Produced Gas-Oil Ratio

Produced gas-oil ratio, abbreviated as GOR, is used in the petroleum industry to measure the volume of gas produced in relation to the volume of oil produced from a reservoir.  The GOR is used for understanding the behavior of a reservoir and for making decisions regarding production strategies and reservoir management.

Key Points about gas-oil ratio

• GOR Types
  
  • Solution GOR  -   The gas that is dissolved in the oil under reservoir conditions and comes out of solution as pressure decreases.
  • Producing GOR  -  The actual ratio measured at the surface during production.

• Importance
  • Reservoir Characterization  -  Helps in understanding the nature of the reservoir fluid.  High GOR can indicate a gas cap above the oil column or the depletion of oil and breakthrough of gas.
  • Production Strategy  -  Affects decisions regarding well completion, production facilities, and artificial lift requirements.
  • Economic Analysis  -  Impacts the economic viability of a reservoir.  Gas can be a valuable byproduct or a challenge if there is no market for it or if handling is expensive.

• Factors Influencing GOR
  • Reservoir Pressure  -  As pressure decreases, more gas comes out of solution, increasing GOR.
  • Production Rate  -  High production rates can lead to higher GOR due to greater pressure drops.
  • Reservoir Characteristics  -  Heterogeneity, permeability, and fluid properties also impact GOR.

Applications of gas-oil ratio

• Well Testing  -  Helps in evaluating the performance of a well and predicting future production.
• Reservoir Simulation  -  Used in models to simulate reservoir behavior and predict future production scenarios.
• Enhanced Oil Recovery  -  Decisions on gas injection or other EOR techniques can be influenced by the GOR.