4.0: Lesson Overview

Reservoir Engineering is the Petroleum Engineering Discipline which is concerned with the reservoir and oil accumulation oil as a whole. With the help of other petroleum professionals, such as drilling engineers, production engineers, and geologists, reservoir engineers attempt to optimize oil production from the reservoir or field in its entirety. Typical tasks performed by reservoir engineers working on oilfields include estimating the original oil-in-place, or STOOIP (Stock Tank Oil Originally In-Place), analyzing current production rate and pressure trends from the wells and the reservoir, forecasting future performance from these trends, and determining the Estimated Ultimate Recovery, or EUR, of a well, reservoir, or field.

There may be several methods available for performing the aforementioned tasks. Where multiple methods exist, we will discuss the more common methods available to the practicing reservoir engineer. In addition, we will discuss the assumptions inherent in each method.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• list some of the daily tasks performed by reservoir engineers;
• discuss two methods of calculating the Stock Tank Oil Originally in-Place, STOOIP, in an oil accumulation;
• calculate the STOOIP of a reservoir using the Volumetric Method and Material Balance Method;
• list and describe the five drive mechanisms associated with oil production given the proper data;
• list the major flow regimes experienced by vertical production wells;
• calculate the stabilized production rates from a production well given the current flow regime and given appropriate data;
• understand the concept of well damage or stimulation and know how to incorporate it into well production rate calculations;
• forecast future production from a reservoir or production well using the Material Balance Method and Decline Curve Analysis;
• list the three decline types considered by Arps Decline Curves;
• perform decline curve analysis using Arps Decline Curves; and
• understand the difference between economically recoverable oil and Estimated Ultimate Recovery (EUR).

Lesson 4 Checklist

Please refer to the Calendar in Canvas for specific time frames and due dates.

Questions?

If you have questions, please feel free to post them to the Course Q&A Discussion Board in Canvas. While you are there, feel free to post your own responses if you, too, are able to help a classmate.