To sensitize you to the central role that phase behavior plays in the petroleum extraction processes.
At the completion of this module, you should be able to describe, in concrete terms, how knowledge of fluid phase behavior impacts specific aspects of the process design and/or operations you are engaged in.
The basic essence of engineering is to harness the tremendous energy of the universe, in its latent or potent form, to resolve socio-economic problems. Most often than not in the process, energy must be converted from its natural form into a form that is more amenable to human utilization. Petroleum and natural gas engineering is no different. It is a discipline focused on efficiently extracting the petroleum buried deep within the earth and getting it to where it is needed. The petroleum fluids of particular interest to the petroleum and natural gas engineers are crude oil and natural gas. The term crude oil is used broadly here as to encompass the different forms of petroleum liquids that are used for energy and other purposes.
Natural gas and crude oil are naturally occurring hydrocarbon mixtures; generally they are referred to as petroleum fluids. These fluids are found underground at elevated pressure and temperature conditions. Petroleum fluids are composed principally of hydrocarbons; various non-hydrocarbon components, such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide, may also be present.
Producing, separating, transporting, and storing petroleum fluids are the primary responsibilities of a petroleum and natural gas engineer. Therefore, we make no mistake when we refer to natural gas and petroleum engineers as petroleum fluid engineers. These engineers deal with hydrocarbon fluids to make a living. As a consequence, they may very well be referred to as hydrocarbon fluid engineers. One cannot overemphasize the importance of the primary fluids — oil and natural gas — to the modern industrial society. Indeed, modern man’s reliance upon natural gas and crude oil as the primary source of energy is such that these fluids are absolutely critical to the operation of today’s industrial society. It is fair to assume that you, the reader, are interested in hydrocarbon fluids production.
At every stage of the petroleum exploration and production business, a hydrocarbon fluid engineer is needed. Hydrocarbon fluid engineers might find themselves dealing with activities such as reserve evaluations, drilling operations, reservoir analyses, production operations, and gas processing. They are, therefore, called upon to deal with a wide spectrum of activities, mostly dealing with fluid handling and the associated facilities.
Most of the fluid handling protocols require the engineer to know a priori how the fluids will behave under a wide range of pressure and temperature conditions, particularly in terms of their volumetric and thermophysical properties. For example, the engineers should know if the reservoir contains a dry gas, a wet gas, or a gas-condensate before they design the surface production facility. This is collectively termed fluid phase behavior. It is therefore, not an overstatement to say that a thorough understanding of hydrocarbon fluid phase behavior is essential for the work of a petroleum and natural gas engineer. Phase behavior has defining implications in petroleum and natural gas engineering processes. Pressure, volume, and temperature (PVT) relations are required in simulating reservoirs, evaluating reserves, forecasting production, designing production facilities, and designing gathering and transportation systems.
En route from a subsurface reservoir to man’s energy extracting combustion processes, a hydrocarbon molecule goes through various phase- and property-altering intermediate stages. These properties are crucial in designing and operating the processes efficiently and optimally. Phase behavior thermodynamics gives us the tools needed for gaining the desired understanding of how fluids behave at any of those stages.
If you have questions at any time during this lesson, please feel free to post them to the Course Introduction Discussion Forum. (Click on the Discussions tab under Home in Canvas to access our course discussion forums.)
Natural gas and crude oil are naturally occurring hydrocarbon mixtures that are found underground and at elevated conditions of pressure and temperature. They are generally referred to as petroleum fluids. Petroleum fluids are principally made up of hydrocarbons; but few non-hydrocarbon components may be present such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide.
We make no mistake when we refer to Natural Gas and Petroleum Engineers as Fluid Engineers. This is, engineers that deal with fluids to make a living. Moreover, we specialize in two special fluids whose importance to the society cannot be overstated--indeed, humankind rely on natural gas and crude oil as the premier source of energy that keeps the society operative. As a consequence, we may very well be titled as Hydrocarbon Fluid Engineers. That is everything we are basically about. At every stage of the oil business, a Hydrocarbon Fluid engineer is required. This is, reservoir analyses, drilling operation, production operation, processing, among others, reveal the wide spectrum of areas where an engineer with expertise on hydrocarbon fluids is fundamental.
This said, what can be more important for a Hydrocarbon Fluid Engineer than understanding how these fluids behave?
It is not an overstatement to say that a through understanding of hydrocarbon phase behavior is quintessential for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineer. Phase Behavior has many implications in natural gas and petroleum engineering. Pressure, volume, temperature (PVT) relations are required in simulating reservoirs, evaluating reserves, forecasting production, designing production facilities and designing gathering and transportation systems.
Every hydrocarbon molecule in the reservoir is to embark on a fascinating journey from beneath the earth, passing through a great deal of intermediate stages, to be finally dumped into our atmosphere upon combustion (release of energy). Phase Behavior is the part of thermodynamics that gives us the tools for the complete understanding of how fluids behave at any of those stages. Let us be the witnesses of this exciting journey.
Regardless of the aspect of petroleum extraction process — be it drilling, reserve estimation, reservoir performance analysis, reservoir simulation, tubing flow hydraulics, gathering design, gas-liquid separation, oil and gas transmission, oil and gas metering or quality control — a good predictive knowledge of phase behavior is called for. This course will help you to acquire this knowledge. You may never have to develop computer routines for doing many of the predictive calculations pertaining to hydrocarbon fluid phase behavior; nevertheless, the knowledge base developed in this course will help you develop the understanding needed to be an intelligent user of commercial software packages and ask the right questions that your responsibility as an engineer demands.
Write a paragraph or two describing, very briefly, your educational background and practical experience, including your knowledge of phase behavior (if any) and how you apply or have applied this subject matter in your current or recent work assignments. Post your paragraph(s) to the Module 1 Message Board in our online course environment Canvas [1]. From our Canvas course environment, click on the In Touch tab.