Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering

At the end of this course, the students should be able to: 1. explain how to undertake the characterisation of a petroleum reservoir; 2. perform an in-situ-evaluation of the hydrocarbon stock in the oil and gas before gathering; 3. recommend ways to recover the hydrocarbons; 4. perform the material balance calculation required in water influx-models and be able to apply fluid flow concepts to recover their hydrocarbons from the oil well; and 5. explain what a decline curve analysis is used for in the applications of Darcy’s law to well formations and reservoir rocks.

Introduction: Functions of a reservoir engineer. Characteristics of petroleum reservoir; geological concepts in reservoir engineering; recovery methods and definitions of reservoirs. Determination of hydrocarbon in-place for oil and gas recovery: volumetric methods; material balance and applications; water influx models and calculations; uncertainties in reserve calculations. Fluid flow concepts; flow potential; Darcy’s Law. Decline curve analysis.