoir Simulation
Size in megabytes:
0.6
Software requirements:
-
Estimated time to complete:
15 minutes
Copyright information:
The author has copyright to the module
FAQ References Summary Info
Definitions
Introduction
Flow Equations
Questions
Nomenclature
Functional
Dependencies
Black Oil Model as a
Pseudo-
Compositional
Model
FAQ
FAQ References Summary Info
Definitions
Introduction
Flow Equations
Questions
Nomenclature
Functional
Dependencies
Black Oil Model as a
Pseudo-
Compositional
Model
References
Aziz, K. and Settari, A.: Petroleum Reservoir Simulation, Applied Science
Publishers LTD, London (1979)

Mattax, C.C. and Kyte, R.L.: Reservoir Simulation, Monograph Series, SPE,
Richardson, TX (1990)

Skjveland, S.M. and Kleppe J.: Recent Advances in Improved Oil Recovery
Methods for North Sea Sandstone Reservoirs, SPOR Monograph, Norvegian
Petroleum Directoriate, Stavanger 1992
FAQ References Summary Info
Definitions
Introduction
Flow Equations
Questions
Nomenclature
Functional
Dependencies
Black Oil Model as a
Pseudo-
Compositional
Model
Summary
FAQ References Summary Info
Definitions
Introduction
Flow Equations
Questions
Nomenclature
Functional
Dependencies
Black Oil Model as a
Pseudo-
Compositional
Model
About the Author
Name
Jon Kleppe
Position
Professor at Department of
Petroleum Engineering and
Applied Geophysics at NTNU
Address:
NTNU
S.P. Andersensvei 15A
7491 Trondheim

E-mail:
kleppe@ipt.ntnu.no

Phone:
+47 73 59 49 33

Web:
http://iptibm3.ipt.ntnu.no/~kleppe/