Tidal Effect in Petroleum Well Testing

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 TIDAL EFFECT IN PETROLEUM A11 the components naturally arise from the same
lunar and solar tide generating forces however each
WELL TESTING of them will have a different magnitude (amplitude),
efficiency, frequency and phase 5 • The complexity of
Mi1an L Bema1a
this phenomenon is further aggravated by the complex
Char1es Ba1naves
nature of the tide generating potential itself which
BHP Petroleum Pty Ltd
consists of several tidal components with varying
Australia
frequency an d amp ....,.t
1 u d e. 1,8*)
consequently the final product of these forces is
ABSTRACT a complex periodic pressure fluctuation with many
harmonic constituents. For each particular tidal
constituent of angular frequency (w) the variation
Earth, barometric and ocean tide effects have been
of the induced dilatation (~) with time (t) can be
observed for many years, principally in hydrogeolo-
described by the equation 5
gical work. During testing of wells in the Timor
Sea we have observed ocean tide effects in the
reservoir with an amplitude of - 0. 07 bar ( 1 psi) ••• (2)
about 70 times larger than earth or barometric tide
effects.
This paper has two aims: to provide an overview of
analytical interpretation of tidal effects from a in which ~A' ~ E' ~ 8 and ~ 0 are phase differe~ces
between the tide generating potential under cons1de-
oetroleum engineering viewpoint and second, based
ration and the aquifer or reservoir dilatation '\•
;pon our simulations and observations, to propose
the earth tide dilatation t. E• the barometric dila-
that in addition to previous methods of interpreta--
tation 6a• the ocean tide dila~ation t.a· .
tion the phase shift of ocean tide effects can be
The main results of past stud1es are summar1sed in
used to gain an insight into the presence of major
Secuions 2 and 3 of this paper. The majority of
reservoir heterogeneities, particularly fluid con-
these studies had several assumptions in common:
tacts.
they were based on data from onshore wells and
There is a need for more field data and further
therefore concentrated on earth and barometric
investigations, however we believe we have demon-
tide effects;
strated the existence of a useful and previously
they assumed a closed, homogeneous reservoir
unused aspect of pressure measurement in offshore
with no induced flow;
wells.
the earth, barometric and ocean tide dilatations
were assumed to occur in phase with their
1. INTRODUCTION respective tidal generating forces.
There is, in principle, no obstacle to the appli-
cation of these results in petroleum reservoir engi-
The effects of a periodic tidal stress - having
neering once sufficiently accurate data is
their origin in the gravitational attraction between
available. However, the petroleum engineer now has
the sun, moon and the earth - on the fluid accumula-
available a new piece of in format ion for offshore
tions in porous strata in the earth have been
wells: observation and accurate measurement of the
observed for more than one hundred years*). The
ocean tide effect, an effect which we can expect
majority of the observations were made in mines and
will be measurable in many offshore reservoirs.
open water wells in which even the smallest periodic
The importance of the ocean tide effect is that:
fluctuation of water level was easily detectable and
it has a much greater amplitude (we have mea~
recordable. It was only in about the last decade,
sured a value of 0.07 bar, 1 psi) than the eart.h.
after the advent of high sensitivity pressure gauges
or barometric tide effects (a typical value
(crystal and strain gauges), that a similar observa-
tion could be made in petroleum reservo1rs.. 11 '12,7 being 0.001 bar, 0.015 psi). Thus, when inter-
preting ocean tide effects, all others can be
In these circumstances it is understandable that the
ignored.
main theoretical analysis of this phenomenon and all
As can be seen in Section two of this paper,
attempts at its practical interpretation and appli-
cation3•8•5•2 were accomplished in the field of interpretation of ocean (and barometric) tide
effects is based upon a cyclic change to the
hydrogeology. Yet we can expect that in future the
head of water (or air) which alters the
tidal effect will be observed and recorded more
overburden and thus the reservoir pressure.
frequently during the testing of petroleum wells and
that it will eventually be accepted as a new piece Accurate measurements of surface ocean tide are
simple to make and can be compared in phase to
of information which will be worthwhile interpre-
ting. (simultaneous) measurements of the reservoir
pressure.
The tidal effect on the fluid pressure in buried
Thus, not only can we gain a measure of formation
porous strata is a complex one. The cyclic fluctua-
compressibility and porosity (as was possible pre-
tion of pressure as it is measured in aquifers and
viously) but we may also be able to investigate the
reservoirs is generally a consequence of a tidal
dilatation of the porous system ( t::,. A). However there variation of compressibility away from the wellbore
through interpretation of the shift of phase between
are three different mechanisms by way of which the
surface and bottomhole measurements.
prime cyclic fluctuation of the strength of gravity
The main objective of this paper is to present our
field produces this final effect. The total dilata-
tion (t.A) can be considered as a sum of three inde- current understanding of these effects and the re-
pendent partial effects: sults arising from them. This is done in Sections 4
(a) the solid earth tide dilatation /:::,.E and 5 with the aid of mathematical modelling and the
(b) the barometric tidal dilatation 6 8 results from observed ocean tide effects in the
(c) the ocean tide dilatation 6 0 Timor Sea.
so that
*) The main waves are:
M2 a lunar wave with a period of 12h 25m 14s
••• (1)
s2 a solar wave with a period of 12h OOm
N2 a lunar wave with a period of 12h 39m 30s
Kl a lunisolar wave with a period of 23h 56m
4s (sidereal day)
Firs~
*) record in 1880 in flooded coal mine in
Dllchcov (Czechoslovakia). o, a lunar wave with a period of 25h 49m lOs

1~0

2. MATHEMATICAL AN A LYSIS OF THE
COMPONENTS OF THE
TIDAL EFFECT ON PRESSURE IN
AQUIFERSAND HYDROCARBON RESERVOIRS
2.1 So1id Earth ~ide Di1atation A 8
The combined ef feet of the various tidal forces
results in a complex phenomenon. The most direct
process in this is the effect of earth tides, i.e.
of the tidal deformation of the solid earth crust,
which causes an expansion and contraction, or dila-
tation of a buried reservoir and a variation in the
reservoir fluid pressure. A comprehensive study was
published by J D Bredehoeft 8 ( 1967) who presented
the equation of the earth tide dilatation ( AE) as a
function of the lunar/solar disturbing potential.
(tidal acceleration, w2 >.
1-2\1
0.49
1-\1 ag
The real (or final) dilatation of course is affected
also by the change in the (internal) fluid pressure
(dpp). Hence the total dilatation (At) is:
in which Ah is the dilatation produced by changes
in fluid pressure. If the compressibility of the
rock matrix can be neglected then:
and consequently
This equation implies that the solid earth tide
effect can provide data for calculation of the pro-
duct of porosity and total compressibility of the
system. Equation 7 is used in petroleum reservoir
engineering, with the total compressibility defined
as:
In hydrology (with a water saturated aquifer)
equation (7) assumes the form
in which Ss is specific storage and Ah is the
pressure change induced by tidal fluctuation of the
head of water, usually measured in open water
wells.
*) The dilatation caused by the single components of
the t lde generating potential are given by
Arditty and Ramey 1 for one observation.
M 2 (4 .5 X 10 -8 ), 52(1.258 X 10 -8 ), N (0.852
SP£
E s Robinson and R T Bell 5 presented a different
interpretation in which they assume that the
changing internal fl. uid pressure (pore pressure)
affects the porosity only by way of rock matrix
compressibility so that the total dilatationAt from
Eq. 4 is defined as:
••• ( 10)
Similarly the authors define the specific storage
as:
ss = pg [ ~ c f J. + ( 1- ~ ) em] ••• (11)
This approach seems to be less accurate than that
used by J D Bredehoeft.
2.2 The Ocean Tide and Barometric Tida1 Di1atation
The mechanism of the ocean and barometric tidal
dilatation is different from the mechanism of the
solid earth tide effect described above. While the
••• (3)
*) earth tide dilatation is a direct consequence of the
ag dilatation of the earth crust due to the solid earth
tide, the ocean and barometric tide induce the dila-
tation (and compression) of the strata via a perio-
dic variation of the compressive force of the over-
burden.
This process can be analysed in a similar manner
to that used for the solid earth tide.For the ocean
••• (4) tide the earth tide dilatation AE must be replaced
by:
••• ( 12)
in which Ap 0 is the overburden pressure change and
cs is the initial compressibility of the solid ske-
D 0 0 (5) leton of the rock.
Then Eq. 4 can be rewritten as:
••• (6)
.•. ( 13)
while Eq. 5 remains unchanged.
By solving Eq. 13 and 5 and after introducing the
••• (7) ;atio between the overburden pressure fluctuation
AP 0 and the measured pore pressure fluctuation App
as a constant
c ••• ( 14)
the final relationship can be formulated as
0 D 0 (8)
c ••• ( 15)
The rel.a tionship between the compressibility co-
efficients cs and cp can be derived according to C E
••• (9) Jacob 6 by using the assumption that the overburden
pressure ( P 0 ) is partially borne by the solid
skeleton (Ps) and in part by the fluid confi-ned in
pores. This can be expressed by the relationship
..• ( 16)
The proportional.ity constant (~) is assumed unity
in uncemented sand while in a solid rock (limestone)
~is apparently equ,al. to the porosity. The actual.
value depends on the nature of contact between the
sandstone and sealing shales 6 . Using Eq. 16, Eq. 13
X 10- 8 ) can be derived again as:
2
..• ( 17)
140

Solution of Eq. 13 and 17 produces
.•• ( 18)
then Eq. 15 can be simplified to
c 0 0 0
And rearranged
cp ac
0 0 0 (20)
In hydrology the specific storage is. expressed as:
••• (21)
1 - ac
It is reasonable that according to Equations 7 and
19 both the solid earth and ocean tide effects bring
forth two slightly different pieces of information:
~(cp + cf 1 ) in the first case and cp/cfl in the
second. Theoretically, both tests together could
produce some information about both parameters:
Porosity ( ~) and pore compressibility (c ).
The mechanism of the baroaetric tida~ effect is
identical to the mechanism of the ocean tide effect
with one diffenence only. If the tidal oscillation
is measured in an open water well the changing
atmospheric pressure influences the water level in
the well in two ways: indirectly by changing ~he
overburden pressure ~P 0 and directly bychanging the
atmospheric back pressure on the water level in the
well. If, in this case, the barometric efficiency is
defined by
B ••• (22)
p g dh
then fluctuation of the pore pressure is controlled
by
(1 - B) dpB ••• (23)
The final equations, 20 and 21, are then modified to
become
a ( 1 - B)
•• 0 (24)
cfl - a( 1 - B)
and
0. 0 (25)
1 -a ( 1 - B)
3. APPLICATION OF TIDAL EFFECT TO
RESERVOIR EVALUATION
3.1 History
In the past, practical application of observed
tidal effects for the evaluation of reservoir para-
meters has been developed only in the field of
hydrogeology.
The pioneering work was done by the researchers
alluded to in the previous chapter and was based on
the formulas derived and presented above (7, 9, 19,
2 1 , 2 4, and 2 5).
SP£ 1 ~cO 7
There are two straightforward applications offered
by these formulas:
a) to determine the pore compressibility (c ) or
the aquifer storage (S) from the ocean ticfe or
the barometric tidal effect (as a function of
the barometric or ocean tide efficiency B or C);
b) to determine the product of the porosity and
( 19) total compressibility ( ~ ct> (or the ration S/t
in an aquifer) from the solid earth tide effect.
Probably the first and only work ahalysing the
ocean tide effect was published by C E Jacob 6
( 1940). The results are reprinted in Table 1. Accor-
ding to the author the results were found to be 2.4-
10 times lower than the data calculated from pumping
tests accomplished in the same wells. The author
assumes that the difference can be accounted for by
water storage in some interbedding and adjacent
clay-beds which do not affect the short lived tidal
effect but contribute to the longer pumping tests.
The first complete analysis of the more complex
earth tide effect (including the effect of baromet-
ric pressure and the multiple solid earth tide com-
ponents) was published by J D Bredehoeft 8 ( 1967).
The results calculated for a well in Belgium are
shown in Table 2.
A similar study was published later by E S
Robinson and R T Bell 5 (1971) interpreting long term
observations on 10 wells in various regions of the
USA.
I D Marine 2 ( 1975) accomplished interpretation of
the earth tide effect in wells in slightly fractured
crystalline rock. He concluded that the determina-
tion of porosity by this method is unreliable.
Analysis of the solid earth tide effect is so much
more complex and demanding than analysis of the
ocean tide effect. The reason is the much greater
amplitude of the measured pressure fluctuation im-
posed by the ocean tide than those imposed.by the
solid earth tide and barometric pressure fluctua-
tion. This enables evaluation of the ocean tide
effect as a single event phenomenon (neglecting all
the others) while in the case of the earth tide
effect the process is a complex superposition of a
large number of components of d similar order of
magnitude. Because of this complexity, analysis of
the earth tide effect always requires a relatively
long continuous observation ( 1 month) and the use of
harmonic analysis.
There are several difficult problems involved in
analysing earth tide effects, one of which is the
need to correct for the irregular fluctuation of
barometric pressure. ~ondition~ are further aggra-
vated if the well is in a coastal area, where the
data may also need to be corrected for a partially
act ing ocean tide.
The majority of interpretations to date have as-
sumed a homogeneous sand, uniform fluid saturation,
and.generally steady conditions (no local flow in-
duced by the tidal phenomenon).
Only the study by PC Arditty and H J R Ramey Jr 1
(1978) investigated the effect of the storage of the
observation well (filled completely with the forma-
t ion fluid being produced) on the attenuation of the
tidal effects measured in the well.
To our knowledge no paper has been pUblished about
the significance and role of the phase difference
between the generating forces and the measured
effect, in spite of several observations of such a
phenomenon 11 • 10 .
3.2 Applicability of the Tidal Effect in Petroleum
Reservoirs
Theoretically all the methods described above are
applicable in petroleum engineering. However it does
not seem probable that the application of the whole
complex earth tide effect could ever be attractive
and economically justified. A satisfactory argument
against the earth tide application seems to be that
141
there is no need for a new and independent determi-
SPE 1 4 60 7
••• (27)
nation of porosity which, it seems, is also not very
reliable.
On the other hand the application and exploitation
This amount of liquid must be injected into the
of the ocean tide effect can be found useful and cell with a sinusoidally varying flow rate during
productive. The following advantages can be ·listed one quarter of a cycle and the same amount of liquid
on the basis of present knowledge: must be produced in the second quarter of a cycle.
1. simple, relatively short (- 16 hrs), and relia-
The second half-cycle is a mirror image of the first
ble measurement of the effect (single phenome-
one.
non, big amplitude): In our model the sinusoidal curve was approximated
2. simple and straightforward interpretation;
by histogram with 24 half-hour steps per 12 hr tidal
3. increasing activity in offshore areas;
cycle calculated (in res. m3/day) from
4. desirability of independent and 'in situ• deter-
mination of pore compressibility;
s. neecessity (in highly permeable reservoirs) of
.,
qi Vcell- cp fip 0 [sin(15i)-sin(15i-15)] 48 •• (28)
eliminating the tidal effect during the pressure Cl.
build up in areas with big ocean tide and strong
tidal effects. Four models were set up:
In addition to these arguments we can expect that 1. a one-dimensional model of a sloping sand cros-
the ocean tide effect and its interpretation will sing from a water zone into a gas zone (Figure
reveal additional information about the reservoir 1 ). The purpose of this model was to obtain a
being tested. A new avenue for investigation (not basic picture of tidal effect in a heterogeneous
existent in hydrogeology) is .opened to the field of
medium (the heterogeneity lies in the fluids,
petroleum engineering by the simple existence of the sand itself is homogeneous):
three different fluids with different compressibili- 2. a two-dimensional cross-sectional model of a
ty in the reservoir. The influence of the fluid massive, sloped sand comprising water, oil and
compressibility on the ocean tide effect (efficien- gas zones, prepared for more detailed investiga-
cy) is defined by Eq. 20.
tion of the tidal effect in a heterogeneous en-
According to this equation the tidal effect must
vironment (Figures 3 - 8):
be different in an aquifer, in an oil zone and in a
3. a one-dimensional, one-phase, radial model for
gas cap. Consequently, near the fluid contacts, the
simulation of the influence of wellbore storage
ocean tide must create pressure gradients and cyclic
on the attenuation and phase shift of the tidal
movement of the fluids. Detection of this phenome-
effect measured in the (shut-in) wellbore;
non in the well could represent a new piece of
4. a one-dimensional, single-phase, cartesian model
information about the fluids present in the vicinity
investigating lateral propagation of a sinusoi-
of the well. dal pressure wave generated on the outcrop of
we have investigated the existence of this process
the sand. ·The purpose of tJ:lis model was to
and its magnitude with the aid of mathematical
obtain some quantitative criteria by which to
modelling.
assess the possible role of this mechanism in
the final ocean tide effect.
4. STUDY OF OCEAN TIDAL EFFECTS IN
IN PETROLEUM RESERVOIRS
4.2 S~ulation Results and Discussion
USING MATHEMATICAL MODELLING
4.2.1 1-D Model of ocean Tide Effects .Around a Gas-
4.1 ~ba Mode~ Water Contact

The objective of employing a mathematical model

A simple 1-D model of a 60m thick sand, sloping at
was to simulate the effect of an ocean tide with a
2.86° and crossing a gas-water contact was set up.
given (constant) amplitude.!. fih 0 (max. difference,
The basic data and results of simulation are summa-
2 x fih ) in a closed reservoir.
rised in Table 3 and the main results are displayed
When° using a standard petroleum reservoir simula-
in graphical form in Figure 1. Figure 2 shows the
tor this process can only be simulated by way of
simulated pressure in several cells of the model
cyclic (sinusoidal) inject ion and product ion of a
with 4 darcy permeability.
fluid into each cell of the model. The injected
Based on these results the following main points
fluid is to simulate the changes of the actual pore
can be made:
volume (6) induced by the change in overburden
1. The differences between the amplitude of the
pressure cZp > <i.e. without taking into account 1;:he
tidal pressure cycle in the water zone and the
effect of th~ simultaneously changing internal pore
gas zone accurately reflect the different fluid
pressure). This component of total rock (and pore)
compressibilities. The tidal efficiency (C)
dilatation is expressed by Eq. 12.
calculated from the results of the model using
Eq 14 compares well with the theoretical values
..• ( 12)
calculated by Eq 15.
2. The differences in the amplitude of tidal pres-
sure oscillation in adjacent parts of the sand
Neglecting (as before) the compressibility of the
around the oil-water contact evoke a dynamic
rock matrix and using the relationship
process tending to eliminate these differences.
A local cyclic results which deforms the •sta-
... ( 18)
tic' tidal effect in two ways:
a) it blurs the sharp change in the amplitude
(and the tidal efficiency factor C). In the
produces
cases modelled this effect is seen markedly
fi in the aquifer adjacent to the edge of the
... (26)
0 gas cap. In the 4 darcy sand this effect is
detectable up to about 500 m from the edge of
the gas.
A relative change in effective pore volume such as
b) the process shifts the phase of the pressure
this can be simulated by injecting the following
oscillation. The phase shift appears as a
cumulative amount of water into each cell (in res
m3). time lag in the more compressible fluid (gas)

142

and as a time lead in the less compressible
fluid (water).
The phase shift; which is easily measurable,
appears to be a significant indicator for the exis-
tence of a fluid contact. Significant lateral ex-
tent of this effect will probably only be achieved
in highly permeable sands.
4.2.2 2-D (Cross-Sectional) Model of a Massive Sand
with Three Fluid Zones
The grid for this model is shown in Figures 3 - a.
The basic rock and fluid parameters are summarised
under Table 3.
The cases simulated are outlined below:
1. Gas-oil-watersystem with rock permeabilities
kH = kv = 1 darcy:
the tidal effect simulated in individual blocks
of this model is presented in the form of (i)
the tidal efficiency factor (CEq 14) in Figure
3 and (ii) the time lag against the phase of the
ocean tide (in minutes) in Figure 4.
2. Gas-oil-water system with rock permeabilities
kH = 1 darcy, ~ = 0.01 darcy:
the results for tidal efficiency and time lag
for this case can be seen in Figures 5 and 6.
3. Oil-water system with rock permeabilities
kH = 4 darcy, kH = 0.04 darcy:
the tidal efficiency and time lag results are
displayed in Figure 7 and Figure 8.
Basically, all the results from this model corro-
borate the conclusion drawn from the 1-D model
discussed previously. However, they show that the
process in a two dimensional system and in the
presence of three fluids is rather complex. The
following points can be made:
1. in a three-phase system the sign and the extent
of the phase shift cannot be used as a straight-
forward indicator of the probable distortion of
the tide efficiency in all parts of the reser-
voir. This is demonstrated in model •a• (Figures
3 and 4) where, in some parts of the oil zone,
the phase shift is controlled by the gas cap
(time lead) yet the tide efficiency is affected
more by the aquifer.
2. The vertical permeability influences the pattern
of the tidal effect significantly.
3. The phase shift is, naturally, controlled by the
compressibility contrast and permeability. It
seems probable from (section 4.2.1) that in a
gas/ liquid system with high permeability the
phase lead and/or lag will not substantially
exceed 1 hour. The model of the oil-water sys-
tem (model •c•, Figures 7 ,8) showed a maximum
lag of 12 minutes.
These conclusions are very broad and there is ob-
viously room for a lot more work. We believe that
the potential for practical use of the results of
interpreting ocean tide effects warrants more de-
tailed investigation of the subject and the collec-
tion of more field data to assist in improving our
understanding.
4.2.3 1-D, 1-Phase Radial Model Simulating an
Observation Well with Wellbore Storage
Wellbore storage effects have been proposed as a
possible influence on the measured tidal effects.
Consequently a simple model was devised to investi-
gate the matter. The basic parameters used for the
model were:
143
SP£
14 annuli (cells)
re = 1200m, rw = 0.15m, h = 60m, ~ = 0.2
Ocean tide amplitude Llh = 2m, Ct = 24.5 X 10- 5
Wellbore length (1) = 2360m.
In the basic case the well was assumed to be
filled with oil of compressibility 17.4 x 10- 5 bar- 1
constituting a well bore storage of 0.029 m 3/bar.
In. another run this storage was increased by a
factor of 10. Several runs investigated the sensi-
tivity to rock permeability.
The results of these models are displayed in
Figure 9.
The implications are:
1. Within a well filled with liquid, significant
attenuation of the ocean tide effect can only be
expected in very tight reservoirs ( < 1 md).
2. Attenuation of the pressure amplitude is accom-
panied by a time lag againstb the phase of the
ocean tide (that is, the effects are seen after
the equivalent point in the ocean tide). The
time lag is always positive and; in the cases
simulated, is roughly proportional to the atten-
uation.
4.2.4 Simulation of Lateral Propagation of a
Sinusoidal Pressure Wave Generated on the
Outcrop of a Sand
This model was set up in an attempt to better
understand and assess another mechanism which has
been considered as the cause of, or at least a
contributing factor to, the ocean tide effect in
some petroleum reservoirs: that is, the transmission
of the tidal pressure oscillation from the sea floor
-into the reservoir by virtue of a direct hydraulic
communication of the sands with the sea through
their outcrops in the ocean 11 This mechanism was
considered as an explanation of the large time lag
(11-1/2 hours or even several tidal cycles) measured
in a reservoir in the Bass Strait (Gippsland Basin).
The model used for this investigation was a 1-D,
1-phase model consisting of a row of 20 cells cove-
ring a distance of 3800 m. A pressure oscillation
with a period of 12 hours was created in the first
cell, corresponding to an oscillation of ~2 m in the
head of water.
The model was run with three different values of
hydraulic diffusivity (by changing the per-meability)
The results, displayed in Figures 10 and 11, indi-
cate that this process does not seem to account for
a very big time lag. The plot in Figure 11 shows
that for a 12 hr time lag the tidal efficiency
(attenuation) is on the order of 0.001 which~ would,
in practice,·render the tidal effect undetectable
with even the most sensitive gauge available today.
5. OBSERVATION AND ANALYSIS OF OCEAN TIDE
EFFECTS IN PETROLEUM RESERVOIRS
IN THE TIMOR SEA
This study was inspired by observation of an unu-
sually strong ocean tide effect during well testing
in the Timor Sea. In two wells on the Jabiru field
the measured pressure oscillation, induced by the
ocean tide, reached an amplitude of around 0.07 bar
( 1 psi). The oscillation was observed during pressure
build-up tests which were, in consequence, rendered
virtually uninterpretable. One example is shown in
Figure 12. Comparison of the measured pressure with
the ocean tides during the test proves the ocean
tides to be the origin of the oscillation. This is
shown in Figure 1 3. Detailed comparison of the
curves showed that the best correction for the tidal
component of the pressure build up curve is achieved
if the correcting pressure difference (ilpcorr) is
derived from the ocean tide curve with a time lag of
about 15 minutes using the relationship
- 0. 28 H* ••• (29)
I:Pco.~:r
 1
J 1j, ·0· -1
f-.,
,_,.

in which H* is the ocean tide (in meters and inclu-
ding the 15 minute time lag). Thies correction is
also displayed in Figures 12 and 13.
Further evidence that the observed pressure oscil-
lation was a direct (nearly simultaneous) response
to the ocean tide was observed in another (third)
test on Jabiru 1A.
Test No. 3 was done during an interval of minimum
ocean tide movement as is demonstrated in Figure 14.
As a consequence, the tidal effect was nearly inde-
tectable in the pressure build-up curve, which could
be interpreted without any correction.
From the correction formula (29) (and applying the
theory discussed previously) we can calculate the
tidal efficiency factor (C) (Eq. 14) and finally
using Eq 15 the pore compressibility of the rock
(c ) •
~his last calculation is, however, only strictly
correct if the phase lag is small, indicating negli-
gible effects of any nearby heterogeneity. The
results calculated for the ocean tide effect
observed in three well tests in the Jabiru field are
displayed in Table 4. These results compare well
with the value of pore compressibility calculated
from triaxial tests carried out on four rock samples
from Jabiru 1A which produced a PQre com~essibility
( c ) in the range 3.5 - 5.9 x 1 o- 5 bar- 1.
~s was discussed in section 4, the other signifi-
cant result which can be deduced from the measured
tidal effect concerns the possible indication of the
existence of other fluids in the vicinity of the
wellbore. In light of the model results presented
above (section 4), the positive time lag indentified
in both Jabiru 1A and 4 can be seen as a very strong
indication that there is no gas cap in a relatively
wide area surrounding the wells. In such a highly
permeable sand (k - 4 darcy) a gas cap would pt'Obab-
ly induce a negative time lag (time lead) far into
the oil zone. This piece of information had some
significance in this particular case, because during
one phase of the exploration of the Jabiru field the
existence of a gas cap in the vicinity of the Jabiru
1A well was considered possible.
pressure gauge to formation evaluation in the
Gippsland Basin".
8. Bredehoeft J D, "Response of Well-Aquifer System
to Earth Tides", Journal of Geophysical Research
Vol. 72, No. 12 (June 1967) pp. 3075-87.
9. Sterling A, Smets E; "Study of Earth Tides,
Earthquakes and Terrestial Spectroscopy by
Analysis of the Level Fluctuation in a Borehole
at Heibaart (Belgium)", Geophys. J., Royal Astr.
so c. ( 19 7 1 ) 2 3 , 2 2 5 -2 4 2.
10. Witherspoon P A, Narashimhau T N, McEdwards D G;
"Results of Interference Test from two
Geothermal Reservoirs", J Peter. Techn (January
19 7 8) p p. 3 0.
11. Khurana A K, "Influence of Tidal Phenomenon on
Interpretation of Pressure Buildup and Pulse
Test", APEA Journ. ( 1976) 16, Part I, pp. 99.
12. Strobel C J, Guloti M s, Ramey Jr H J; "Reser-
voir Limit Test in a Naturally Fractured
Reservoir - A Field Case Study Using Type
Curves", J Peter. Techn. (September 1976) pp.
1097-1106.
13. Seaver J D T, Miller F G; "A Review of Reservoir
Rock Compressibilty and its Relationship to Oil
and Gas Recovery", Institute of Petroleum 74-003
14. Teeuw D, "Predict ion of Format ion Compact ion
from Laboratory Compressibility Data", SPE Paper
No. 2973 (Annual FAll Meeting in Houston, Oct
1970).
15. Melchior P, Erdoel und Kohle 13, (1960) pp. 312-
317.
16. "Triaxial Testing of Rock Samples", Report No.
R83/214 by TECHSEARCH INC. 8 February, 1984
(confidential).
LIST OF SYMBOLS
[cm 2.!s 2 ] Lunar/solar
disturbing potential
a [em] radius of earth (6.371
x 10 8 em)

6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS [dim-less] dilatation

g (cm/s 2 ] acceleration of
Our thanks are extended to BHP Petroleum and
gravity (978 cm!s 2 )
partners, for permission to publish this paper and
to include field data for Jabiru.
[bar] barometric pressure

7. REFERENCES Pp [bar] pressure of the fluid

in pores
1• Arditty P c, Ramey Jr H J; "Response of a closed
well-reservoir system to stress induced by earth [bar] overburden pressure
tide", SPE 7484 (presented at 53rd Annual Fall
[bar] compression stress in
conference of SPE of AIME in Houston, Oct 1978).
the solid part of the rock
2. Marine Wendell, "Water level fluctuations due to
earth tides in a well pumping from slightly
fractured crystaline rock", Water Resources ~· dp [bar] change of pressure
Research, Vol II No. I (February 1975).
cp = ( 1/Vp) (dVp"dpp)p [bar- 1) Pore compressibility
3. Hansont J M, Owen L B; "Fracture orient at ion
0
analysis by the solid earth tidal strain method"
SPE 11070 (presented at the 57th Annual Fall
cfl ( 1/V) (dV/dp) [bar- 1 ] Fluid
Conference of SPE of AIME in New Orleans, Sep
1982). compr essibi lit y
4. Longman I M, "Formulas for computing the tidal
[bar- 1 ] Water
accelerations due to Moon and Sun", Journal of
compressibility
Geophysical Research, Vol. 64, No. 12 (December
1959) 2351-5.
(- 1/Vm) (dVm(dpp) [bar- 1] Compressibility of
5. Robinson E S, Bell R T; "Tides in confined well-
the rock matrix:
aquifer systems", Journal of Geophysical
Research, Vol. 76, No. 8 (March 1971) 1857- 69.
(- 1/VB) (dVsfdp 0 )P [bar- 1 ] Uniaxial
6. Jacob C E, "On the flow of water in an elastic
artesian aquifer", Transactions, American Geo- p compressibility of
physical Union, Hydrology 1940, pp. 574 - 586. the rock skeleton
7. Pinczewski Val, "The application of the high
r e so 1 ut ion Hew 1 e t t- P a c ka r d q ua r t z c r y s t a 1 (Eq. 8) [bar- 1 ] total
compressibility

144
\) Poisson ratio
SPE , L 6Q. 7
Table 1
w angular frequency
Interpretation Of The Ocean Tide Effect
sw, S 0 ,Sg [dim-less] saturation of oil, water,
gas
(Prom: C.!!. Jacob: on the flow of water in
s = w<t.w/A) ( 1/t.h) [dim-less] = storage
elastic artesian aquifer •)

ss = (S/H) specific storage

Wells Tidal Specific Pore Compressibility cp

t time (various units, as llfficiency Storage bar

-1
psi
-1

needed) c ss

<p [dim-less] porosity

-6 -6 -6
QS46, 543, 544 0.44 0.91 X 10 38.1 X 10 2.62 X 10
~ phase difference -6 -6 -6
Q288 0.42 0.87 X 10 35.1 X 10 2.42 X 10

c [Eq. 14] Ocean tide

efficiency coefficient
constants used:
B [Eq. 22] Barometric tide
efficiency
"' = 0.35 h = 85 ft 11 = 1

CY. - constant def by Eq. 16 & 18

dh [em] change in height

p [g/cm 3 ] density

Q (m3 ] cumulative volume

q (m 3/day] flow rate

k [darcy] permeability

i "i"th period of injection Table 2

(integer, dim-less) Interpretation Of The Earth Tide
And Barometric Tidal Effects
h, l Love numbers at earth 1 s
surface (dim-less)

Tidal Component
S2 N2 Kl

Amplitude of water level fluctuation

pertinent to each tidal component
(from harmonic analysis) llh [em] l. 48 0.68 0.24 1.41 1.20

Theoretical amplitude of tidal

potential 4. 7 1.9 14.8 10.5

Theoretical amplitude of tidal

8
dilatation (l!q 3) 11 x 10 0.83 0.38 0.16 1.2 0.86
11

RIISULTS

Specific storage
8 1
(l!q 9) ss [10 cm- ] 0.56 0.56 0.67 0.87 0. 72
6 -1
(l!q 7) cf>Ct [10 bar ) 5. 72 5. 70 6.81 8. 7 7.29

Barometric efficiency 0.77

RIISULTS

Pore compressibility (l!q 20)

-1 -6
cp [bar ] 14, 47 X 10
-6
c
t
= c p + cw 62.91 X 10

0.091 0.091 0.108 0.138 0.116

145
 SPE 1 4 60 7
Table 3 1-D MODEL WITH
Effect Of Gas-Water Contact In 1-0 Model GAS-WATER CONTACT

kH ~ 0.25 darcy kH ~ 4 darcy

affective Theore- T'-- T'--
Cell hg/hv ct ical C Amplitude c Lag -litude c Lag *
No bar-1 (Bq 15) 4P(bar) (Bq 14) ( .. in) 4P(bar) (Bql4) <•in)

18.2xl0- 5 o. 7802 0.4459 o. 782 0.4478 0. 786 0

18.2x10-s o. 7802 0.4459 o. 782 0.4678 0.821 -9
10 18.2xl0-5 o. 7802 0.4389 0. 770 -25
-5
11 18.2x10 o. 7802 0.4478 o. 786 0.3962 0.695 -36
18.2xl0-5 -5
u 1.0~---------------------------------------
12 0.'7802 0.4553 0.799 0.3611 0.634 -46
-5 > () ()
13 18.2x10 o. 7802 0.4031 0.707 -30 0.1945 0.342 -50 u Line calculated tor kH•O
-5 z • 0
14
15
0.1666
0.3333
94 .lxlO
170.0xlo-5
0.151
0.084
0.0854
0.0420
0.150
0.074
+5 0.0896
0.0568
0.157
0.100
-25
w
(j • o Modeled kH=4d
16 0.5000 245. 95xl0 -s 0.058 0.0290 0.051 0.0390 0.067 +25
iL 0.5
17 0.6666 321.9x10
-5
0.044 0.0221 0.039 0.0273 0.048 +30
II.
w • • Modeled kH=0.25d
397 .8x10-5
18 0.8333 0.036 0.0180 0.031 0.0207 0.036 +31
~ ~
20 0.8333 397.8xto-5 0.036 0.0179 0.031 0.0156 0.027 +31
j:: O.OCELLN0.8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

c ~ 14.2 x 10-5 bar- 1 swi = 0.26 11w • 0.42 cp

p
c = 4.0 x 10-5 bar-l 'II - 0.20 11g ~ 0.021 cp .4120
w

.
= 6.195 x 10-3 bar -l
c

-
cg 11 ~ 0.507 cp

= 1. 740 x 10- 4 bar -l

0
i +60
c
0
e e e
~ 0~----~---------,~--~~---------------­
ocean tide BllpUtude (peak to peak) 4p
0
= 0.56992 bar ...1 0
• • • • •
~-eo
•+ve lags imply events occuring after the equivalent ocean tide; i=
-ve lags (leads) imply events occuring before the equivalent ocean tide. -120

FIG1

Table 4
Ocean Tide Effect In Jabiru Field
GAS/WATER SYSTEM - k H =40
CELL PRESSURE VERSUS TIME

Test 4pi1UIX Tidal Time lag Calculated C

p
[psi] -1 -1
Bfficiency .. in bar psi
c

-5
2.171:10- 6
JIUIIRU-111 PT1 0.9 0.183 20 3.15xl0
w 0.1
r
a: bar
JABIRU-111 PT2 1.12 0.197 15 3.45x1o-5 2.38xlo-6 :1
0
0
L
JABIRU-4 0.85, 0.253 15 4. 76xlO
-5
3.28x10
-6 w
a:
0..

Par-ters used: 'II - 0.22 co • 16.26xl0-5 bar-l (1.12xlo- 5 psi- 1 )

s
w
~ 0.18 c
w - ~.OxlO
-5

-5
bar
-1

-1
(2.76xlo- 6 psi-l)
-5 -1
11 ~ 1.0 cfl = 14.05xl0 bar (0.969xl0 psi )
0 5 10 15 25
TIME ( hrs )
<l c FIG 2
c
p
- 1 - <l c
c
fl

146
OCEAN TIDE EFFICIENCY (C) IN GAS-OIL-WATER SYSTEM
METRES kH: ky : 1 D
1500 I I I I I I I I I T I r I
0.147 0.116
-
st-atic C: 0.0 2 59 0.181 0.147 0.116
1520
0.242 0.148 0.116
~--GOC--------~-----------------~-- 1 - - - - ~-- 1---- 1---- 1 - - - -1 - - - -
0.487 0.251 0.149 0.117
1540 1:-
0.615 0.266 0.155 0.124
1:-
static C: 0.505 0.693 0.616 ~.492 0.281 0.203 0.161 ~.145 0.13S ~.134
1560 i-
10.775 0.69:3 ~.297 ~.173 0.142
f-

1580 ~-owe------------~-- 1 - - - - r---- ~-- 1 - - - -

jo. 76Sl 0.69-4 ..._ __ ~.312 jo.18! ~.159
~-- 1 - - - - 1 - - - - 1 - - - -1 - - - - ~--
jo.78o4 0.69-4 0.325 0.194 0.17CI
static C =0. 7 80
f-
0.78CI 0.696 0.33-4 0.202 10.179
1600 f-
1:- 0.78.:1 lo. 79CI 0.78CI 10-781111 jo.768 0.738 ~.710 0.50:3 lo.501111 0.34E 0.25i 0.216 ~.19Sl 0.192 0.191

1620
1:-

1640 1:- 0.78!

~
1:-

200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800

METRES
FIG 3

TIME LAG IN GAS-OIL -WATER SYSTEM (IN MIN.UTES)

METRES k H: ky: 1 D
1500 I I I I I I I I I I I I I
8 33
1:-
36 33
1520 f-
10 35
~--GOC--------------------------~-- 1 - - - - 1 - - - -1 - - - - 1---- 1 - - - -
..,_ 32 __
3 14 7
1540
-9 6 -12
1:-
-21 -24 -30 -15 -10 -10 -25 -27 -37"
1560 1-
-10 -19 -22 -23 -45
f-
-7 -19 -27 -31 -57
1580 r---OWC------------~-- 1---- 1 - - - - 1 - - - - 1 - - - 1 - - - - f - - - - 1 - - - -1 - - - - 1 - - - - 1 - - - - ~--
-5 -20 -30 -40 -59
f-
...o -21 -33 -46 -63
1600 f..
NO .. 0 .. o -5 -8 -12 -20 -35 -36 -36 -45 -55 -65 -70 -77
1620
f-

1640 f- 0

200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800

METRES
FIG 4

147
OCEAN TIDE EFFICIENCY(C) IN GAS-OIL-WATER SYSTEM
METRES k v: 0.01 D
1500 I I I I I I I I I I I I I
0.031 0.030
r-
static C:0.0259 0.040 0.036
1520 -
0.056 0.044 0.042
--GOe----------------------------- --- r---
0.391 0.246 0.246
~-- ~-- ~-- r---
0.205
1540 -
0.509 0.417 0.413
-
static C =0.505 0.556 0.542 0.527 0.510 0.507 0.505
1560 -
0.605 0.590 0.575 0.580
.-
0.670 0.637 0.638 0.641 0.650
1580 --owe--------------- --------- ,_--- ---1 - - - ------ ------ 1 - - -
0.736 0.690 0.693 0.697 0.704
- static C =0. 7 80 0.766 0.727 0.730 0.734 0.740
1600 -
- 0.782 0.780 0.777 0.763 0.766 0.779

1620
r-

1640 f- 0.784
f-

200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800

METRES
FIG 5

TIME LAG IN GAS-OIL-WATER SYSTEM (IN MINUTES)

METRES kv = 0.010
1500 I I I I I I I I I I I I I
67 60
f-
45 59 50
1520 r-
~--GOe--------------------------~--
,___41
r---
41 __ ------ f----
__
..._33

30 -38 -51 -56

1540 -
-8 -25 -30 -36
-
·a 0 -6 -17 -15 -21
1560 -
10 7 -5 -5 -11

1580 ~-owe------------~--
f-
-7 ----- ---
7
f----
4
0
------ 1 - - - ------ --- ---r---
-8
-2

-3 -11
-5 -14 -8 -7 -12
1600 r-
f- 0 -1 -3 -3 -4 -4

1620
f-

1640 .... 0
f-

16600 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
METRES
FIG 6

148
 SPE 1 ·4 60 ?

OCEAN TIDE EFFICIENCY (C) IN OIL-WATER SYSTEM

METRES k H: 40 kv = 0.040
1500 I I I I I I I I I I I I I
0.490 0.489
-
static C =0.02 59 0.496 0.493
1520 '-

0.506 0.502
0.52CJ 0.516
1540 -
0.539 0.536
-
static C = 0.505 0.609
1560 -
0.634 0.594 0.590
J
~
0.660 0.625 0.623
1580 ~-owe~-------------- -------- ---r--- --- --- 0.686
1--- ------
0.657
--- ---
0.654
static C =0. 7 80
~
0.707 0.683 0.634
1600 ~

~ 0.772 0.761 0.754 0.733 0.720

1620
-
1640 r-
-
200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
METRES
FIG 7

TIME LAG IN OIL-WATER SYSTEM {IN MINUTES)

METRES kH: 40 kv = 0.040
1500 l I I I I I I I I I I I I
10 10
r-
11 10
1520 1-
12 10
12 10
1540 1-
12 10
1-
12 10 8
1560 r-
5 7 6
~

1580 --owe------~-----~-- r---- 1 - - - --- --- ---r - - - ---r--- r - - -1 - - -

-
4

0
3
-2 ---
0
-3
-3 -5 -6
1600 ~

- -4 -4 -5 -5
1620
r-

1640 r
~

200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800.

METRES
FIG 8

lAO
 SPE 1 4 6Q. 7

EFFECT OF WELLBORE STORAGE

ON MEASURED TIDAL EFFECT \ LATERAL PROPAGATION
0.5
OF A TIDAL
\ \ PRESSURE WAVE

1.0
O>L-----------~--------~----~~~~--
10"1 4 10" 3 Hf 2 10" k ( D )

~
,.. 0.1 \ o
o
• '1•2.0 x1 o 5cm 2/S
'1•0.5 X1 o cm /S
'1=4.0 X105 cm 2/S
5 2

FIG9
Ill
> 0.05
(J
z
w
0
\ 0\

\.
ii:
IL
w
_,
c(
Q
j:
0.01

0.005

\
LATERAL PROPAGATION OF THE \
PRESSURE WAVE \_ _J

0.001 0 2 4 6 8 10 12

1.0 ( FREQUENCY f cycle/hr) TIME LAG (hrs)

FIG 11

0.8
Ill
>
G) '1 •O.SX 1 0 5cm2/S
(J
ifio.&
.
® '1•2.0X 105cm2/S
0 @ '1•4.0X105 cm2/S
ii:
IL
wo.4 k
_, '1 =IJ ec =hydraulic dlffualulty
1
c(
Q

j: 0.2 JABIRU -1 A PRODUCTION TEST 2: BUILD UP

CORRECTION FOR TIDE

6pcorr•·0.2BH*

H~ocean tide (m) with

~ 12
r 15 minute time lag

= 0.5
p.s.l.
L

10 100

FIG12
FIG10

150
 SPE 1 4 6Q. 7
JABIRU-1A PRODUCTION TEST 2:
CORRECTION FOR TIDE 1.0

a.
~

_,
0
5
ID
w
-•
0.8

a: ci
~
f/1
f/1
f/1
j.
w
a: ~
0.4
a.
0
w
a:
~
f/1
o(

~
~----~----~----~----~----~~--~0

w
0
i=2
zo(
w
g1
00~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
0 6 12( hrs)
9 OCT 1983 FIG 13

OCEAN TIDE DURING PRODUCTION TEST 3

-.•
4

:: 3
•E ........ ....
~ 2 ........
,/,·"
··....
................... •.... .
..............
iii ...... ............. '
::c 1
~ ~~F~LL0=1w~~--~au=1L=D~UP~~~
j:
0 ~~0~~~8~~12~~1.~~0~~+8~~12'
11 OCT 1M3 18 OCT 1M3

FIG 14

· I • I J I_' Il Ill l j I J ! i 'i ~ · i I ,I 10' .I ~ 'I , I " , • 1 1 ••

. ,. ...
, '