Heriot-Watt University

DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERING

Drive Mechanisms
Adrian C Todd

Reservoir Drive Mechanisms

Definition
A reservoir drive mechanism is a source of
energy for driving the fluids out through the
wellbore
It is not necessarily the energy lifting the fluids
to the surface, although in many cases, the
same energy is capable of lifting the fluids to
the surface

Reservoir Drive Mechanisms

The various drive mechanisms come from the

impact of a number of phenomena:

Expansion of reservoir fluids, oil, gas & water

Liberation, expansion of solution gas

Expansion of reservoir rock and reduction of

pore volume.
Gravity forces.

Reservoir Drive Mechanisms

There are a number of drive mechanisms:

Depletion drive

Solution gas drive

Gas Cap drive

Water drive

Compaction drive

Gravity drainage drive

Combination drive

Depletion Drive Reservoirs

A depletion drive reservoir is one in which the

hydrocarbons are NOT in contact with a
supporting aquifer.

Water Drive Reservoirs

A water drive reservoir is a reservoir in contact

with a supporting aquifer.
Two types:
due to expansion of water as reservoir is
produced
due to artesian flow from an outcrop.

Water Drive Reservoirs

Expansion of an active aquifer

Active aquifer

Key issue-relative
size of aquifer to
hydrocarbon
accumulation

1 V
c
V P

Water Drive Reservoirs

Artesian Flow
Key issues:
Mobility of
water in
aquifer
Barriers to flow

Compaction Drive

Not a common drive

mechanism.
Characteristics can
be dramatic as a
result of increase in
net overburden
stress as pore
pressure reduced.
Nature of the rock or
its consolidation
determines extent of
mechanism

Compaction Drive

Ekofisk Field a dramatic example

Gravity Drainage Drive

Due to the relative density of the fluids and high

vertical permeabilities.
Fractured reservoirs

Gravity Drainage Drive

Examples - Lake Maracaibo - Venezuala

Depletion Type Reservoirs

Energy comes from the expansion of fluids in

the reservoir and its associated pore space
Two types:

Solution gas drive

Gas cap drive

Solution Gas Drive

Two stages of drive:

Above the bubble point.

Fluid production comes from the effective compressibility of

the system:

Oil

Water

Pore space

Compressibility drive

Below the bubble point

Solution Gas Drive

Above bubble point:

Low compressibility of oil,
connate water and pore
space.
Rapid decline in pressure.
Impact of water and pore
space should not be
neglected

Solution Gas Drive

When bubble point reached:

Expanding gas provides force to drive oil.

Solution gas drive

Dissolved gas drive

Solution Gas Drive

Liberated gas can also migrate vertically and

form secondary gas cap
Secondary gas cap
Wellbore

Liberated solution gas

Depletion Drive - Gas Cap Drive

Where there is already free gas

in the reservoir.
Compared to the initial
undersaturated condition for
solution gas drive.
Energy from very high
compressibility of gas cap.
Some energy from solution gas
drive which is also present.
Oil expansion is very low

Water Drive Reservoirs

Two types

Edge water drive

Bottom water drive

Combination Drive

Rare for reservoirs to fit into the simple pure

drive classification
Many have a combination of drives during
production period.

Reservoir Performance

The production characteristics of reservoirs.

Oil-gas ratio

pressure decline

water production

can give indications of drive mechanism

Reservoir Performance-Solution Gas Drive

When bubble point reached gas comes out of solution.
Initially no flow of gas since critical gas saturation not achieved

Gas Displacement of Oil

Gas is a non-wetting
phase.
Gas permeability is
zero until a critical gas
saturation is reached.

Reservoir Performance-Solution Gas Drive

Size of gas bubbles
increases until
critical gas saturation
reached.
The gas now has
relative
permeability
Oil relative
permeability
decreases.

Gas Displacement of Oil

Reservoir Performance-Solution Gas Drive

Gas moves ahead of the associated oil
Depending on vertical relative permeability
secondary gas cap formed

Production Phases

Production build up - may exist depends on drilling strategy.

Plateau phase- production maintained at design capacity.duration depends on economics of project.

Decline phase - reservoir not able to deliver design capacity

Abandonment- rate depends on size of project and op. costs.

Solution Gas Drive

Initial pressure drop rapid due to low compressibility of system
Pressure continues to decline and solution gas drive becomes
effective
Reduced oil
production due to
decreasing pressure
and reducing relative
permeability to oil
Gas production
increases as gas comes
out of solution and
moves ahead of
associated oil due to
favourable relative
permeability

Solution Gas Drive

Distinctive feature of solution gas drive is the

producing gas to oil ratio- Rp
Above bubble point all gas in solution Rp =Rsi

At bubble point initial

gas produced below
critical gas
saturation. Rp<Rsi
Gas becomes
mobile and moves
ahead of its oil
Rp>Rsi
Maximum GOR as
oil produced with a
low GOR

Solution Gas Drive

By definition should be no
water production.
Due to rapid pressure drop
artificial lift required in early
years.
Expected oil recovery, low, 530% STOIIP.
Well locations low to
encourage vertical gas
migration

Gas Cap Drive

Initial condition free gas in gas cap.

Gas contact will be at bubble point.

Gas has considerable compressibility.

To get flow gas comes out of solution at producing

interval. Some degree of solution gas drive.

Gas Cap Drive

Oil Production
Has a significant decline but less than
solution gas drive.
Decline due to reducing pressure and
solution gas drive

Pressure
Production of fluids
largely due to high
compressibility of gas
cap.
Pressure declines
slowly depending on
gas cap size.
Gas-Oil Ratio
Early stages GOR
steady.
Slowly impact of
solution gas drive
increases Rp
Low gas viscosity>high
gas mobility
Gas by-passing oil

Gas Cap Drive

Water Production
Like solution gas
drive negligible
water production.
Well behaviour
Longer, depends on
gas cap size
Recovery
20-40% STOIIP
Well Locations
Away from gas oil
contact
Not too close to
water oil contact

Water Drive

Majority of water drive reservoirs energy from compressibility of aquifer.

Effectiveness depends on ability of water to replace volume of oil
produced.
Key issue- size and permeability of aquifer.
For compressibility to be effective the relative size needs to be very
large.
Challenge to reservoir engineer is to predict behaviour prior to
production.
Difficult to justify exploration costs to determine the size of a water
accumulation

Water Drive - Rate Sensitivity

The features of a natural water drive are strongly

influenced by the rate sensitivity of these
reservoirs.
Can the water replace the rate of voidage loss
due to oil production?
If not the pressure will drop and another drive
mechanism will also be effective. e.g. solution
gas drive,

Water Drive - Artesian flow

Oil flowrate is less than
potential flow of water from
aquifer
Producing GOR Rp
Remains constant since
reservoir
undersaturated.
Pressure
at oil water contact
constant
Plateau phase possible.
Decline due to water
production
Water cut, determines when abandonment of well occurs

Water Drive - Compressibility of aquifer .

Oil flowrate is less than potential flow
of water from aquifer
Producing GOR
Remains constant since reservoir
undersaturated.
Pressure
Declines as
aquifer
decompresses
Productivity
remains high.
Reduces as
water production
increases

Water DriveRate Sensitivity

Oil flowrate is more than potential

flow of water from aquifer

Oil Production rate

Pressure drops below bubble point

GOR increases
Solution gas drive-combination drive

Cutting back oil production enable aquifer to support production-water drive

Water Drive

Water production, Oil recovery

Water production an early and characteristic feature

Produced at the expense of oil

Total fluid production steady

Oil recovery 35-60% STOIIP.

Depends on range of issues:

reservoir characteristics - e.g.heterogeneity

Water Drive - History Matching

Size and geometry of the aquifer and its permeability and compressibility
characteristics are required for aquifer calculations
Characteristics often only determined after production started.
Pressure support from aquifer calculated from pressure -production
data.

History matching.

May require significant production of 5% STOIIP.

Pressure depth surveys in open hole a valuable tool.

Uncertainty over natural water drive often results in artificial water drive.

Solution Gas Drive

Characteristics

Trend

Reservoir pressure

Declines rapidly

Gas-Oil Ratio

First low then rises through a maximum

Production rate

First high, then declines rapidly

Water production

None

Well behaviour

Requires artificial lift early

Expected recovery

5-30% STOIIP

Gas Cap Drive

Characteristics

Trend

Reservoir pressure

falls slowly and continuously

Gas-Oil Ratio

Rises continuously

Production rate

First high, then declines gradually

Water production

Absent or negligible

Well behaviour

Long flowing life depending on gas cap

Expected recovery

20-40% STOIIP

Water Drive

Characteristics

Trend

Reservoir pressure

Remains high

Gas-Oil Ratio

Steady

Water production

Early and increases to large amount

Well behaviour

Flow until water production excessive

Expected recovery

up to 60% STOIIP

Recovery

GOR