Impact of physical properties on material balance calculations: case study AL-Nasr oil field, Shabwah Governorate

Abstract

The accuracy of many petroleum engineering calculations (e.g., material balance calculations, reserve estimation, well test analysis, advanced production data analysis, nodal analysis, surface network modeling, surface separation, and numerical reservoir simulations) largely depends on the accuracy of the data on pressure, volume, and temperature (PVT). An approach to improve the material balance calculation method is presented in this study. To achieve the objective, PVTP and MBAL Software programs were applied. PVT model was built by different methods. Software was implemented to calculate stock-tank oil, initially in place (STOIIP), using different approaches. Sensitive analysis was performed to investigate the effect of different parameters on material balance calculation. Illustration of the proposed approach was done on the data obtained from AL-Nasr oil field. The Average absolute error of PVT properties such as bubble-point pressure, relative volume, oil formation volume factor, Solution gas oil ratio and oil density is used to compare between actual and calculated values. Results showed a good agreement. History production (cumulative oil production, cumulative gas production, cumulative water production) were also calculated to investigate the match between history parameters and calculated parameters. Results indicated that the impact of PVT errors on material balance calculations can be significant.