Chapter p 3 Global Flow Regimes

Gl b l Flow Global Fl Regimes R i

At any given time in the producing life of a reservoir, the fluid flow condition existing may y be characterized as either a) transient, b) pseudosteady-state pse dostead state or c) steady-state. What do these terms mean?

R Reservoir i Fl Flow
Initially, in a virgin reservoir, the pressure at any fixed depth is constant. As production begins, begins the pressure near the wellbore drops significantly as near-wellbore fluids expand to satisfy the imposed production condition. Far away from the well, no measurable pressure drop can be observed at early times locations far away from the well are not aware that the reservoir is being produced.

Transient
As time progresses, pressure drops can be meas red f measured further rther and f further rther a away a from the well, an increasing volume of the reservoir fluids expand to contribute to the well's production. During this period, the reservoir is said to be infinite infinite acting acting and the flow is transient; pressure drop at outer reservoir boundary is negligible. The pressure versus time behavior at the producing wellbore contains information about the reservoir p permeability y.

P Pseudosteady d t d State St t
After a long time, time pressure drops can be measured at all reservoir locations the entire reservoir is contributing g to the well's production. At this time, the pressure changes at the same rate at every location in the reservoir reservoir, i.e., dp(x,t)/dt = constant; pseudosteady state flow. The pressure versus time behavior at the wellbore reflects the volume of fluid (or the reservoir pore volume) contributing to production.

Steady y State
To see steady-state flow in a reservoir, we must replace reservoir fluids at the same rate that we remove them. th This situation may occur if we have a recharge to the system (an assocaited water aquifer) or may also occur in secondary and enhanced oil recovery operations - e.g., e g waterflooding, gas injection, etc. During steady-state single-phase flow, nothing is changing in the reservoir, i.e., dp(x,t)/dt = 0. Note there is a pressure drop in the reservoir, and pressure data contains information about recharging system parameters.

Comparisons of Flow Regimes

q
Air Pump

q
t=1 t = 100

Viscous Liquid

Viscous Liquid

Initial, t = 0
dD = constant dt

Transient
dD =0 dt

q q

Viscous Liquid

Pseudosteady-state

Steady-state

D Darcys Law L
For flow through a horizontal sand pack, flow rate is Directly proportional to the pressure drop across the pack Directly Directl proportional to the (gross) area open to flow Inversely proportional to the length of the pack Inversely yp proportional p to fluid viscosity y Constant of proportion is the permeability

D Darcys Law L
For single single-phase, phase, radial flow, Darcy Darcys s equation is given by

vr = 1.127 x10 3

k p r

RB/(ft2-D)

qB = 7.08 10 3

k (r )h p r r

RB/D

Comparisons of Reservoir Regimes

Transient Pseudosteady-state

t tss p t tss

Steady-state

Comparisons of Flow Regimes

Pressure responses at the well

Steady-State Radial Flow

Simplified Reservoir Model

Reservoir radius Damage radius Well radius

rs

re, pe

Cylindrical horizontal Reservoir; constant rate at every radius; Reservoir permeability, k; damaged zone permeability, ks; No gravity effects; constant viscosity viscosity, formation volume factor factor.

D Darcys Law L
Rate at any radius:
k (r )h p qB B = 7.08 10 r r
3

Pressure distribution Integrate Darcys law over radius Outer O t (undamaged ( d d zone) )
kh 7.08 10 qB
3

dr dp = r p (r ) r

pe

re

Pressure Distribution Outer Zone

Perform integration
141.2qBo re pe p(r ) = ln kh r

Note: Even if there is no damaged zone zone, pressure drop is greatest close to the wellbore radius radius. Why is this so?

G Graphical hi l Pressure P Distribution Di t ib ti

Pressure versus radius
2010 2000 1990 1980 1970 1960 1950 1940 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 Radius, ft

Pressure, p psia

N t Note
Most of the pressure drop occurs within the first few inches of the wellbore. As fluids approach the wellbore, the area available to flow is decreasing g (2rh) Pressure losses increase as fluids approach wellbore.

R Reservoir i drawdown d d
Integrate Darcys law over entire reservoir
h 7.08 10 q qB
3

dr dp = k (r )r p wf rw dr dr p= + dp k r rs k kr p wf rw s
pe rs re

pe

re

h 7.08 10 qB B
3

pe pwf

141.2q qB = h

1 rs 1 re ln + ln l l k s rw k re

Si lif Simplify
pe pwf 141.2qB = h
pe pwf

1 rs 1 rs 1 rs 1 re ln ln + ln + ln k s rw k rw k rw k re
re k rs 1 ln ln + rw k s rw

141.2qB = kh

For undamaged reservoir (k = ks)

pe pwf 141.2qB = kh re ln rw

Ski Factor Skin F t

Define skin factor, s, as

k rs 1 s= l ln k s rw Skin factor is A dimensionless number = 0 if there is no damage > 0 if there is damage < 0 if the near-wellbore region is stimulated ti l t d

P d ti it Index Productivity I d
For steady state flow
Jo = q = ( pe pwf ) kh re 141.2 B ln + s r w

A positive skin factor will reduce the wells productivity A negative ti skin ki will ill increase i it Are there any other factors that influence a wells well s productivity?

Average Reservoir Pressure

Productivity Index is usually expressed in terms of average reservoir pressure rather than external p pressure, , pe Average pressure is also used in material balance calculations Obtainable from analysis of well test r r data 2rh hp(r , t )dr d 2 rp(r , t )dr d
p (t ) =
rw re

rw

rw

2rhdr

(r

2 e

2 rw

P d ti it Index Productivity I d
Steady-State Flow
p pwf 141.2qBo re 1 = + s ln kh rw 2

Productivity Index expression

q = Jo = ( p pwf ) kh re 1 141.2 B ln + s r 2 w

N t Notes
Productivity Index for steady state flow is constant Pressure at each point in the reservoir does not change g with time PI strongly influenced by the skin factor We would like to identify wells where skin factor is large; we can increase production p oduct o by a stimulation st u at o workover.

Skin Ski
In practice, skin may be due to a variety of factors Damage to formation due to invasion of mud filtrate and mud solids Partial penetration Migration of fines Asphaltines Treatment of skin will depend on the specific cause.

Productivity oduct ty Index de Steady State Radial Liquid Flow

In terms of external reservoir pressure
q Jo = = ( pe pwf ) kh re 141.2 B ln r + s w

In terms of average reservoir pressure

q Jo = = ( p pwf ) kh re 1 141.2 B ln + s r 2 w

Pseudosteady State Radial Liquid Flow

A Accumulation l ti Term T
During pseudosteady state flow,
p(r , t ) = A = constant t Reservoir flow equation for pseudosteady state
0.00633 k p r = ct A r r r

B Boundary d Conditions C diti

The previous differential equation is second order; we need two boundary conditions In addition we have an unknown constant, A Outer boundary sealed:
p =0 r re

Inner I boundary b d at t constant t t rate: t k p 3 1.127 10 ( 2 rh) r = qB rw

D t Determination i ti of f Constant C t tA
Integrate flow equation over reservoir
e k p 0.00633 r dr = ct A rdr r r rw rw

re

2 ct A re2 rw k p k p r r = r re r rw 0.00633 2

Inner boundary condition

k p qB r r = 1.127 103 2 h ( ) rw

Rate ate o of C Change a ge o of Pressure essu e with t time

Solve for A
0.00633 2 p 5 615qB 5.615 A= = 2 t h( re2 rw )ct
2 ct A re2 rw

qB = 3 1.127 10 ( 2 h)

During pseudo-steady state flow, pressure is a linear function of time; slope inversely proportional to pore volume. volume

P d ti it Index Productivity I d
Pseudosteady State Flow
kh( pe pwff ) re 1 = ln 141.2qB rw 2

If skin were included

re 1 = ln + s 141.2qB rw 2 q kh J= = re 1 ( pe pwf ) 141.2 B ln r 2 + s w kh( pe pwf )

N t Note
During Pseudosteady state flow, pressure is changing h i with ith time; ti however h J (or ( PI) is i a constant. External pressure (or average average) and wellbore pressure are changing at exactly the same rate, so difference between them is constant. We can also derive a Productivity Index equation in terms of average pressure.
q J= = ( p pwf ) kh re 3 141.2 B ln r 4 + s w

N Non-circular i l Reservoirs R i
Productivity Index expressed in terms of reservoir area, A, and Dietz shape factor, CA
q J= = ( p pwf ) kh 1 2.2458 A 141.2 B 2 ln r 2C + s w A

S Sample l Dietz Di t Shape Sh Factors F t

Transient Flow
Transient Flow includes a set of transient flow regimes Wellbore storage dominated flow Spherical flow Radial Flow Linear Flow etc

These are all subsets of an overall transient flow regime

R Recall ll Line-Source Li S S l ti Solution

Pressure Drop in an Infinite system Well modeled by a zero-radius line
70.6qB r 2 70.6qB r 2 pi p(r , t ) = Ei E1 = kh 4 t kh 4 t 70.6qB = kh

r2 4t

e u du u

E1(x) =-Ei(-x)

Solution valid at all radii at all times

T Transient i t Productivity P d ti it Index I d

PI during transient flow is not constant
qsc J= = pi pwf (t ) kh e u 70.6 Bo du + s rw2 u 4 t

s is the steady-state skin factor.