Petroleum Engineering Commons^™

An Applied Approach To Automatic Pressure Transient Analysis., Jeffrey Allan Joseph

Masters Theses

"A generalized digital approach to pressure transient (well-test) analysis is developed. The model is rigorously applicable to flow tests (pressure drawdown or injectivity of Newtonian liquids), and to pressure buildup or falloff tests provided the f low time prior to shut-in is large compared to the total shut-in time. However, buildup or falloff data may s till be analyzed if the above conditions are not satisfied, using the principles of superposition/desuperposition.

When plotted on logarithmic coordinates, pressure transient data generally assume a characteristic shape, indicative of flow behavior. Accurate computer analysis of this data requires its representation in concise mathematical …

Heat Transfer Of A High Prandtl Number Oil In Laminar Flow, John Robert Lee Iii

Masters Theses

"A numerical model was developed for the purpose of studying the flow and heat transfer of a hypothetical oil in laminar flow within a horizontal pipeline. Free convection, work of compression, and axial conduction were neglected, but the fluid properties - i.e., density, specific heat, viscosity, and thermal conductivity - were allowed to vary and the effect of viscous dissipation was included in the analysis of the system.

The mathematical forms of the momentum, continuity, and energy equations require that numerical solutions be obtained with a digital computer. These numerical approximations of the partial differential equations are presented and the …

High Pressure Water Jet Cutting Of Rock, Richard Lee Henry

Masters Theses

"Three experiments are described that investigate the impingement of high pressure water jets on rock. The effect of jet pressure, stand-off distance, and time of impact on penetration and specific energy of rock removal are determined on Berea sandstone, Georgia marble, and Missouri granite. Pressures range from 5,000 psi to 25,000 psi, stand-off distances from 2.0 inches to 4.0 inches and time from 0.1 seconds to 5.0 seconds. The nozzle diameter used was 0.023 inches. The effect of nozzle speed and number of passes over the same area on depth of cut and specific energy are investigated on the above …

A Comparative Study Of Experimental And Computed Compressibility Factors Of Methane - Nitrogen - Helium System, Promod Kumar Taneja

Masters Theses

"The volumetric data for methane, nitrogen, and helium mixtures have been determined experimentally at low temperatures (60ºF to -30ºF) over a pressure range of 1000 to 5000 psig. An attempt has been made to show that the extension of standard techniques viz, "The Law of Corresponding States" for predicting the compressibility factors of pure hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon mixtures is not adequate for mixtures containing even very small amounts of helium. The deviation from the computed compressibility factors is found to be maximum at low temperatures and high pressures (up to 22%) for the mixtures studied"--Abstract, page ii.

An Empirical Method Of Correlating Compressibility Factors Of Nitrogen - Helium - Hydrocarbon Systems, Terry Wayne Buck

Masters Theses

"Compressibility factors have been taken from previous works by Davis and Taneja for twelve different common oil-field hydrocarbon mixtures which contain at least 2 mole % nitrogen. An effort has been made to show that by using the Benedict-Webb-Rubin Equation of State it is possible to predict compressibility factors using a correlation of error in predicted compressibility factor versus reduced pressure, at different mole % of nitrogen with constant reduced temperatures, if the critical points of the mixtures are known or can be calculated. In the mixtures which contain helium, the only effect of helium seems to be the raising …

A Permeability Scaling Technique In The Numerical Simulation Of Water Coning, Virendra Kumar Dutta

Masters Theses

"A two-dimensional, two-phase, radial, horizontally layered water coning simulator was programmed for large memory digital computers. A permeability sealing technique is developed which allows the use of large size blocks as production blocks. As a result of this technique large time steps have been used without causing saturation instabilities around the well bore and the permeability scaling technique allows a more realistic simulation of a water cone. The IMPES method is used to calculate pressure and saturation in the system for each finite time step. The behaviour of the simulator is studied for various factors affecting the advance of a …

A Comparative Study Of Experimental And Computed Compressibility Factors Of Ethane-Carbon Dioxide-Nitrogen System, Brij Raj Misra

Masters Theses

"The purpose of this study was to provide compressibility factor data on the ethane - carbon dioxide - nitrogen system. Compressibility factors were experimentally determined for 5 mixtures at room temperature, 100ºF, 125ºF , 150ºF and pressures ranging between 1000 psig to 4000 psig. An attempt was also made to compare the experimental data with the compressibility factors obtained by the additive volume method. The deviation of the computed compressibility factor from the experimental data was found to be in accordance with the general view of previous workers. However, the deviation was found to be a maximum in the pressure …

Determination Of Reservoir Characteristics From Capillary Pressure Curves And Electrical Properties Of Rocks, Prasanta Kumar Guharoy

Masters Theses

"Based upon the assumptions that a porous medium is analogous to a bundle of capillary tubes and that there is equivalence of electrical and hydraulic tortuosity in a porous medium, empirical expressions are presented which relate capillary pressure data and electrical properties of the rock to the porosity, permeability and relative-water permeability, respectively, of completely water-wet rocks. Experimental data are presented for comparison in order to verify their validity. Three principal models are presented, each of which is characterized by a particular expression for estimating tortuosity. The method of determining this parameter was varied in order to find the form …

Comparison Of The Buckley-Leverett Technique With A Numerical Simulation Model Containing Heterogeneity And Capillary Pressure, Krishna Kumar Singh

Masters Theses

"A numerical model for a linear, two-phase fluid flow system has been developed with the capabilities of accounting for heterogeneity and capillarity. The model developed is general enough to analyze either water-oil or gas-oil systems. A hypothetical petroleum reservoir (containing only water and oil) under water flood was studied. The results for the homogeneous, no capillary pressure case were found to be similar to those obtained by the Buckley-Leverett technique. The study shows that the Buckley-Leverett is accurate even for a certain degree of heterogeneity. Also, capillarity does not substantially alter the results for the system studied. The results obtained …

A Comparative Study Of Experimental And Computed Compressibility Factors Of Methane-Nitrogen-Carbon Dioxide System, Piloo Eruchshaw Ilavia

Masters Theses

"Experimentally determined compressibility factors of a natural gas with impurities like carbon dioxide and nitrogen are found to differ with the values computed by various methods making use of compositional breakup of the gas. Compressibility factors for five mixtures of known composition were experimentally determined at room temperature, 100ºF, 125ºF, and 150ºF, and at pressure ranging between 1000 psi to 4000 psi. Using the known composition of the mixtures, compressibility factors were calculated by additive volume method and by Eilerts method. The deviation between computed and experimentally determined compressibility factors are at a maximum in the lower and higher pressure …

Chromatographic Determination Of Hydrocarbons Based On Retention Time Data For Squalene And Tetracyanoethylated Pentaerythritol Columns, Mehdi Honarpour

Masters Theses

"The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the theory that when several members of a homologous series are injected into a gas chromatograph, at a given flow rate and column temperature, the lograrithm of their retention time as a function of some increasing property of the homologous series may be presented as a straight line and to develop their equations. Experimental procedure was accomplished for the normal paraffin series with 7 1/2% squalene and 10% Tetracyanoethylated Pentaerythritol (T.C.E.pageE.) columns and the relation between retention time and carbon number was determined. The same type of development was employed for aromatic …

Numerical Simulation Of Pressures In A Radical System, Vijender Nath Gopal

Masters Theses

"The time-space location of an advancing front has been described in such a manner as to permit the calculation of frontal pressures when a heterogeneous (in permeability) radial system is subjected to water encroachment. A finite difference application has been developed to calculate these pressures at specified radial distances from the injection or production wellbore. These pressure have been further utilized to predict the pressures at the advancing front for different time intervals"--Abstract, page iii.

A Five-Spot Waterflood Process As Applied To The Digital Computer Based On The Prats Technique, Leonard Koederitz

Masters Theses

"The technique for the prediction of injection rates and production history of a five-spot secondary recovery field pattern as presented by Prats has been significantly modified to permit rapid and accurate digital applications eliminating the heretofore prohibitive reliance upon electrolytic model results for intermediate data values following water front breakthrough"--Abstract, page i.

Numerical Simulation Of One-Dimensional Three-Phase Fluid Flow In A Stratified Petroleum Reservoir With No Cross-Flow, Ali Mohammed Akbar

Masters Theses

"A numerical model for linear, three-phase fluid flow in a stratified petroleum reservoir has been developed for the purpose of studying water-flooding performance characteristics. Gravity forces, capillary pressure and cross-flow were neglected, but the fluids were considered compressible and evaluations of dissolved gas concentrations have been accounted for. The model was used in evaluating the performance of a water flood project for a hypothetical reservoir which contained the three phases of oil, gas, and water. The results were then compared with those obtained using the Dykstra-Parsons technique. The model produces results which were found to be similar to those obtained …

Simulation Of The Cyclic Steam Injection Process In A Petroleum Reservoir By A Finite Difference Mathematical Model, Jean-Claude Bernys

Masters Theses

"A three-phase, one-dimensional radially layered reservoir simulator is programmed for a large memory digital computer. It is designed to provide a practical solution to the problem of determining optimum soak time during an intermittent steam injection process. The general approach is to (1) develop a representative mathematical model which describes the reservoir; and (2) employ a suitable numerical technique to solve the system of equations which comprises this model. The reservoir consists of concentric cylinders around the wellbore, a pay-zone stratified into thermally connected layers limited on the top and on the bottom by an impermeable cap and base rock, …

Computer Solutions To Depletion Drive Hydrocarbon Systems, Tu Kao Chen

Masters Theses

"Three computer analyses of oil production by depletion drive have been developed. These analyses, Tarner's method of depletion drive oil production prediction, depletion drive performance productions of Schilthuis, and depletion drive calculations by a finite difference material balance, have been programmed for computers having Fortran IV compilers and a minimum of 40 K bytes of core storage capacity. Modifications have been incorporated in the last two techniques for (a) constant volume injection of produced gas, (b) the presence of a gas cap, (c) gas-cap injection of produced gas volumes, (d) varying water encroachment and production, and/or, (e) varying sweep efficiencies …

Some Aspects Of Transient Flow Behavior In Artesian Aquifers And In Hydrocarbon Reservoirs Surrounded By Artesian Aquifers, Alton John Nute

Masters Theses

"An analysis of the principal theories concerning the transient movement of water in artesian aquifers and from artesian aquifers into hydrocarbon reservoirs is presented. Various analytical methods which can be applied to depict the behavior of these two types of aquifer systems are compared.

Most aquifer studies to date have been based upon the Thesis Non-Equilibrium Formula. This equation has been used to calculate the coefficients of storage and transmissibility for aquifers; to evaluate well performance; and to investigate problems concerning recharge, movement, and discharge of aquifer water. However, one problem which still remains is that of accurately predicting the …

An Analysis Of Pressure Build-Up Theory, Hansraj J. Patel

Masters Theses

"Various theories regarding the pressure build-up characteristics for producing wells are analyzed. The merits and limitations of each theory are discussed. The error involved in plotting the pressure build-up data for the case of well-bore pressure versus shut-in time is pointed out. Equations have been presented for the various quantitative determinations of reservoir properties which can be obtained from typical pressure build-up data. Utilizing all the previous methods presented in the literature, a recommended procedure for field application is proposed. One oil well and three gas wells have been analyzed using the recommended procedure with the attendant calculations given in …

Radial Water Encroachment - An Approximation, Tommie C. Wilson

Masters Theses

"This presentation consists of the application of empirical equations for the calculation of the water influx into a radial oil reservoir in which the history of the rate and cumulative water influx are equated to the pressure decrements and time. This new analysis, based on William Hurst's solution for the steady-state water influx, yields an accurate method for determining water influx through the application of simple linear empirical equations. These linear approximations reproduce the rigorous influx solutions to a maximum deviation of 1.6 per cent"--Abstract, page ii.

A Study Of The Phase Behavior Of Carbon Dioxide-Methane-Normal Decane Systems, Raja Audi Mansoor

Masters Theses

“The effect of carbon dioxide concentration, on solubility has been studied for several carbon dioxide-methane-n-decane systems. Experimental results were obtained using differential vaporization tests. Computational results were obtained using equilibrium constants.

The relation between solubility, bubble point pressure and solution carbon dioxide is presented. A ternary diagram showing the bubble point pressure behavior as a function of system composition is also presented”--Abstract, page ii.

Development Of A Technique For The Determination Of Capillary Pressure Curves Using A Constantly Accelerated Centrifuge, Robert N. Hoffman

Masters Theses

"A new technique for determining capillary pressure curves with a centrifuge has been developed and tested. Capillary pressure curves were determined for six cores by this technique and were compared to the curves for the same cores determined by the semi-permeable barrier technique. The technique differs from previously reported centrifuge techniques in that the centrifuge was slowly accelerated from zero to the maximum desired speed, rather than being held constant at particular, progressively higher speeds. An important advantage of this technique over other methods for determining capillary pressure curves is the short time required to obtain the desired amount of …

A Study Of Invert Emulsion Drilling Fluids, Edward R. Tegland

Masters Theses

"Since invert emulsions are being applied as drilling fluids to cope with special drilling and completion problems, evaluations of existing and new types of emulsions are needed. Three types of emulsions are evaluated in this study: (1) type A emulsions prepared with a commercial emulsifier, (2) type B emulsions prepared by adding clay to the external phase, and (3) type C emulsions containing no externally added emulsifier.

Standard testing procedures were used to measure the viscosity and filtration properties of the emulsions studied. Interfacial tension measurements were made using a technique described in the literature. The degree of stability for …

Graphical Solution Of Concentration At Production Wells Of Injected Radioactive Water Tracers, George E. Vaughn Jr.

Masters Theses

"With the advent of field research in which radioactive isotopes are used as tracers for water injected in secondary-recovery operations, knowledge of the probable transit time between wells of an injected tracer, its concentration at detection points, and the resultant optimum injection concentration has become important. Both detection and, consequently, injection concentrations of radioactive tracers are at least in part functions of the loss of tracer for various reasons, flow characteristics between wells, the rate of decay of radioactive emission, and the sensitivity of the detection apparatus. A method, based on the characteristics of a homogeneous 5-spot system, has been …

A Comparison Of The Effect Of Pvt Data Application Methods On Predicted Depletion Drive Reservoir Performance, Frederick A. Klein

Masters Theses

"It is generally agreed that the evolution of gas from oil within a reservoir is most closely approximated by the differential liberation process, while gas liberation in the flow string, surface separator, and stock tank is most nearly represented by flash liberation. To conform with this assumed physical behavior, appropriate application of both flash and differential liberation data in the computation of reservoir performance by material balance methods is indicated.

In this work, simple depletion-drive oil and gas recoveries were calculated (1) using differential liberation data only, and (2) using differential liberation data adjusted to incorporate the results of flash …

Rheological Measurement Of A Starch Suspension As A Dilatant Fluid, Earl Edward Pape

Masters Theses

"The measurement of the rheological properties, consistency of viscosity and fluid type, necessary for system design calculations, has fallen behind the industrial applications for non-Newtonian fluids. In the petroleum industry in particular, the process of well flow stimulation known as Hydraulic Fracturing utilizes the properties of various non-Newtonian fluids to carry sand at high flow rates to the formation to be fractured. Other non-Newtonian fluids in the petroleum industry are Bentonite clay drilling fluids, whose unique gelling properties are helpful in suspending drill cuttings when the circulation of the fluid has ceased. In Newtonian liquids and gases the consistency is …

A Simplified Mathematical Method For Petroleum Property Evaluation, Charles G. Edwards

Masters Theses

"The economic evaluation of a petroleum reservoir involves two fundamental operations; 1) predicting future production behaviour, 2) determining the present worth or this future production. This thesis purposes to eliminate the necessity of repeated calculation which is required in performing the second operation under existing methods.

Because the first operation, that of predicting future behaviour, is necessarily an estimate, there is an apparent tendency to employ approximate methods in the determination of present worth. The evaluation method developed in this paper confines estimation to the first operation, where it rightly belongs, and treats all subsequent work with mathematical exactness.The estimation …

An Investigation Of The Use Of Surface-Active Agents In The Secondary Recovery Of Oil By Water Flooding, Robert P. Schafer

Masters Theses

"The importance of producing oil cannot be emphasized enough in this modem world. Therefore, when primary methods of production seemingly exhaust the oil reservoirs, a secondary method of producing more oil is a necessity. At the present time, secondary methods of oil recovery have developed into a large industry. They are not a new development. The need of introducing compressed air or air-gas mixtures into the wells to increase production was quickly realized. Water flooding methods followed, and at first were restricted to the Eastern fields. Later, about 1935, systematic water flooding methods were developed and applied all over the …

Porosity-Permeability Relationships Of Unconsolidated Sands, Robert Marchel Ponder

Masters Theses

"Unconsolidated sand reservoirs containing oil and gas present difficult problems to the petroleum engineer. Among these problems is that of the determination of the reservoir porosity to facilitate oil and gas reserve and evaluation calculations.

This problem is especially difficult because, to the author's knowledge, no method has been devised to obtain a core sample of the unconsolidated sand that retains the same porosity and permeability characteristics in the laboratory as it had underground. As a result, the petroleum engineer must rely upon empirical methods of calculating the reservoir porosity when the sand is not consolidated.

Many investigators have attempted …

Oil Field Corrosion, Edwin Harry Barsachs

Masters Theses

"The corrosion of metals in the petroleum industry has become an important engineering problem. The rapid increase during recent years in costs of steel has caused the industry to intensify its efforts to minimize corrosion losses in pipe lines and well casings. An industry-wide research program has resulted in the development of improved methods of controlling corrosion of such equipment.

The purpose of this paper is to assemble and correlate the information concerning the different causes, the detection, and the mitigation of corrosion of metals used in the oil fields of the world. The causes that are presented in this …

The Use Of Oil-Base Drilling Fluids, William Wesley Collins

Masters Theses

"Within the past few years the development of oil-base drilling fluids has become one of the more important contributions to drilling and production technology. The use or these new muds has increased as the benefits obtained have become more widely known and appreciated. Major problems in the petroleum industry have been, for many years, the contamination or drilling muds by salt water; control of mud when drilling through anhydrite, gypsum, or salt deposits; control of heaving or swelling shale; and water or mud blocking or the producing horizons. The development or oil-base drilling fluids is a direct contribution or engineers …