Home > Reference Materials > Calculations & Correlations > Oil Correlations

Oil Correlations
Subtopics: Vasquez and Beggs (Generally Applicable) Al-Marhoun 1985 (Saudi Arabian Oil) Beggs and Robinson De Ghetto et al. (Heavy and Extra-Heavy Oils) Glaso (North Sea Oil) Hanafy et al. (Egyptian Oil) Khan et al. (Saudi Arabian Oil) Ng and Egbogah Petrosky and Farshad (Gulf of Mexico) Standing (California Oil) Velarde et al. (Reduced Variable Approach) Oil Correlation Limits

Vasquez and Beggs (Generally Applicable)

Vasquez and Beggs is a generally applicable correlation containing equations for solution gas oil ratio, oil formation volume factor, and oil compressibility. The correlation was developed from data obtained from over 600 laboratory PVT analyses gathered from fields all over the world. The data used in the development of the correlation covers a wide range of pressures, temperatures, and oil properties. The correlation divides the data into two groups: one for oil gravity over 30API and one at and below 30API.

Bubble Point Pressure

Solution Gas Oil Ratio

Oil FVF Saturated

Oil FVF Undersaturated

Compressibility Saturated

Compressibility Undersaturated

Coefficient o 30o API o > 30o API A1 A2 A3 C1 C2 C3 0.0362 1.0937 25.7240 0.0362 1.0937 25.7240 0.0178 1.1870 23.9310 0.0178 1.1870 23.9310

Al-Marhoun 1985 (Saudi Arabian Oil)

The Al-Marhoun correlation contains equations for estimating bubble point pressure, solution gas oil ratio, and oil formation volume factor for Saudi Arabian oils. 75 bottomhole fluid samples from 62 reservoirs in Saudi Arabia were used in the development of these correlations. The author claims that the correlations should be valid for all types of gas-oil mixtures that share similar properties as those used in the derivation. According to the author, the average errors and standard deviations were lower with the Al-Marhoun correlation than with the Standing and Glaso correlations for Saudi Arabian crude oils. Note that temperature is measured in Rankine.

Bubble Point Pressure

Solution Gas Oil Ratio

where: a = - 2.278475 * 10-9 b = 7.02362 * 10-3 c = - 64.13891 p

Oil FVF Saturated

Oil FVF Undersaturated

The oil compressibility used in this equation is obtained from the Vasquez and Beggs correlation.

Beggs and Robinson

Beggs and Robinson developed an empirical correlation for determining the viscosity of dead oil. The correlation originated from analyzing 460 dead oil viscosity measurements. The data set from which the results were obtained ranged from 16API to 58API and 70F to 295F. The correlation tends to overstate the viscosity of the crude oil when dealing in temperature ranges below 100F to 150F.

Viscosity

where:

De Ghetto et al. (Heavy and Extra-Heavy Oils)

The De Ghetto et al. correlation contains modified PVT correlations for estimating bubble point pressure, solution gas oil ratio, oil formation volume factor (FVF), oil compressibility, and oil viscosity for heavy (10 < API < 22.3) and extra-heavy oils (API < 10). The oils used for developing the correlation came from reservoir fluid samples taken from the Mediterranean Basin, Africa, and the

Persian Gulf. When comparing published correlations, De Ghetto et al. decided that the Vasquez and Beggs correlation estimated the oil formation volume factor with minimal error, and therefore no further modification was needed. Note that in contrast with other correlations, the De Ghetto et al. correlation requires the pressure and temperature at the separator.

Heavy Oils (10 < API < 22.3)

Bubble Point Pressure

Solution Gas Oil Ratio

Oil FVF Saturated

where: A1, A2, and A3 are Vasquez and Beggs constants for API 30 o: A1 = 4.677*10-4 A2 = 1.751*10-5 A3 = -1.811*10-8

Oil FVF Undersaturated

Compressibility Saturated

Compressibility Undersaturated

Viscosity Dead Oil

Viscosity Saturated

Viscosity Undersaturated

Extra Heavy Oils (API < 10)

Bubble Point Pressure

Solution Gas Oil Ratio

Oil FVF Saturated

where: A1, A2, and A3 are Vasquez and Beggs constants for API 30 o: A1 = 4.677*10-4 A2 = 1.751*10-5 A3 = -1.811*10-8

Oil FVF Undersaturated

Compressibility - Saturated

Compressibility Undersaturated

Viscosity Dead Oil

Viscosity Saturated

Viscosity Undersaturated

Glaso (North Sea Oil)

The Glaso correlation contains equations for estimating bubble point pressure, solution gas oil ratio, and oil formation volume factor for North Sea oils. The author claims that the correlation should be valid for all types of oil and gas mixtures after correcting for non-hydrocarbons in the surface gases and the paraffinicity of the oil. According to the author, the correlation more accurately predicts the oil properties of North Sea oils than the Standing correlation.

Bubble Point Pressure

Solution Gas Oil Ratio

where: x = 10log(x) a = -0.30218 b = 1.7447 c = 1.7669 log(p)

Oil FVF Saturated

Oil FVF Undersaturated

Note: The oil compressibility used in this equation is obtained from the Vasquez and Beggs correlation.

Hanafy et al. (Egyptian Oil)

The Hanafy et al. correlation contains equations for estimating bubble point pressure, solution gas oil ratio, oil formation volume factor, oil compressibility, oil viscosity, and oil density for Egyptian oils. The compressibility correlation assumes constant compressibility after the bubble point. This correlation is independent of oil gravity and reservoir temperature. The PVT data used in the derivation of the correlations was gathered from the Gulf of Suez, Western Desert, and Sinai regions. The authors claim that the correlations can be used to estimate oil properties for a wide range of crude oils ranging from heavy to volatile oils. However our observations are that it appears to be closer to the properties of light oils.

Bubble Point Pressure

Solution Gas Oil Ratio

Rs = 0 when p 157.28

Oil FVF Saturated

Oil FVF Undersaturated

Density Saturated

Density Undersaturated

Compressibility Saturated
Note: This equation uses the Vasquez and Beggs correlation.

Compressibility Undersaturated

Oil Viscosity

Khan et al. (Saudi Arabian Oil)

The Khan et al. correlation contains equations for estimating oil viscosity at, above, and below the bubble point for Saudi Arabian oils. The study used data from 75 bottomhole samples, which were taken from 65 Saudi Arabian reservoirs. The authors claim that this correlation gives the most accurate predictions for Saudi Arabian crude oils, as compared to the Beggs and Robinson, Beal, and Chew and Connally correlations. For this correlation, oil gravity must be less than 1 (10 API).

Oil Viscosity (API < 10)

p = pb

where:

p > pb

p < pb

Ng and Egbogah
The Ng and Egbogah correlation contains two methods for calculating dead oil viscosity using a modified Beggs and Robinson viscosity correlation and a correlation that uses the pour point temperature. Pour point temperature is the lowest temperature at which the oil is observed to flow when cooled and examined under conditions prescribed in ASTM D97. The purpose of introducing the pour point temperature into the correlation is to reflect the chemical composition of crude oil into the viscosity correlation. To obtain the viscosity for live oils, the dead oil correlations are used with the Beggs and Robinson viscosity correlation. The data used to derive the correlations was taken from the Reservoir Fluids Analysis Laboratory of AGAT Engineering Ltd., using a total of 394 oil systems.

Dead Oil

-50C < Tpp < 15C

Live Oil Saturated

where od is defined using the modified Beggs and Robinson correlation.

Live Oil - Undersaturated

Petrosky and Farshad (Gulf of Mexico)

The Petrosky and Farshad correlation contains equations for estimating bubble point pressure, solution gas oil ratio, oil formation volume factor, and oil compressibility for Gulf of Mexico oils. The correlation was developed using fluid samples taken from offshore regions in Texas and Louisiana (Galveston Island eastward through Main Pass). The authors claim that these correlations provide improved results over other correlations for the Gulf of Mexico, including those published by Standing, Vasquez and Beggs, Glaso, and Al-Marhoun.

Bubble Point Pressure

where:

Solution Gas Oil Ratio

where:

Oil FVF Saturated

Oil FVF Undersaturated

Compressibility Saturated

where dRs / dp is from Vasquez and Beggs.

Compressibility Undersaturated

where 2.464 * 10-5 < co < 3.507 * 10-5

Standing (California Oil)

The Standing correlation contains equations for estimating bubble point pressure, solution gas oil ratio, and oil formation volume factor for California oils. 105 experimentally determined data points on 22 different oil-gas mixtures from California were used in the development of the correlations.

Bubble Point Pressure

Solution Gas Oil Ratio

Oil FVF Saturated

Oil FVF Undersaturated

The oil compressibility used in this equation is obtained from the Vasquez and Beggs correlation.

Velarde et al. (Reduced Variable Approach)

The Velarde et al. correlation contains equations for estimating bubble point pressure, solution gas oil ratio, and oil formation volume factor. The bubble point pressure correlation was based on 728 data sets. The solution gas oil ratio was based on 2097 data sets.

Bubble Point Pressure

Solution Gas Oil Ratio (p = p )

b

Solution Gas Oil Ratio (p < p )

b

Note: All pressures in the above equations are measured in psig.

Reduced Variable Approach

The reduced solution gas oil ratio is defined as the solution gas oil ratio divided by the solution gas oil ratio at the bubble point. The reduced pressure is defined as the pressure divided by the bubble point pressure. Using the above relationship the reduced solution gas oil ratio and the solution gas oil ratio at the bubble point are used to solve for the actual solution gas oil ratio at any pressure below the bubble point. A Coefficients A0 = 9.73 x 10-7 A1 = 1.672608 A2 = 0.929870 A3 = 0.247235 A4 = 1.056052 B Coefficients B0 = 0.022339 B1 = 1.004750 B2 = 0.337711 B3 = 0.132795 B4 = 0.302065 C Coefficients C0 = 0.725167 C1 = 1.485480 C2 = 0.164741 C3 = 0.091330 C4 = 0.047094

Oil FVF Saturated

In the above equation an initial estimate of po is calculated as follows:

Once this initial value is known, po is calculated through a 10 step iteration process using the following equations. The values from the ninth and tenth iterations are averaged to yield a final value for po.

Oil FVF Undersaturated

The oil compressibility used in this equation is obtained from the Vasquez and Beggs correlation. Note: All pressures in the above equations are measured in psia.

Correlation Limits
Variable Rs Correlation Limits pbp Correlation Limits T pb Bob 70 - 307 oF 106 - 5312 psia 1.040 - 2.082 bbl/stb 74 - 327 oF 70 - 6700 psia N/A 10 - 1870 scf/stb 0.556 - 1.367 12 - 55 oAPI

Rs or Rsb 102 - 1808 scf/stb g o 0.561 - 1.101 11.6 - 53.4 oAPI

Oil Correlation Limits

Correlation T (oF) p (psia) pb (psia) Bo (Rbbl/stbbl) Rs (scf/stbbl) 24 - 1901 17.21 640.25 90 - 2637 7 - 4272

Al-Marhoun 1985 (Saudi 75 - 240 Arabian Oil) De Ghetto et al. (Heavy and Extra-Heavy Oils) Glaso (North Sea Oil) Hanafy et al. (Egyptian 131.4 250.7 80 - 280 1038.49 1038.49 7411.54 400 - 4000

107 - 4315 1.02 - 2.42 208.86 4021.96 1.057 - 1.362

150 - 7127 1.087 - 2.588 36 - 5003 1.032 - 1.35

Oil) Khan et al. (Saudi Arabian Oil) Ng and Egbogah Petrosky and Farshad (Gulf of Mexico Oil)

7411.54 75 - 240 70 - 295 114 - 288 1700 10692 1574 6523 1.1178 1.6229 217 - 1406 20 - 1425 14.7 - 5015 107 - 4315 24 - 1901

Standing (California Oil) 60 - 260 (pbp) 100 - 260 (Bo) Vasquez and Beggs (Generally Applicable) Velarde et al. (Reduced Variable Approach) See Velarde et al 140.7 9514.7

200 - 6000 1.024 - 2.15

See Velarde et al

See Velarde et al

See Velarde et al

Correlation Al-Marhoun 1985 (Saudi Arabian Oil) De Ghetto et al. (Heavy and Extra-Heavy Oils) Glaso (North Sea Oil) Hanafy et al. (Egyptian Oil) Khan et al. (Saudi Arabian Oil) Ng and Egbogah Petrosky and Farshad (Gulf of Mexico Oil) Standing (California Oil) Vasquez and Beggs (Generally Applicable) Velarde et al. (Reduced Variable Approach)

gg

o (cp)

os (cp)

od (cp)

0.752 - 1.367 14.3 - 44.6 0.623 - 1.517 6 - 22.3 0.65 - 1.276 22.3 - 48.1 2.4 354.6 0.119 106.6 0.13 - 71 0.13 77.4 5 - 58 0.5781 0.8519 0.5 - 1.5 16.3 - 45 16.5 - 63.8 2.1 295.9 7.7 1386.9

0.752 - 1.367 14.3 - 44.6

0.511 - 1.351 15.3 - 59.5 See Velarde See Velarde et al et al

Correlation

Tsp (oF)

psp (psia)

De Ghetto et al. (Heavy and Extra-Heavy Oils) 59 - 177.8 14.5 - 752.2

Correlation

o (g/cm3)

ob (g/cm3)

Hanafy et al. (Egyptian Oils) 0.648 - 1.071 0.428 - 0.939

Copyright 2012 Fekete Associates Inc.