Reservoir simulation course note grading for May 2019

Grading of the course notes for the upcoming exam (May 2019)

There are have been no changes since the May 2017 version.

This file shows you which sections of the notes are most important from the point of view of
the exams. The grading is the same as the Reservoir Engineering Course:

5 - core material for examination purposes

4 - core material - less likely than 5, but still examinable

3 - essential background material, might represent a few marks in the exam

2 - general awareness - not so examinable

1 - other information - not examinable

Chapter 1: Introduction and Case Studies

1 What is a Simulation Model?
1.1 A Simple Example 4
1.2 A Note on Units 4
2 What is a Reservoir Simulation Model?
2.1 The Task of Reservoir Simulation 4
2.2 What are we Trying to Do? 4
3 Field Application of Reservoir Simulation
3.1 Res Sim at Appraisal and in Mature Fields 5
3.2 Introduction to Field Case Studies 3
3.3 Case 1 3
3.4 Cases 2 and 3 1
3.5 Case 2 1
3.6 Case 3 1
3.7 Changes in Reservoir Simulation 1
3.8 Treatment of Uncertainty 5
4 Study Example of a Reservoir Simulation 1
5 Types of Simulation Models
5.1 The Black Oil Model 5
5.2 More Complex Reservoir Models (Part on 5
Compositional Simulation)
5.3 Comparison of Field Experience 1
Reservoir simulation course note grading for May 2019

Chapter 2: Basic Concepts in Reservoir Engineering

1 Introduction 5
2 Material Balance
2.1 Introduction to MB 5
2.2 Derivation of Simplified Equations 5
2.3 Conditions of Validity 4
3 Single-Phase Darcy’s Law
3.1 The Basic Darcy Experiment 2
3.2 Mathematical Operators 2
3.3 Darcy’s Law in 3D – Vectors/Tensors 1
3.4 Simple Darcy’s Law with Gravity 5
3.5 The Radial Darcy Law 5
4 Two-Phase Flow
4.1 The Two-Phase Darcy Law 5
(Tensor Part = Level 1)

Chapter 3: Reservoir Simulation Model Set-Up

This chapter explains how to set up a reservoir simulation in Eclipse. It is NOT included in
the Exam. Residential students are given tutorials in Eclipse and have to submit a report
which counts for 20% of their total score.

Chapter 4: Gridding and Well Modelling

1 Introduction
2 Gridding in Reservoir Simulation
2.1 Introduction 4
2.2 Accuracy of Simulations and Numerical 5
Dispersion
2.3 Grid Orientation Effects 5
2.4 Local Grid Refinement 2
2.5 Distorted Grids and Corner Point Geometry 2
2.6 Issues in Choosing a Res Sim Grid 4
2.7 Streamline Simulation 3
3 Calculation of Block to Block Flows
3.1 Intro to Averaging of Block-Block Flows 5
3.2 Averaging of the k-A Product, kA 5
3.3 Averaging the Two-Phase Mobility Term 5
4 Wells in Reservoir Simulation
4.1 Basic Idea of a Well Model 4
4.2 Well Models for Single and Two-Phase 5
Flow
4.3 Well Modelling in a Multi-Layer System 2
4.4 Modelling Horizontal Wells 2
4.5 Hierarchies of Wells and Well Controls 2
Reservoir simulation course note grading for May 2019

Chapter 5: The Flow Equations

1 Introduction
2 The Single Phase Pressure Equation
2.1 The Physics of Single-Phase Compressible 4
Systems
2.2 The Single Phase Pressure Equation 5
2.3 The Simplified Compressible Pressure Equ 5
2.4 Extension of Single Phase Pressure Equ to 3
2D and 3D
2.5 Mathematical Shorthand for 3D Single- 1
Phase Pressure Equation
3 The Two-Phase Flow Equations
3.1 Review of Two-Phase Concepts 2
3.2 Derivation of Two-Phase Conservation 5
Equations
3.3 The Two-Phase Pressure Equation 3
3.4 Schematic Strategy for Solving Two-Phase 2
Pressure and Saturation Equations
3.5 Simplified Pressure and Saturation 3
Equations

Chapter 6: Numerical Methods in Reservoir Simulation

1 Introduction
2 Review of Finite Differences 5
3 Application of Finite Differences to PDEs
3.1 Explicit FD Approximation of the Linear 5
Pressure Equation
3.2 Implicit FD Approximation of the Linear 5
Pressure Equation
3.3 Implicit FD Approximation of the 2D 3
Pressure Equation
3.4 Implicit Finite Difference Approximation of 3
Non-Linear Pressure Equations
3.5 Simplified Pressure and Saturation 3
Equations
4 Application of Finite Differences to Two-Phase Flow
4.1 Discretisation of the Two-Phase Pressure 3
and Saturation Equations
4.2 IMPES Strategy for Soling the Two-Phase 2
Pressure and Saturation Equations
5 The Numerical Solution of Linear Equations
5.1 Introduction to Linear Equations 5
5.2 General Methods for Solving Linear 5
Equations
Reservoir simulation course note grading for May 2019

5.3 Direct Methods of Solving Linear Equations 5

5.4 Iterative Methods for Solving Linear 5
Equations
5.5 Comparison of Iterative and Direct Methods 4
6 Direct Solution of the Non-Linear Equations of
Multi-Phase Flow
6.1 Introduction to Sets of Non-Linear 3
Equations
6.2 Newton’s Method for Solving Sets of Non- 4
Linear Equs
6.3 Newton’s Method Applied to Non-Linear 3
Equs for Two-Phase Flow
7 Numerical Dispersion – A Mathematical Approach
7.1 Introduction to the Problem 1
7.2 Mathematical Derivation of Numerical 1
Dispersion

Chapter 7: Permeability Upscaling

1 Single-Phase Flow
1.1 Introduction 4
1.2 Upscaling Porosity and Water Saturation 5
1.3 Averaging Permeability 5
1.4 Numerical Methods 4
1.5 Upscaling Errors 4
1.6 Summary 4
2 Two-Phase Flow
2.1 Introduction 5
2.2 Applying Single-Phase Upscaling to a Two- 4
Phase Problem
2.3 Improving Single-Phase Upscaling 4
2.4 Introduction to Two-Phase Upscaling 4
2.5 Steady-State Methods 3
2.6 Dynamic Methods 3
2.7 Summary of Two-Phase Flow 4
3 Additional Topics
3.1 Upscaling at Wells 4
3.2 Permeability Tensors 2
3.3 Small-Scale Heterogeneity 3
3.4 Uncertainty and Upscaling 2
3.5 Upscaling Summary 4
Reservoir simulation course note grading for May 2019

Chapter 8: Petrophysical Input

1 Introduction
2 Modelling Single-Phase Flow at the Pore Scale
2.1 Deviations from Darcy’s Law 4
2.2 Empirical Methods 2
2.3 Probabilistic Models 2
2.4 Capillary Bundle Models 2
2.5 First Principles Derivation of Carmen- 2
Kozeny Model
2.6 Network Modelling Techniques 2
3 Modelling Multi-Phase Flow at the Pore Scale
3.1 Capillary Pressure 4
3.2 Steady-State and Unsteady-State Flow 4
3.3 Drainage at the Pore-Scale 5
3.4 Imbibition at the Pore-Scale 5
3.5 The Pore Doublet Model 1
3.6 Introduction to Percolation Theory 2
3.7 Network Modelling of Multiphase Flow 2
4 Experimental Determination of Petrophysical Data
4.1 Laboratory Measurement of Capillary 1
Pressure
4.2 Laboratory Measurement of Relative 1
Permeability
5 Empirical and Theoretical Approaches
5.1 Methods for Generating Capillary Pressure 4
Curves and Pore Size Distributions
5.2 Methods for Generating Relative 4
Permeabilities
5.3 Hysteresis Phenomena 4
6 Wettability – Concepts and Applications
6.1 Introductory Concepts 4
6.2 Wettability Measurement and Classification 5
6.3 Impact of Wettability on Petrophysical 5
Properties
6.4 Network Modelling of Wettability Effects 3
7 Concluding Remarks 4
8 Appendix A – Useful Definitions and 4
Concepts
9 Appendix B – Unsteady-State Relative 3
Permeability Calculations
10 Appendix C – Details of Heriot-Watt Mix 1
Wet Simulator