How is oil naturally pushed to the top of reservoirs?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the natural migration of oil within geological reservoirs, specifically how oil rises to the top until it is trapped by an impermeable layer. Participants explore the mechanisms behind this buoyancy and the characteristics of the rock formations involved.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that oil migrates upward due to buoyancy forces until it encounters a sealing layer, referencing a definition from Wikipedia.
  • Another participant suggests conceptualizing the ground as a viscous liquid, implying that oil floats through denser rock.
  • A different participant challenges this view by emphasizing that sandstone, a common reservoir rock, is more of a porous solid rather than a loose collection of grains, complicating the analogy of viscosity.
  • One participant shares insights from a petroleum engineer, indicating that water is typically present in reservoirs, and hydrocarbons, being lighter than water, are pushed upward due to gravity segregation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of the rock and the mechanisms of oil migration, indicating that multiple competing perspectives remain without a consensus.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved assumptions regarding the properties of reservoir rocks and the role of water in oil migration, which may affect interpretations of the discussed mechanisms.

Charles123
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I am not talking about drive mechanisms used in oil extraction, like water or gas injection. I am referring simply to the fact that oil migrates to the top of reservoirs until it reaches an impermeable top layer that traps it.
"A trap forms when the buoyancy forces driving the upward migration of hydrocarbons through a permeable rock cannot overcome the capillary forces of a sealing medium." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum_reservoir
From what I understand oil is usually found in a layer of porous rock. Sometimes there is water at the bottom, but let's assume that is not the case. What causes this buoyancy?
Thank you
Regards
 
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Don't think of the ground as "solid". Think or it as a very viscous liquid. The oil simply trys to float up through the denser rock.
 
Thank you for your answer.
But, and thinking about the most common oil reservoirs, made of sandstone. It's not easy to image it as a viscous liquid. If it was only made up of small loose grains of sand then I would understand it, but it is not the case, it is more of a porous solid…
Regards
 
No more thoughts on this?
 
I just wanted to share this:
I asked this question to a petroleum engineer, and apparently the answer is that water is always present so when hydrocarbons are formed they interact with water (not chemically) and being lighter than water are pushed up-dip due to gravity segregation.
Regards
 

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