Equilibrium modeling of water-gas systems in Jurassic–Cretaceous reservoirs of the Arctic petroleum province, northern West Siberia

Abstract

To reveal the equilibrium state of oil and gas and water in a petroliferous basin with a high content of saline water, calculations of water-gas equilibrium were carried out, using a new simulation method, for the Arctic territories of the West Siberian oil and gas bearing province. The water-bearing layers in this area vary widely in gas saturation and have gas saturation coefficients (Cs) from 0.2 to 1.0. The gas saturation coefficient increases with depth and total gas saturation of the formation water. All the water layers with gas saturation bigger than 1.8 L/L have the critical gas saturation coefficient value of 1.0, which creates favorable conditions for the accumulation of hydrocarbons; and unsaturated formation water can dissolve gas in the existent pool. The gas saturation coefficient of formation water is related to the type of fluid in the reservoir. Condensate gas fields have gas saturation coefficients from 0.8 to 1.0, while oil reservoirs have lower gas saturation coefficient. Complex gas-water exchange patterns indicate that gas in the Jurassic–Cretaceous reservoirs of the study area is complex in origin.