@wikipedia


Hydrocarbon Reserves Classification provides the primary insight into the size, uncertainty and structure of the Hydrocarbon Reserves.


Very SmallSmallMediumBigGiantSuper-Giant
< 7 mln bbl7 ÷ 70 mln bbl70 ÷ 200 mln bbl200 ÷ 700 mln bbl700 ÷ 2,000 mln bbl> 2,000 mln bbl
< 1 mln ton1 ÷ 10 mln ton10 ÷ 30 mln ton30 ÷ 100 mln ton100 ÷ 300 mln ton> 300 mln ton




GasCondensateLight oilMedium OilHeavy OilExtra Heavy Oil (Bitumen)
kg/m3< 702*702 ÷ 801801 ÷ 870870 ÷ 920920 ÷ 1000> 1000
API70°45° ÷ 70°45° ÷ 31.1°22.3° ÷ 31.1°10° ÷ 22.3°4° ÷ 10°


* – with reference to air.


Dynamic fluid viscosity

High perm

Medium perm

Low perm

Tight (Shale)


cP> 100 md10 md  ÷ 100 md0.1 md ÷ 10 md< 0.1 md
Low viscous oil< 1



Medium viscous oil

1 ÷ 10





High viscous oil10 ÷ 100



Extra high viscous oil100 ÷ 10,000



Bitumen> 10,000




where box colours mean:

Conventional ReservesUnconventional Reserves Unrecoverable Reserves

and the ranges of properties in the table are only tentatively define the category based on the industry statistics and conventions, which vary over history and locations.

Very PoorPoorMediumGoodVery Good

< 0.45

0.45 ÷ 1.0

1.0 ÷ 3.5

3.5 ÷ 8.0

> 8.0

Very Fast WaterFast WaterAgile WaterAgile OilFast OilVery Fast Oil
>51.5 ÷ 51.0 ÷ 1.5

0.5 ÷ 1.0

0.2 ÷ 0.5<0.2



Sweet crudeSour crude
Sulfur  < 0.5%Sulfur  > 0.5%



Undersaturated Oil ReservoirSaturated Oil ReservoirNatural Gas Reservoir 

Black Oil Reservoir

Volatile Oil 
Reservoir

Gas Cap Oil
Reservoir

Oil Rim
Reservoir

Retrograde Gas Condensate 
Reservoir 

Wet Gas Reservoir

Dry Gas Reservoir


both underlying Natural Gas Reservoir 

Strong AquiferPoor AquiferNo Aquifer
Edge Aquifer


Bottom Aquifer


MatrixFissuredFracturedFaulted Compartmentalized
SedimentaryIgneousMetamorphic
Clastic RockCarbonate Rock

AnticlineStratigraphicNormal FaultThrust Fault



See Also


Petroleum Industry / Upstream / Subsurface E&P Disciplines / Petroleum Geology / Petroleum Reservoir / Hydrocarbon Reserves

[ Russian Hydrocarbon Reserves Uncertainty Categories ][ Hydrocarbon Reserves Uncertainty ]


References


https://www.spe.org/industry/reserves.php

https://www.spe.org/industry/docs/GuidelinesEvaluationReservesResources_2001.pdf

https://www.spe.org/industry/docs/PRMS-Guide-for-Non-Technical-Users-2007.pdf


[1] Dr. Jon Olson, Dr. Mukul Sharma, Dr. Zoya Heidari, Shale Fracturing: The Geology And Technology That Sustained The Boom