Department of Petroleum Engineering

PETE306: Well Testing

3 credits: 3 50-minute lectures per week
Required
Catalog Description: Basic theory and modern practices and applications of well testing
are covered. This includes derivation of diffusivity equation and its solutions for slightly
compressible fluids within infinite- and finite-acting systems. The student is then
introduced to the principles and techniques of well test analysis and evaluation supported
by analysis of well tests from vertical and horizontal wells to determine well and
reservoir parameters using conventional and modern well test analysis. Well test design
and instrumentation are also covered.
Prerequisite: PETE301: Reservoir Engineering
Textbook: Pressure Transient Testing by John Lee, John Rollins, and John
Spivey, SPE Textbook Series Vol. 9, 2003.
Course Objectives:
1. Introduce the students to the theory of well testing and its applications.
2. Emphasize the importance of well testing as a tool for reservoir description and
evaluation.
3. Emphasize the importance of well testing as a diagnostic tool for evaluating
formation capacity to produce fluids and for monitoring well performance.
4. Emphasize the importance of properly designed, executed, and analyzed well tests to
provide reservoir parameters.
Topics and Hours:
Topic Class Hrs
1. Introduction 1
- Role of well testing in formation evaluation
- Importance of rock and fluid properties
2. Fluid flow in porous media 4
- Derivation of the diffusivity equation
- Solutions of the diffusivity equation
- Radius of investigation
3. Pressure drawdown test 6
- Single rate test
- Skin factor
- Wellbore storage
4. Exam 1 1
5. Principles of superposition theory 2
6. Pressure buildup tests 4
7. Injection and fall-off tests 1
8. Multirate tests 2
9. Exam 2 1
10. Bounded reservoirs 6
- Determination of distance to no flow boundaries
- Reservoir limit tests
- Determination of average reservoir pressure
11. Horizontal well test analysis 6
12. Type curve matching (interference test) 1
13. Computer assisted well test analysis 9
14. Test design and instrumentation 1
Total 45
Method of Evaluation:
Attendance 4% Attendance = 4 [1-(Abs./6)]
Homework assignments: 14 %
Exams: 46 %
Final exam: 36 %
Total: 100%

Contribution to Professional Component:

Engineering Science: All topics relate to the understanding and application of scientific
and engineering principles related to reservoir description and evaluation.

Relationship of Course Outcomes to Program Educational Outcomes:

Course Outcome Program Educational Outcome
1. Understand the derivation of the Ability to identify/diagnose and solve
diffusivity equation and its solutions. petroleum engineering problems.
2. Understand the behavior of infinite Ability to use techniques, skills and
acting and bounded reservoirs during modern engineering tools necessary for
early, middle and late time regions; engineering practices.
identify the various flow regimes and
boundary effects.
3. Understand the concept of
superposition and its applications in
space and time.
4. Be able to analyze pressure
drawdown, multirate, build-up,
injection, falloff, and interference
tests and determine the pertinent
information from well test obtained
from vertical and horizontal wells
manually and using well test analysis
software.
5. Be able to design well tests.

Prepared by: Dr. Hasan S. Al-Hashim, May 2010.

Instructors: Dr. Hasan S. Al-Hashim, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of
Petroleum Engineering, 3-207, (03) 860-2566, hshashem@kfupm.edu.sa ; Dr. Hasan Y.
Al-Yousef, Associate Professor, Department of Petroleum Engineering, 3-208, (03) 860-
2195, hyousef@kfupm.edu.sa