@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

Extra high perm

High perm

Medium perm

Low perm

Tight (Shale)


cP> 1000 md100 md  ÷ 1000 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.

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 
Sweet crudeSour crude
Sulfur  < 0.5%Sulfur  > 0.5%
Very Fast OilFast OilCommensurable mobilitie of Oil and WaterFast WaterVery Fast Water
<0.20.2 ÷ 0.750.75 ÷ 1.251.25 ÷ 5>5
Very PoorPoorMediumGoodVery Good

< 0.45

0.45 ÷ 1.0

1.0 ÷ 3.5

3.5 ÷ 8.0

> 8.0


Strong AquiferPoor AquiferNo Aquifer
Edge Aquifer


Bottom Aquifer


SedimentaryIgneousMetamorphic
Clastic RockCarbonate Rock

MatrixFissuredFractured
UniformDissected
Faulted Compartmentalized
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