34755 - Petroleum Engineering M

Learning outcomes

The learning outcome of this course is to give the students the fundamental knowledges of the study of hyrocarbon oil and gas reservoirs, to design their development and rational exploitation.

Course contents

Hydrocarbon reservoirs: conditions for the existence of an oil or gas reservoirs, sedimentology, generation of hydrocarbons and their migrations, hydrocarbon traps, temperature and pressure in the reservoir.

Reservoir fluids: composition, phase behavior of hydrocarbons systems under reservoir conditions, thermodynamic properties of reservoir fluids, volumetric behavior of gases and condensates, volumetric behavior and viscosity of oil, viscosity of oil with dissolved gas, correlations for estimating the solubility of gas into oil, the formation volume factor, the compressibility of oil, property of reservoir water.

Reservoir rocks: core logs, porosity, compressibility, wettability, basic concepts of capillary, drenage and imbibition, capillary pressure curves, conversion of laboratory capillary pressure curves to reservoir conditions, calculation of the average capillary pressure curve for a reservoir; Leverett J-Function, porosity, absolute permeability. Dynamic properties of rocks: porosity, permeability, relative permeability curves (gas-oil, and oil- water).

Evaluation of oil and gas reserves: definitions, classification of reserves according to production status, basic data for the volumetric calculations of reserves, reservoir area, net pay thickness, porosity and average porosity, water saturation and average water saturation, oil volume factor, gas volume factor, recovery factor.

Thermodinamical classification of hydrocarbon eservoirs. Radial flow through porous media for slightly compressible fluids: equation of single flow radial flow, linearisation of the diffusivity equation, horizontal radial flow.

The influx of water into the reservoir by the following methods: Schilthuis, van Everdingen and Hurst. Material balance equation and prediction of the gas production as function of time for dry gas reservoirs in contact with an aquifer and for condensate reservoirs. Calculation of the volumetric and phase behavior of a condensate reservoir.

General material balance equation for oil reservoirs, drive mechanisms, material balance for undersaturated oil and saturated oil reservoirs without gas cap. Immiscible displacement in homogeneous porous media: the fractional flow equation, the Bukley-Leverett displacement equation. Factor influencing oil recovery by water injection: microscopic displacement efficiency, volumetric efficiency, vertical invasion efficiency. Water and gas coning , calculation of the critical flow rate for water and gas coning.

Scenarios and economical analyses in developing onshore and offshore reservoirs. An outline on basic economics of hydrocarbon industry, on public policies and on geopolitics and security: the Italian and European point of view.

Readings/Bibliography

• G. L. CHIERICI, Principi di Ingegneria dei giacimenti petroliferi, volls. 1-2, AGIP, 1991.

• G. L. CHIERICI. Principles of Petroleum Reservoir Engineering, volls 1 and 2. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, New York, 1995.

• L. P. DAKE, Fundamentals of reservoir engineering, ELSEVIER, NEW-YORK, 1978.

• M. BECCARI, U. ROMANO (Editors) - Encyclopedia of Hydrocarbons. Vol. I - Exploration, production and transport, ROMA: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana TRECCANI (ITALY), 2005.

• M. BECCARI, U. ROMANO (Editors) - Encyclopedia of Hydrocarbons. Vol. IV - Economics, Politics, Legislation, ROMA: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana TRECCANI (ITALY), 2007.

Teaching methods

Classroom lectures, seminars and/or workshop by industry professionals, laboratory practice (in small groups). Possible field trips to rig sites or industrial plants. The lectures will focus on general aspects of Reservoir Engineering. The lectures will be supplemented with practical exercises and laboratory measurements.

Assessment methods

The exam consists in an oral interview in order to assess the methodological and critical skills acquired by the student. The student will be invited to discuss the topics covered during the lessons.

The achievement of an organic vision of the issues addressed during the classes and their critical use, which demonstrate ownership of a mastery of expression and specific language, will be assessed with marks of excellence. Mechanical and / or mnemonic knowledge of matter, synthesis and analysis of non-articulating and/or correct language but not always appropriate will lead to discrete assessments; training gaps and/or inappropriate language - although in a context of minimal knowledge of the material - will lead to votes that will not exceed the sufficiency. Training gaps, inappropriate language, lack of guidance within the reference materials offered during the course will lead to failed assessments.

Teaching tools

Video projector, PC, overhead projector,traditional blackboard, laboratories.

Office hours

See the website of Ezio Mesini