ABSTRACT
Much of Reservoir Engineering work involves relatively simple calculations. High powered reservoir simulators and data manipulation routines are important, but not vital in most cases to be able to make a sound economic decision. The use of spreadsheet programs such as LOTUS 1-2-3* enables any engineer to quickly set up and perform many analyses in a very efficient manner, using equations available in any good text on reservoir engineering. The results of a scoping analysis then form the basis for a decision to use more sophisticated analysis methods. Another very significant advantage of using a spreadsheet for this type of work is that output is formatted as the spreadsheet is built. Conventional BASIC or FORTRAN programs require significant additional effort to present results in a suitable format.
An example application illustrating useful techniques would be the analysis of waterflood potential in a field. Examples are shown of spreadsheet templates used for normalizing relative permeability curves, generating fractional flow information, performing log calculations, estimating fluid properties, and calculating waterflood performance using displacement efficiency methods. Once the project is approved, a unitization formula can also be negotiated using the spreadsheet to determine unit working interest based on various parameters and weighting schemes.
This example is intended as a demonstration of the potential uses of a spreadsheet to quickly perform engineering calculations and present the results in a suitable format without elaborate formatting routines. Using techniques such as these allows an economic decision to be made with a minimal engineering investment.
