Reservoir Simulation Lecture Note-1
Reservoir Simulation Lecture Note-1
(png 526)
Engr. Sylvester Okotie (Ph.D)
MSPE, MNSE, MREP, CORENReg
Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Contents
❑ Introduction to Reservoir Characterization
❑ Introduction to Dynamic Reservoir Simulation
❑ Grid System
❑ Input Data
❑ Mathematical models
❑ Boundary conditions
❑ Numerical models – finite difference approximation
❑ Consistency, convergence and stability
❑ Model Initialization
❑ History matching/Dynamic model calibration
❑ Predictions/forecasting
❑ Reservoir simulation study
❑ Reservoir management
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Static Reservoir Modelling
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Static Reservoir Modelling
General Description of Reservoir from:
Seismic
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Static Reservoir Modelling
Correlate major depositional unit
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Static Reservoir Modelling
Determine directional permeability & pay continuity
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Static Reservoir Modelling
Determine flow characteristics
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Static Reservoir Modelling
Determine porosity & permeability
distribution in each layer
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Static Reservoir Modelling
Data Preparation for Model
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Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
• Study effect of grid blocks size on reservoir sensitivity
Grid Size sensitivity • Use pseudo functions to account for layering within each
1 model layer and numeric dispersion
• Determine optimal grid size
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
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Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Definition
❑ In reservoir engineering, to simulate is to utilize a model to obtain some insights into the behaviour of a
reservoir.
❑ It describes the activities involved in the building (constructing) and execution (operating) of a model that
represents the reservoir, such that the behaviour of the model mirrors or simulates as much as possible
the observed behaviour of the reservoir.
❑ The model built in this case consists of sets of mathematical equations that represent material balance,
fluid flow, and other physical processes occurring in the reservoir, subject to some defined constraints
and conditions.
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Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Reservoir Model
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Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Reservoir Modelling
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Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Reservoir Modelling
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Types of Reservoir Simulation Models
Physical models are framework of ideas & concepts from which interpretations of
observations & experimental results are carried out
• Mathematical models
• These are equations that are subjected to certain assumptions, developed to describe or
interpret the physical processes in the reservoir
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Types of Reservoir Simulation Models
• Developing & providing solutions to such models give rise to computer models or simulators
• The two most important factors contributing to a successful reservoir simulation study are:
The integration of geological, petrophysical, reservoir engineering and field data into a
representative reservoir model and
A good understanding of the displacement process
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Reservoir Simulation Process
• The development of a reservoir simulator for different types of reservoir-well systems and
recovery processes requires substantial background in mathematics and applied science,
which starts with establishing the finite difference equations of mathematical model for fluid
flow in a certain type of reservoir-well system then followed by numerical modelling and
computer programming, and generates simulation software for application to the end. The
Figure shows the process of developing a reservoir simulator
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Reservoir Simulators
• Is a tool for predicting hydrocarbon reservoir performance under various operating strategies
developed by combining physics, mathematics, reservoir engineering, and computer
programming
•
• Reservoir Simulators are the combination of:
1. Flow equations i.e. Mathematical model
2. Algorithms for solving the flow equations (rock and fluid properties)
3. Computer program commands
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Types of Reservoir Simulators
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Types of Reservoir Simulators
❖ Thermal Simulators
• Used for simulating thermal processes, such as steam flooding, cyclic steam injection
and in-situ combustion
•
❖ Chemical Flooding Simulators
• Is deployed for simulating enhanced oil recovery processes using alkalis, surfactants,
and polymers
❖ Single-porosity or Dual-porosity
• Used for fractured reservoirs
❖ Streamline Simulators
• This class of simulators is widely used in the industry for upscaling of large geologic
models, modelling of water flooding, and other uncomplicated reservoir processes. They
can be deployed in conjunction with the other grid-based simulators
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Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Sources of Errors
Mathematical equations may not
adequately describe the physical
process
Truncation errors
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Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Information Derived from Reservoir Simulation Studies
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Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Limitations of Reservoir Simulators
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Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Selection of simulation model and approach
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Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Questions to ask but not limited when applying reservoir simulation on the evaluation
and assessment of important reservoir management operational issues
What are the expected hydrocarbon recoveries under current and alternatives reservoir
management strategies?
For gas condensate reservoirs, will gas cycling improve total hydrocarbon recovery from
the reservoir?
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Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Questions to ask but not limited when applying reservoir simulation on the evaluation
and assessment of important reservoir management operational issues
What is the optimum well count and well locations for development of new reservoirs?
Is the development of a new discovery economic under prevailing drilling and completion
costs, operating costs, and product prices?
What management strategies can be used to change or improve the economic outcomes
of the new projects?
What is the optimum producing rate for each well in the reservoir?
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Dynamic Reservoir Modelling
❑ Questions to ask but not limited when applying reservoir simulation on the evaluation
and assessment of important reservoir management operational issues
Is the reservoir a good candidate for secondary recovery processes? If yes, when is the
proper time to initiate the secondary recovery process? What type of secondary recovery
process to implement?
What type of enhanced oil recovery processes will be suitable for the reservoir?
What are the uncertainties and risks associated with planned and current reservoir
management strategies? How do we manage these risks?
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Grid System
❑ The aim of gridding in reservoir simulation is to turn the geological model of the field into a
discrete system on which the fluid flow equations can be solved.
The main objective in building a reservoir simulation grid is to construct a reservoir simulation
model that resolves changes in reservoir flow properties, pressure, and fluid saturation with
enough precision to provide accurate performance predictions.
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Grid System
The most important geological features are faults, variation in reservoir parameters, and the
layering style, or stratigraphy.
Well completions must also be resolved in the reservoir simulation grid. These features are
preserved by carefully defining the areal grid and the layering by use of processes described
below
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Grid System
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Grid System
❑ 1D Cartesian (Linear) Grids
❖Horizontal
▪ Buckley-Leverett type water displacement
❖Vertical
▪ Gravity drainage
▪ Gravity stable gas displacement of oil
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Grid System
❑ 2D Cartesian (Linear) Grids
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Grid System
❑ 3D Cartesian (Linear) Grids
▪ Easy to set up
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Grid System
❑ Types of Cartesian Grid System
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Grid System
❑ Types of Cartesian Grid System
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Grid System
❑ Radial Grids
▪ r/z
▪ Near wellbore processes
(water/gas coning)
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Grid System
❑ Distorted Grids
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Grid System
❑ Laws Used in Reservoir Simulation
▪ Conservation of mass
ቂ 𝜌𝑖 𝑞𝑖 𝑥ۀ+ 𝑞𝑖𝑛 𝐴∆𝑥 − ሾ𝜌𝑖 𝑞𝑖 𝑥ۀ+∆𝑥 + 𝑞𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝐴∆𝑥 = 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒
𝑘𝑘𝑟𝑖
▪ Conservation of momentum 𝑈𝑖 = − 𝛻𝑃𝑖 + 𝑟𝑖 𝛻𝑧
𝜇𝑖
▪ Conservation of energy
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Grid System
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Grid System
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Grid System
❑ Local Grid refinement (LGR)
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Grid System
❑ Grid Coarsening
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Data Input
• Geological grid
• Faults and fault
properties
Structural Modelling • Reservoir zonation
• Vertical communication
• Fluid contacts
• Porosity
• Permeability
• Net-to-gross ratio
Property Modelling • Initial water saturation
• End-point fluid
saturations
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Data Input
❑ Aquifer properties
✓ Define aquifers,
✓ Describing the type, size and connections of the acting aquifer.
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Data Input
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Data Input
❑ Rock-Fluid properties
❑ Relative permeability
These data represented as a functions of fluid
❑ Capillary pressure saturations
❑ Generate reservoir rock curves from SCAL data if available or else use industry standard correlations.
❑ Capillary pressure data is primarily used for determining initial fluid contacts and transition
zones.
❑ If petrophysical evaluation and property modelling concludes that there is a relative thick
transition zone, then capillary pressure should be used; however,
❑ if the transition zone is considered to be negligible, then no major benefit can be expected
from the use of capillary pressure data.
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Data Input
❑ Capillary pressure data is primarily used for
determining initial fluid contacts and transition
zones.
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Data Input
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Data Input
❑ PVT Data
• The two most common types of reservoir fluid models are black-oil models and
compositional models.
• The black-oil models are based on the assumptions that the saturated phase properties of
two hydrocarbon phases (oil and gas) depend on pressure only.
• Compositional models also assume two hydrocarbon phases, but they allow the definition of
many hydrocarbon components.
• The time cost of running a compositional simulator increases dramatically with an increase
in the number of components modeled, but the additional components make it possible to
more accurately model complex fluid phase behavior.
• The typical fluid PVT properties used in reservoir simulation study, are: formation volume
factor, viscosity, solution gas-oil-ratio and water compressibility.
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Data Input
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Data Input
❑ Experiments/Tests
• The following are the major black oil and gas condensate PVT experiments that will be
discussed in this section:
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Data Input
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Data Input
❑ Variation of reservoir fluid properties with pressure
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Data Input
❑ Variation of reservoir fluid properties with pressure
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Model Equilibration Data
❑ Fluid contact depths – oil-water contact (OWC), gas-oil contact (GOC) or gas-water contact
❑ Capillary pressure at the fluid contacts
❑ Reservoir pressure at a selected datum depth
❑ These date are often used by the simulator to establish initial reservoir conditions
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Historical Production/Injection & Pressure Data
• The typical historical data used in reservoir simulation models includes the following:
•
• Oil, water and gas rates; water and/or gas injection rates
• The historical well tubing head pressure, well bottomhole pressure, well productivity index (PI),
and well flow performance tables are required to calibrate reservoir simulation models when
reservoir simulation models are used for predictions
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Well Data
❑ Used to specify:
❑ The well data (trajectory and perforation intervals) are required to assign well perforation
intervals to the reservoir simulation grid and simulate well performance.
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Mathematical Model
𝑆𝑤 𝑞𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝑞𝑖𝑛
𝑆𝑔
𝑆𝑜
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Mathematical Model
❑ Derivation of multiphase flow equation in porous media
• The mass rate storage is given by
𝑉
Porosity is defined as ∅ = 𝑝ൗ𝑉𝑏 → 𝑉𝑝 = ∅𝑉𝑏 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑉𝑏 = 𝐴∆𝑥
But the mass stored in the pore volume = 𝜌𝑜𝑉𝑜 = 𝜌𝑜 𝑆𝑜𝑉𝑝 = 𝜌𝑜𝑆𝑜∅𝐴∆𝑥
Therefore, mass rate storage = 𝜕Τ𝜕𝑡 𝜌𝑜𝑆𝑜∅𝐴∆𝑥
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Mathematical Model
• Applying Taylor’s series to the left hand side
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Mathematical Model
• This is the continuity equation for oil, gas and water. In vector form, it is given by
• Where
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Mathematical Model
• That is
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Mathematical Model
• Also,
• Velocity is equal to volume (flow rate) per unit area. Thus, we have
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Mathematical Model
• Recall
• Porosity is expressed pore volume per unit volume. Therefore
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Mathematical Model
• Let
• For gas
𝜌𝑖 𝑈𝑖
= 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑔𝑎𝑠 𝑎𝑡 𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 + 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑔𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑎𝑡 𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
+ 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑔𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
𝑈𝑖 𝜌𝑖
= 𝜌𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶 ∗ 𝑉𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑔𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 + 𝜌𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶 ∗ 𝑉𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑔𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 + 𝜌𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Mathematical Model
• Recall
𝜌𝑖 𝑈𝑖
= 𝜌𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶 ∗ 𝑉𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑔𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 + 𝜌𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶 ∗ 𝑅𝑠𝑜 𝑉𝑜𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 + 𝜌𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶
∗ 𝑅𝑠𝑤 𝑉𝑤𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
• Also
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Mathematical Model
𝜌𝑖 𝑆𝑖 ∅
= 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑔𝑎𝑠 𝑎𝑡 𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒
+ 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑔𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑎𝑡 𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒
+ 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑔𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑡 𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒
𝜌𝑖 𝑆𝑖 ∅
= 𝜌𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶 ∗ 𝑉𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑔𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 + 𝜌𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶 ∗ 𝑉𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑔𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 + 𝜌𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶
∗ 𝑉𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑔𝑎𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Mathematical Model
𝜌𝑖 𝑆𝑖 ∅
= 𝜌𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶 ∗ 𝑉𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑔𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 + 𝜌𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶 ∗ 𝑅𝑠𝑜 𝑉𝑜𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 + 𝜌𝑔𝑆𝑇𝐶
∗ 𝑅𝑠𝑤 𝑉𝑤𝑆𝑇𝐶 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒
• Recall
𝑉𝑔 = 𝑆𝑔 𝑉𝑝 , 𝑉𝑜 = 𝑆𝑜 𝑉𝑝 , 𝑉𝑤 = 𝑆𝑤 𝑉𝑝
𝜌𝑖 𝑆𝑖 ∅
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Mathematical Model
• Also
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Mathematical Model
• Recall
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Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)
Mathematical Model
𝜕 𝑘𝑥 𝐴𝑥 𝜕𝑝 𝜕𝑍 𝜕 𝑘𝑦 𝐴𝑦 𝜕𝑝 𝜕𝑍
𝛽𝑐 − 𝛾𝑖 ∆𝑥 + 𝛽𝑐 − 𝛾𝑖 ∆𝑦
𝜕𝑥 𝛽𝑖 𝜇𝑖 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝛽𝑖 𝜇𝑖 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦
𝜕 𝑘𝑧 𝐴𝑧 𝜕𝑝 𝜕𝑍 𝑉𝑏 𝜕 ∅
+ 𝛽 − 𝛾𝑖 ∆𝑥 = − 𝑞ത𝑛𝑒𝑡
𝜕𝑧 𝑐 𝛽𝑖 𝜇𝑖 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑧 𝛼𝑐 𝜕𝑡 𝛽𝑖
16/10/2022
Engr. Sylvester Okotie (PhD)