Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

‫بسم ﷲ الرحمن الرحيم‬

‫له ما في السموات و ما في االرض و ما‬
‫بينھما وما تحت الثري‬
Reservoir Modeling and Simulation
PTRL09H02

Dr. Taha Moawad

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Chapter 1:
Introduction to Reservoir Modeling and Simulation in
Field practice
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Instructional Objectives
. This module explains the basics of reservoir simulation

After completing this module, you will be able to:

1- List the types of reservoir simulation models

2- Give examples on reservoir simulation applications

3-Explain briefly the basics of reservoir simulation

4-List some of the differences between commercially available simulators

5- List the steps needed to complete a reservoir simulation study

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

What is Reservoir Simulation?

Reservoir Simulation is the representation of petroleum

reservoir performance using a model.
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

What is Reservoir Simulation?

Reservoir simulation combines:

1- Physics
2- Mathematics,
3- Reservoir engineering, and
4-Computer programming

To develop a tool for predicting hydrocarbon reservoir

performance under various operating conditions.

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

History of reservoir simulation and modeling

In fact, both mathematical and physical models of one kind or
another have been employed throughout the history of
mankind.
-Physical models were used for studying the principles of
reservoir engineering like darcy`s law, the concepts of relative
permeabilities, the capillary pressure and density and viscosity
correlations.
- The mathematical models, even simple ones, were devised in
the days when reservoir engineering was still in its infancy, for
example, the material balance equation which based on the
physical concept of mass conservation.
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

When We Should Use Reservoir Simulation?

1- When the problem can not be solved by any other way

2- When reservoir simulation is faster, cheaper, or more

reliable than other models

3- General Rule: Problem should be solved by using the

simplest and least costly method that will yield an answer
consistent with the objectives of your study and the available
data

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

When We Should Use Reservoir Simulation?
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation
What Budget is Available and What are the Anticipated
Costs?
You should know if the company and the investment budget
allow you to make simulation study or not. Costs of a reservoir
simulation study come from the following sources:
1- Data gathering and digitizing.
2- Model and computer Costs. The cost of a reservoir study
usually is estimated in terms of fraction of a dollar per grid
block per time step. By knowing the total grid blocks and the
time steps needed for history matching and for the prediction,
then this cost can be estimated.
3- Costs of storage media, discs, tapes, printers, telephone
data, cards, papers
4- Manpower costs; salaries, traveling costs, etc...

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Is the reservoir simulation needed for every reservoir

problem? If not state some of the main standard
reservoir engineering approaches? What are factors
control the use or not use the simulation?

The reservoir engineer should know that not all reservoir

problems need simulation studies and can be
adequately solved by standard reservoir engineering
approaches such as:
(1) Material Balance Equations
(2) Buckley –Leverett Frontal Advance Theory
(3) Dykstra-Parsons and Stiles calculation
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

what are factors control the use or not use the simulation?
Among these factors are:
- Data availability
- Reservoir complexity (heterogeneity, anisotropies,
faults,…)
- Fluid properties and the phase behavior and changes
with pressure and temperatures,…
- The well locations and distributions, well completions,
types of wells (injection or production) vertical,
deviated and/or horizontal
- The production mechanisms
- Budget

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

What are the basic steps in a simulation study?

There are five basic steps in conducting a reservoir
simulation study:
1-setting concrete objectives for the study: Problem
definition (Reservoir description and model design)
2-selecting the proper simulation approach:
Programming support
3-preparing the input data (Data review, data
acquisition )
4-planning the computer runs
5-analyzing the results: Reporting
6-History matching
7-Prediction
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

What are the basic components of reservoir simulation?

1- Simulators

2- Simulation Engineer

3- Input data

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

What does a successful simulation study require? Good

engineer or proper simulator?

Finally, the success of a simulation study hinges on a

combination of a good engineer and the right simulator.
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

What are Purposes and Applications of Reservoir Simulation?

You can produce your reservoir once in reality but you can
produce it several hundred times on your computer
Examples of applications
1-OOIP.
2- Studying the best and economical strategies for the
reservoir development for increasing the oil recovery and
reducing the water production.
3- The effect of producing rate on recovery can be estimated
by choosing the optimum production strategies
4- Prediction of heterogeneous oil or gas fields
4-Where the external boundaries are located?
5- What are the intrinsic reservoir properties

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Examples of applications

6- Determine the reservoir performance under natural

depletion, water injection or gas injection, even EOR
7- Compare flank waterflooding to pattern waterflooding
8- Determine the effect of well location, spacing and
producing rate on recovery
9-Determine the working gas and peak-day deliverability
for gas storage fields
10- When and which improved recovery technique should
we implement?
11-What is the predominant recovery mechanism?
12-When should secondary recovery be initiated?
13-Types of pattern should be used.
14-Types of EOR.
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Chapter 2:
Objectives &Importance of Reservoir Simulation

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

In any reservoir simulation study the main objectives are:

1-The computation of hydrocarbon profiles under

different exploitation alternatives and development plans.

2-Test the performances of different production strategies.

3-Allows a better long term reservoir management.

4- Asses risk and uncertainties.

 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

What is Importance of Reservoir Simulation?

Reservoir simulation has now been considered as a key

element of making successful and economically feasible
decisions in the petroleum industry.

The need for reservoir simulation stems from the

requirement for petroleum engineers to obtain accurate
performance predictions for a hydrocarbon reservoir under
different operating conditions.

This need arises from the real need to reduce the risk
factor in this oil industry of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

How To Design a Simulation Model

This phase implies the selection of the following aspects:

1. Choosing the model type (physical, mathematical,…)

2. The appropriate geometry (1D, 2D, 3D).
3. The choice of Simulator (Black-oil, Compositional …).
4. The choice of recovery process (miscible, immiscible, thermal,
chemical .. etc).
5. The quality and the type of the available information.
6. Type of required answers and level of accuracy.
7. The available resources (human, technical, software, financial
.. etc).
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Traditional Modeling Approaches

What are Types of Reservoir Simulation Models?

• Models give response in controlled environment

• Model Types
– Analogous Models
– Physical Models
– Mathematical Models

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Traditional Modeling Approaches
What are Types of Reservoir Simulation Models?

Analogical models use properties of matured reservoirs that are

either geographically or petrophysically similar to the
target reservoir to attempt to predict reservoir performance
or a target zone.

Experimental models measure physical properties (Sand pack

models or cores) such as flow rate, pressure, or
saturations in laboratory models and scale these results to
the entire hydrocarbon accumulation.

Mathematical models use equations to predict reservoir

performance.
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation
Traditional Modeling Approaches
Analogy Models?
• Before drilling, when limited or no data are available, the only
method reservoir engineers can use to perform economic
analysis is that of the ANALOGY.

• In the analogical methods, reservoirs in the same geological

basins or provinces or reservoirs with similar petrophysical
properties are used to predict the performance of target
reservoir.

• This method can be used to calculate

- recovery factor - initial production rate
- decline rate - well spacing, and
- recovery mechanisms

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Traditional Modeling Approaches
Analogy Models?
The analogical methods provide reliable results when:
1. two similar reservoirs are compared, and
2. similar development strategies are applied.

Limitations of these methods are clear when different development

strategies are applied and when sensitivities can not be investigated.

Staged field trials (like pilot test, field analysis…) provides the most reliable
predictions for secondary and tertiary recovery methods.

Managements are generally confident with decisions made on the basis of

results of a staged field trial.
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation
Traditional Modeling Approaches
Analogy Models?
Experimental Methods-Analogs
• Experimental methods may include analog and physical forms.
Physical experimental is rare to be used today but physical
experimental models are very popular and reliable.

• Analog experimental models use similarities between the fluid

flow in porous medium and other physical phenomenon such as
electric flow in a wire.
1
β K A Δp I = ΔE
q= C R
μ ΔL
Flow rate Q Current I
βC K A
Transmissibility
μL Electric Conductance (1/R)
Pressure P Voltage E
βc = 1.127 = Conversion factor

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Physical Models
• Analogy Models
- Single Phase Flow: Electrical Resistance Model
(One phase flow)

• Scale Models (Core samples and Sand-pack Models)

– All physical phenomena scaled equally
– Very difficult in practice
– Very cumbersome to change
• Elemental Models
– Excludes many phenomena
– Excludes interactions
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Mathematical Models

1. Analytical Models

2. Numerical Models

3. Computer Models

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Mathematical Models
1. Analytical Models
• Analytical Models
– Material balance
– Decline curve
– Aquifer description
• Simple description, assumptions
• Exact Solution
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation
Mathematical Models
2. Numerical Models
• Numerical Models
– Finite difference simulators
– Finite element simulations
• Complex reservoir, fluid flow description
• Approximate solution

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Mathematical Models
2.Numerical Models

• Used for reserves management

• Forecasts for different strategies
• Calibrated models
• Comparative tool
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation
Mathematical Models
Two Basic Approach to reservoir Modeling:
• Deterministic (When data is available, definite values could be
determined for the unknown parameters, such as porosity, sat……
• Stochastic (When data is not available, random values could be
estimated by geostatistic methods for the unknown parameters, such as
porosity, sat……

Deterministic Shale Stochastic Shale

Shale
Shale
Sand

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Mathematical Models
Reservoir Modeling
Deterministic Process -
A process in which is an exact mathematical
relationship between the independent and
dependent variable in the system.

Stochastic Process -
A process in which the dependent variable is Random
so that prediction of its value depends on a set of
underlying Probabilities and calculated by
geostatistic methods, and the outcome at any instant
is not Known with certainty.
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

•Computer Models: Computer programs written to solve the

equations of the numerical models

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

What are the Prototype, Models and Analogs?

Prototype; is the investigated system (aquifer, reservoir,….)

which would be studied by a model or analog to know it’s
performance

Model; The term model may be:

(a) physical
(b) mathematical Model
(c) Numerical model
(d) Computer Model

Analogs: are based on the analogy between systems

belonging to entirely different physical categories (fluid flow in
reservoirs and electricity flow in a conductor).
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

What are similarities (scaling) needed for using models and analogs?

-Geometric similarity: where the ratio between all corresponding

lengths in the two systems must be the same

- Kinematic similarity: The kinematic similarity means the similarity of

the flow net composed of stream lines and equipotential. This implies
that (a) the direction of the velocity remain unchanged (b) the ratio
between velocities at all homologous points in the two systems are
the same

- Dynamic similarity: forces of gravity, viscosity, capillarity, elasticity,

and surface tension at homologous points and homologous times
acting on homologous elements of fluid mass must be the same in the
two systems.

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

What are types of reservoir simulators?

1- Based on reservoir fluid types, reservoir simulators can
be classified into:
Types of model to use
9 Black Oil
9 Chemical
9 Miscible
9 Thermal
9 Compositional

Commercially available (PETREL, ECLIPSE, VIP

(Nexus), CMG, etc.)
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

What are types of reservoir models?

2-based on the model dimensions

1-One Cell Model (Tank model or zero-dimensional model)

2- One-D Model (Unidirectional Model)

3-Two-D Model

4- Three-D Model

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Simplified Approach to Understand Reservoir Simulation?
(Principles)

In reservoir simulation, we apply the concepts we use in

conventional reservoir engineering on parts of the reservoir
(grid blocks) rather than the entire reservoir

We combine the following principles

1- Material balance equation (also called continuity equation or
conservation of mass)
2- Darcy’s law (also called fluid flow equation or simply flow
equation)
3- Equation of state (EOS) (is used to determine the PVT
properties. Alternatively, we use PVT properties in a table or
properties versus pressure format.
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Simplified Approach to Understand

Reservoir Simulation? (Grid
Blocks)

Dividing the reservoir into grid

blocks. Even the reservoir (and
consequently our grid) is very
complicated, the principles stay the
same

Every grid block is considered as a small reservoir that posses certain

properties (Porosity, permeability, net to gross ratio, volume, depth, …etc). We
want to calculate how much each grid block has of each phase as time
progress in the reservoir life. This is simply a function of the grid block
pressure and fluid movement between grid blocks

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Simplified Approach to Understand Reservoir Simulation?

(Simulation Equations)

.Combining the three principles (1-Conservation of mass 2-

Flow equation (darcy) and 3- Equation of state (EOS))
. The unknown in the three equations often are
-pressure, p.
-water saturation, Sw
-oil/gas saturation, Sg
The resulting equations are non-linear equations (meaning the pressure and
saturation coefficients in the equations depend on P, Sw and Sg for every grid
block). To solve this problem we have to guess P, Sw and Sg, calculate the
equations coefficients, then solve the equations for P, Sw and Sg. We may
have to iterate until our guess matches the calculated values.
The following slides shows how this is done in the simulator
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Simplified Approach to Understand Reservoir Simulation?

(Time Step)

.The simulator starts from a known solution (P, Sw and Sg are

known for every grid block) then advances in time to a new time
level.

. The problem becomes to calculate P, Sw and Sg for every grid

block at the new time level
Time steps can be as small as few seconds or minutes (e.g. matching pressure
transient test resolution) or as large as few days, months or less commonly
years (e.g. field scale simulation).
The following slides shows how this is done in the simulator

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Simplified Approach to Understand Reservoir Simulation?
(Solution of Equations)
P1
Sw1
Sg1
….. =
Pn
Swn
Sgn Unknown vector

To solve a linear system of equations, we put the equations in a matrix form as

shown schematically. However, our systems of equations is non-linear.
Therefore, we have to iterate on our solution vector (P, Sw, Sg for every grid
block) until we converge on the solution.
These iteration are required because the matrix coefficients need to be
updated (calculated at the new values of P, Sw and Sg). The iterations are
called non linear iterations, Newton’s iterations or outer iterations.
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation
Simplified Approach to Understand Reservoir Simulation?
(Solution of Equations)
P1
Sw1
Sg1
….. =
Pn
Swn
Sgn Unknown vector

The matrix problem is solved using one of two main techniques:

-Direct solver (Guassian elimination) or
-Iterative solver (more common for field scale problems)

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

What is a Partial differential equation

In mathematics, a partial differential equation (PDE) is a
relation involving an unknown function of several independent
variables and its partial derivatives with respect to those
variables.
Partial differential equations are used to formulate and solve
problems that involve unknown functions of several variables,
such as the propagation of sound or heat, electrostatics,
electrodynamics, fluid flow, elasticity, or more generally any
process that is distributed in space, or distributed in space and
time. Completely distinct physical problems may have identical
mathematical formulations.
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

What is a Finite difference

For example, consider the ordinary
differential equation
In mathematics, more precisely in numerical analysis, finite
differences play an important role, they are one of the simplest
ways of approximating a differential operator, and are
extensively used in solving differential equations.
The Euler method for solving this
equation uses the finite difference

to approximate the differential equation

by

The finite difference method relies on discretizing a function on a grid.

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

What is a Finite difference

The last equation is called a finite-difference equation.

Solving this equation gives an approximate solution to the
differential equation.
The error between the approximate solution and the true
solution is determined by the error that is made by going from a
differential operator to a difference operator. This error is called
the discretization error or truncation error (the term truncation
error reflects the fact that a difference operator can be viewed
as a finite part of the infinite Taylor series of the differential
operator).
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

What is a Finite element method

the finite element method (FEM) is used for finding

approximate solution of partial differential equations (PDE) as
well as of integral equations such as the heat transport
equation.
The solution approach is based either on eliminating the
differential equation completely (steady state problems), or
rendering the PDE into an equivalent ordinary differential
equation, which is then solved using standard techniques such
as finite differences, etc

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Simplified Approach to Understand Reservoir Simulation?
(Solution of Equations)

Time n Non-Linear iteration

k1
P, k2
S k3
k4
Linear iteration k5 Time n+1
Unknown

Time

-The schematic above summarizes the steps and iteration needed to solve the
simulation equations.
-We start from a known solution at any time level n. if an iterative matrix solver is
used, we solve for pressure and saturations until the matrix solution converges.
These iterations are called linear iteration denoted by k1, 2,…etc.)
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation
Simplified Approach to Understand Reservoir Simulation?
(Solution of Equations)
Time n Non-Linear iteration
k1
P, k2
S k3
k4
Linear iteration k5 Time n+1
Unknown

Time

-Once the matrix has been solved, we update the matrix coefficients (i. e. we use
the latest estimate of pressure and saturation in calculating the matrix
coefficients), and solve a new matrix problem with, hopefully, better estimate of
pressure and saturations. We continue with these Newton’s iterations until the
non-linear iterations converge and hence we have the solution at the new time
level n+1
-Approximately 70-80% of the time of a typical black oil run is spent in solving
the matrix equations

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Differences Between Simulators

-Differences are in three areas:

-Input and Output: Although all simulators expect the same input, the
way the simulators handle input data (also called pre-processing) is usually
different from a simulator to another. The output capabilities (post-processing)
are also different.

- Matrix solvers: Because a large percentage of the simulation time is

spent in solving the matrix problem, simulator developers work very hard to
make their Matrix solvers more efficient. However, it is impossible to have a
solver that is optimum for all problems

-Options for specific applications: Some simulators are more

versatile than others and can allow for modeling special situations (e.g.
modeling friction in horizontal wellbores, modeling surface network, and
allowing the use of parallel processor)
 Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

References

-1-Peacman’’ Fundamentals of Reservoir Simulation’’

- 2- Coats, K.H.: ‘’Use and Misuse of Reservoir Simulation Models,’’ JPT,
Nov, 1969) 1391-1398

2- Mattax, C., C. and Dalton, R.L: Reservoir Simulation Monograph

Series SPE, Richardson, Tx (1990)13

Reservoir Modeling and Simulation

Questions

-What are the purposes of reservoir simulation? Why do

we need reservoir simulation?
-What is the difference between the Prototype, Models
and Analogs?
-What are types of reservoir simulators?
-What are the basic steps in a simulation study?
- What are the main principle equations are used in
reservoir simulation?
-What are the main differences between the commercial
simulators?