Fluid diagrams

So far we have considered only a single component. However, reservoir fluids contain a mixture of hundreds of components, which adds to the complexity of the phase behaviour. Now consider the impact of adding one component to the ethane, say n-heptane (C7H.,g). We are now discussing a binary (two component) mixture, and will concentrate on the pressure-temperature phase diagram. 

The example of a binary mixture is used to demonstrate the increased complexity of the phase diagram through the introduction of a second component in the system. Typical reservoir fluids contain hundreds of components, which makes the laboratory measurement or mathematical prediction of the phase behaviour more complex still. However, the principles established above will be useful in understanding the differences in phase behaviour for the main types of hydrocarbon identified. 

Figure 5.21 helps to explain how the phase diagrams of the main types of reservoir fluid are used to predict fluid behaviour during production and how this influences field development planning. It should be noted that there are no values on the axes, since in fact the scales will vary for each fluid type. Figure 5.21 shows the relative positions of the phase envelopes for each fluid type. 

The four vertical lines on the diagram show the isothermal depletion loci for the main types of hydrocarbon gas (incorporating dry gas and wet gas), gas condensate, volatile oil and black oil. The starting point, or initial conditions of temperature and pressure, relative to the two-phase envelope are different for each fluid type. 

The diagram (Fig. 5.21) shows that as the pressure is reduced below the dew point, the volume of liquid in the two phase mixture initially increases. This contradicts the common observation of the fraction of liquids in a volatile mixture reducing as the pressure is dropped (vaporisation), and explains why the fluids are sometimes referred to as retrograde gas condensates. 

Black oils are a common category of reservoir fluids, and are similar to volatile oils in behaviour, except that they contain a lower fraction of volatile components and therefore require a much larger pressure drop below the bubble point before significant volumes of gas are released from solution. This is reflected by the position of the iso-vol lines in the phase diagram, where the lines of low liquid percentage are grouped around the dew point line. 

The following diagram represents underground volumes of fluid produced. The relationship between the underground volumes (measured in reservoir barrels) and the volumes at surface conditions is discussed in Section 5.2. The relationships were denoted by... 

The above experiment was conducted for a single fluid only. In hydrocarbon reservoirs there is always connate water present, and commonly two fluids are competing for the same pore space (e.g. water and oil in water drive). The permeability of one of the fluids is then described by its relative permeability (k ), which is a function of the saturation of the fluid. Relative permeabilities are measured in the laboratory on reservoir rock samples using reservoir fluids. The following diagram shows an example of a relative permeability curve for oil and water. For example, at a given water saturation (SJ, the permeability... 

When the radial flow of fluid towards the wellbore comes under the localised influence of the well, the shape of the interface between two fluids may be altered. The following diagrams show the phenomena of coning and cuspingoi water, as water is displacing oil towards the well. 

Figure A2.5.10. Phase diagram for the van der Waals fluid, shown as reduced temperature versus reduced density p. . The region under the smooth coexistence curve is a two-phase liquid-gas region as indicated by the horizontal tie-lines. The critical point at the top of the curve has the coordinates (1,1). The dashed line is the diameter, and the dotted curve is the spinodal curve.

Figure A2.5.11. Typical pressure-temperature phase diagrams for a two-component fluid system. The fiill curves are vapour pressure lines for the pure fluids, ending at critical points. The dotted curves are critical lines, while the dashed curves are tliree-phase lines. The dashed horizontal lines are not part of the phase diagram, but indicate constant-pressure paths for the T, x) diagrams in figure A2.5.12. All but the type VI diagrams are predicted by the van der Waals equation for binary mixtures. Adapted from figures in [3].

Figure A2.5.30. Left-hand side Eight hypothetical phase diagrams (A through H) for ternary mixtures of d-and /-enantiomers with an optically inactive third component. Note the syimnetry about a line corresponding to a racemic mixture. Right-hand side Four T, x diagrams ((a) tlirough (d)) for pseudobinary mixtures of a racemic mixture of enantiomers with an optically inactive third component. Reproduced from [37] 1984 Phase Transitions and Critical Phenomena ed C Domb and J Lebowitz, vol 9, eh 2, Knobler C M and Scott R L Multicritical points in fluid mixtures. Experimental studies pp 213-14, (Copyright 1984) by pennission of the publisher Academic Press.

Figure B3.3.9. Phase diagram for polydisperse hard spheres, in the volume fraction ((]))-polydispersity (s) plane. Some tie-lines are shown connecting coexistmg fluid and solid phases. Thanks are due to D A Kofke and P G Bolhuis for this figure. For frirther details see [181. 182].

Gompper G and Kroll D M 1995 Phase diagram and sealing behavior of fluid vesieles Phys. Rev. E 51 514... 

Figure C2.6.9. Phase diagram of charged colloidal particles. The solid lines are predictions by Robbins et al [85]. Fluid phase (open circles), fee crystal (solid circles) and bee crystal (triangles). is tire interaction energy at tire...

Rotating cone viscometers are among the most commonly used rheometry devices. These instruments essentially consist of a steel cone which rotates in a chamber filled with the fluid generating a Couette flow regime. Based on the same fundamental concept various types of single and double cone devices are developed. The schematic diagram of a double cone viscometer is shown in... 

It is instructive for the student to construct a rough melting point diagram (compare Section 1,13 and Fig. 1,12, 1) for mixtures of cinnamic acid and urea. Weigh out 1 00 g. each of the two finely powdered components, and divide each into ten approximately equal portions on a sheet of clean, smooth paper. Mix 4 portions of cinnamic acid (A) with 1 portion of urea B) intimately with the aid of a spatula on a glass slide, and determine the melting point (the temperature at which the mixture just becomes completely fluid is noted). Repeat the procedure for 3 parts of A and 2 parts oiB 2 parts of A and 3 parts of B and 1 part of A and 4 parts of B. Tabulate your results as follows —... 

Fig. 8. Fluid-bed MTG demonstration plant schematic diagram. BPR = Back pressure regulator TC = temperature controller.

Even at the lowest temperatures, a substantial pressure is required to soHdify helium, and then the soHd formed is one of the softest, most compressible known. The fluid—soHd phase diagrams for both helium-3 and helium-4 are shown in Eigure 1 (53). Both isotopes have three allotropic soHd forms an fee stmeture at high pressures, an hep stmeture at medium and low pressures, and a bcc stmeture over a narrow, low pressure range for helium-4 and over a somewhat larger range for helium-3. The melting pressure of helium-4 has been measured up to 24°C, where it is 11.5 GPa (115 kbar) (54). 

Eig. 1. Schematic pressure—temperature diagram for a pure material showing the supercritical fluid region, where is the pure component critical point... 

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