Accurate Material Balance Simulation Tool Using Spreadsheet Application

Abstract Low oil price has forced oil and gas industry rearrange their business strategy. One of efficiencies that could be done is replacing commercial software with in-house made software. Technology has become more practical and less exclusive nowadays, making in-house software achievable. Material balance simulation is essential thus making the amount of license in each oil and gas company significant. Author proves that advanced material balance simulation tool can be built individually using common spreadsheet application. Classic material balance equation and PVT correlation is used as basis for calculation. Visual Basic for Applications as programming language is chosen due to its flexibility. Newton Raphson numerical method, due to its rapid convergence and wide usage on programmable devices, is chosen to calculate simulation pressure. Material balance simulation is performed on 7 observed oil & gas tanks (modeled with/without aquifer) Pertamina Hulu Indonesia (PHI) fields using both the tool built by author and existing material balance software. Material balance simulation results are then compared.