Well Testing

Lecture #3: Drawdown Analysis

Instructor : Nazir mafakheri

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 Outline

Quick review and the remaining part of Lecture#2

Time to stabilization
Derivative analysis
Wellbore storage
Partial Penetration Skin
Superposition principle
Superposition in time
Superposition in space
Method of images
Horners approximation
Flow equation for generalized reservoir geometries

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 Dimensionless Hydraulic Diffusivity Equation

p D 1 p D p D
2

rD
2
rD rD t D
3
 Radial System- Constant Rate Production

qB ct rw2 ct rw2 ct re2

p wf pi 70.6 Ei 948 3.79 10
5 t 948
k k
kh k t

162.6qBo k
pi pwf t logt log 3.23 0.87S
kh c r 2
t w
pwf t a m log t

162.6qBo
m
kh
162.6qBo k
a pi log 3.23 0.87 S
ct rw
2
kh

0.0005274k ct re2
141.2qB re t 948
pwf pi t n 0.75 k
r

2
kh c r
t e w

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 Application: Semi-log Pressure
Drawdown Data

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 Reservoir-Limits Test
(estimation of reservoir pore volume)
141.2qB 0.0005274 k re
pwf pi t n 0.75 S
kh c r
t e
2
rw

pwf 0.07447qBo

t hct re2
Vp re2 h

p wf 0.234qBo

t ctV p
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 Time to Stabilization

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Transient approximate
solution

P.S.S approximate solution

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 Derivative Analysis
dp
Derivative: the slope of the semi-log plot of pressure versus time.
d ln t

Given a set of pressure versus time data obtained in a drawdown test that
involves measurement of transient pressure behaviour, a common and
quite old technique from an engineering view point is the use of type
curve matching as a diagnostic of different flow regimes present during
the test (wellbore storage, skin, closed outer boundary, vertically fractured
well and others).

Perhaps one of the major advantages in using the pressure derivative in

conjunction with pressure is the identification of the flow regime.

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Derivative Analysis: Transient Radial Flow Regime
162.6qBo k
pi pwf t pwf logt log 3.23 0.87S
kh c r 2
t w

dpwf 162.6qBo

d log t kh

dpwf 162.6qBo
log 0 logt log
d log t kh
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 Derivative Analysis: P.S.S Radial Flow Regime
141.2qB 0.0005274 k re
pi p wf p wf t n 0.75 S
r
ct re
2
kh w

1
d log t dt
t

dpwf dpwf
0.1715qBo
2.3026 t t
d log t dt hct re2

dpwf 0.1715qBo
log 1 logt log
hc r 2
d log t t e
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 Procedure for Derivative Analysis
To calculate the pressure derivative curve we need to use the formula of
derivative which is:

p
PDrivative t.
t
pi 1 pi 1
ti-1 Pi-1 PDrivative (i ) ti
ti Pi
t i 1 t i 1
ti+1 Pi+1

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 Illustration of Pressure Derivative Method

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 Wellbore Storage
Due to the finite wellbore volume, the initial production from a well opened
at surface is dominated by expansion of the fluids in the wellbore.

q
Rate Surface Rate

Sandface rate
Wellbore rate
qsf
Vwb

Time

qsf

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 Wellbore Storage
Distortions in the reservoir response due to the volume of wellbore.
A crucial part of the transient analysis is to distinguish the effects of
wellbore storage from the interpretable reservoir response .
Drawdown test
On opening the valve at surface, the initial flow rate is due to wellbore
unloading
As wellbore unloading gradually decreases to zero, the flow from the
formation increases from zero to qsc
Build up test
After shut-in at the surface, flow from the formation does not stop
immediately.
Flow of fluid into the well persists for some time after shut-in due to
compressibility of the fluid.
The rate of flow changes gradually from qsc at the time of shut-in to
zero during a certain time period.

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 In q sf B
Out qB q
d 24 wbVwb
Accum.
dt

d
q sf B qB 24Vwb
dt Vwb
We can write
1 d d wb d wb dpwb dp
c wb c wb wb
dp
dt dp dt dt
qsf

B C st 24c wbVwb wb dpw

q sf q
B R dt
Define C cwbVwb
24C wb dpw 0.8936C 0.8936c wbVwb
Assume wb R q sf q CD
B dt ct hrw2 ct hrw2

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 Van Everdingen and Hurst, 1949
The rate of unloading off/ or storage in, the wellbore per unit pressure
difference is constant. This constant is known as the wellbore storage constant.

Cs Vws cws
Vws(bbl): Volume of wellbore tubing (and annulus if there is no packer)
cws: Compressibility of the wellbore fluid evaluated at the mean
wellbore pressure and temperature and not at reservoir condition, as is
usually the case.

Dimensionless wellbore storage constant

0.894Cs
CsD
h c rw2

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Due to wellbore storage at early times a deviation from constant rate solution to the
diffusivity equation is observed. After a certain period of time, tws, this deviation
becomes negligible.
Ramey(1965) has shown that for various values of CsD, the time for which wellbore
storage effects are significant, is given by:

t wsD 60C sD
0.000264kt
t wsD
ct rw2

60 0.894Vws cs Vws cws

tws 203182
0.000264k h kh
Two important trends:
Wellbore storage effects increase directly with well depth (Vws) and inversly
with formation flow capacity (kh).
Wellbore storage effects decrease with increasing pressure level (cws).

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 Agarwal, Al-Hussainy and Ramey (1970) showed that for all practical purposes,
the duration of wellbore storage effects is also given by

For negative skin and No skin

t wsD 60CsD
For positive skin
t wsD 60 3.5S C sD
or

t ws
200,000 12,000S C s

kh

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A rule of thumb, developed from the fundamental solutions of the diffusivity equation
including wellbore storage and skin effect (Agarwal et al., 1970), suggests that the
transition period lasts 1.5 log cycles from the cessation of predominant wellbore storage
effects (unit slope line). Points beyond that time fall on a semi-log straight line.

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 Partial Penetration Skin
The partial penetration skin is used when the perforations
of a vertical wellbore do not span the entire net pay of the
reservoir. In these situations, the reservoir flow has to flow
vertically and the flow lines converge at the perforations.

Flow line Flow line

(a) Complete penetration (b) Partial penetration

The convergence of flow lines near the wellbore result in an
additional pressure drop; an effect similar to that caused by
wellbore damage. Therefore this pressure drop is dealt with
as if it was a skin effect and it is labelled as the skin due to
partial penetration. This effect is always positive. It is a
function of the perforated interval, the distance from the
top of the zone to the top of the perforations and the
horizontal to vertical permeability ratio (Muskat, 1946;
Nisle, 1958; Brons and Marting, 1959; Kirkham, 1959; Odeh,
1968; Seth, 1968; Clegg and Mills, 1969; Kazemi, and Seth,
1969; Gringarten and Ramey, 1975; Streltsova-Adams,
1978).23
 Partially Penetrating Vertical Well
(Streltsova,1988)

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A radial well in a finite acting reservoir in general displays 3 flow periods. The flow
periods are most easily identified from the derivative plot. The initial unit-slope is
indicative of wellbore storage. The initial production is dominated by expansion of the
fluids in the wellbore. In general friction-losses along the wellbore are negligible and
the wellbore behaves like a tank. For a slightly compressible fluid as well as for an
ideal gas the first order derivative of the pressure will be constant (assuming a
constant production), resulting in a unit-slope derivative.

The hump that follows the unit-

slope is caused by near-wellbore
impairment, often characterized
by a skin factor.

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 162.6qBo k
pi pwf t pwf log t log 3.23 0.87 S
2
kh ct rw

t wsD 60 3.5S C sD
or

t ws
200,000 12,000S C s

kh

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 Superposition Principle
Linear diffusivity equation

A mathematical technique based on the property that solutions to linear partial

equations can be added to provide yet another solution. This permits constructions of
mathematical solutions to situations with complex boundary conditions, especially
drawdown and buildup tests, and in settings where flow rates change with time.

Mathematically the superposition theorem states that any sum of individual

solutions to the diffusivity equation is also a solution to that equation. This
concept can be applied to account for the following effects on the transient flow
solution:
Superposition in time
Effects of rate change
Super position in space
Effects of multiple wells
Effects of the boundary

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 Superposition in space

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 (1) Effects of Multiple Wells
The superposition concept states that the total pressure drop at any point
in the reservoir is the sum of the pressure changes at that point caused by
flow in each of the wells in the reservoir. In other words, we simply
superimpose one effect upon the other.

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 (2) Effects of Variable Flow Rates
All of the mathematical expressions presented Qo3
previously require that the wells produce at Qo1
constant rate during the transient flow periods. Qo4
Practically all wells produce at varying rates and,
therefore, it is important that we be able to predict Qo2
the pressure behavior when rate changes. For this
purpose, the concept of superposition states,
Every flow rate change in a well will result in a
pressure response which is independent of the
pressure responses caused by other previous rate
changes. Accordingly, the total pressure drop that
has occurred at any time is the summation of
pressure changes causes separately by each net
flow rate change.

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 (2) Production schedule for variable rate well
q2
q1 q3
Each well that contribute to the total
q
pressure drawdown will be at the same
position in the reservoir. The wells simply will
be turned on at different times. t1 t2 t

These wells, in general, will be inside a zone q1

of altered permeability zone.
Well#1

q2 q1

Well#2
t1

t2 Well#3
41 q3 q2
 150

100
85

70

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 Horner Approximation
An approximation that can be used in many cases to avoid using
superposition to model the production history of a variable rate well.
The sequence of Ei functions can be replaced with a single Ei function that
contains a single producing time and a single producing rate.
The producing rate, qlast, is the most recent non-zero rate at which the well
was produced.
The single producing time (pseudo-producing time) is found by dividing
the cumulative production from the well by the most recent rate.

Np
t p 24
qlast

qlast B ct rw2

pi pwf 70.6 Ei 948
kh k t
p

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Np
Two questions?! t p 24
qlast
1. What is the basis of this equation? qlast B ct rw2
pi pwf 70.6 Ei 948
2. Under what conditions is it applicable? kh k t p

Answers
1. The basis for the approximation is intuitive and not rigorous
Clear choice is the most recent rate which is maintained for any significant period.
The product of effective production time and production rate results in correct
cumulative production. Thus, it honors the material balance equation.
2. The approximation is adequate if the most recent flow rate is maintained long
enough.
Guideline: Horners approximation is valid when:
tlast
2
tnext to last

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 (3) Effects of the Reservoir Boundary
(method of images)
The superposition theorem can also be extended to predict the pressure of a
well in a bounded reservoir.

Mathematically, the no-flow condition can be met

by placing an image well, identical to that of the
actual well, on the other side of the fault at
exactly distance r. Consequently, the effect of the
boundary on the pressure behavior of a well
would be the same as the effect from an image
well located a distance 2r from the actual well.

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 BO q
qD 0.0002637
khpi

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Accounting for Non-circular
Drainage Area

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Assignment#3.a: A reservoir has the following properties:

Pi 2500 psia
B 1.32RB / STB
0.44cp
k 25md
h 43 ft
Ct 18E 6 psi 1
0.16
A 250 Acres

A well with skin factor of 3 and a wellbore radius of 0.3 ft at the center of
this circular reservoir is opened to flow at 250 STB/Day for day one. At the
beginning of the second day the flow increases to 450 STB/Day and at the
beginning of the fourth day to 300 STB/day . What is the pressure in the
well at the beginning of the 7th day. (i.e 6 full days after the well was first
opened to flow.

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Assignment#3.b: A drawdown test is performed in a well close to a sealing fault , the
reservoir is otherwise infinite.

a- Write the equation describes Pwf ( assume well is at distance L from Fault)

b-Use the above equation and describe why at the early time the slop of Pwf vs. Time on
a semi-log plot is 162.6 qB , and why at late time the slop doubles.
kh

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Assignment#3.c: A drawdown test in which time hr Pwf q(STB/Day) time hr Pwf q(STB/Day)
the rate decreased continuously throughout 0 5000 200 3.64 4797 121
the test was run in a well with the following 0.114 4927 145 4.37 4798 119
properties: 1.136 4917 143 5.27 4798 118
0.164 4905 142 6.29 4798 117
0.2 0.197 4893 141 7.54 4799 116
1cp 0.236 4881 140 9.05 4799 114

C t 10 E 6 psi 1 0.283 4868 138 10.9 4800 113

0.34 4856 137 13 4801 112
h 100 ft
0.408 4844 136 15.6 4801 110
Bo 1.3RB / STB
0.49 4833 135 18.8 4802 109
Awb 0.0218 ft 2
0.587 4823 133 22.5 4803 108
55lb / ft 3
0.705 4815 132 27 4803 107
0.846 4809 131 32.4 4804 105
From the following data estimate formation
1.02 4804 129 38.9 4805 104
permeability and skin Factor
1.22 4801 128 46.7 4806 103
1.46 4799 127 56.1 4807 102
1.75 4798 126 67.3 4807 100
2.11 4797 124 80.7 4808 99
2.53 4797 123 96.9 4809 98
3.03 4797 122

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 time hr Pwf q(STB/Day) time hr Pwf q(STB/Day)
Assignment#3.d: Repeat Assignment#3.c 0 5000 200 3.64 4797 121
using Horners approximation. Compare the 0.114 4927 145 4.37 4798 119
results with those found in Assignment#3.c 1.136 4917 143 5.27 4798 118
solution . Next ignore the variation in rate and 0.164 4905 142 6.29 4798 117
analyze the data using constant rate analysis 0.197 4893 141 7.54 4799 116
technique. Using the initial rate. 0.236 4881 140 9.05 4799 114
0.283 4868 138 10.9 4800 113
0.34 4856 137 13 4801 112
0.408 4844 136 15.6 4801 110
0.49 4833 135 18.8 4802 109
0.587 4823 133 22.5 4803 108
0.705 4815 132 27 4803 107
0.846 4809 131 32.4 4804 105
1.02 4804 129 38.9 4805 104
1.22 4801 128 46.7 4806 103
1.46 4799 127 56.1 4807 102
1.75 4798 126 67.3 4807 100
2.11 4797 124 80.7 4808 99
2.53 4797 123 96.9 4809 98
3.03 4797 122

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