Well testing

MUSTAFA A.ISSA
Units conversion

1Darcy =1000 md
 Pressure buildup test

 Basically, the test is conducted by producing a well at

constant rate for some time, shutting the well in (usually at
the surface), allowing the pressure to build up in the
wellbore, and recording the pressure in the wellbore as a
function of time.
 From these data, it is frequently possible to estimate
formation permeability and current drainage-area pressure,
and to characterize damage or stimulation and reservoir
heterogeneities or boundaries.
Advantage : The flow rate is known ,i.e., q=0
 Disadvantage :Loss of production due to shut-in well.
 Ideal and actual buildup tests

 To conduct a ideal buildup test, an homogeneous,

isotropic reservoir containing a slightly compressible,
single- phase fluid with constant fluid properties is
considered.
 Any stimulation or wellbore damage is contemplated
to be concentrated in a skin of zero thickness at the
wellbore (i.e. skin is considered to be zero).
 During instant shut in period, flow into the wellbore
is stopped completely (i.e. the well column is filled
with fluid).
 Ideal and actual buildup tests

 Due to the simplicity and ease of application of the ideal

buildup test theory, actual well can be tested and may result a
most disappointing outcome. It results in a complex curve
instead of a single line for all times.
 Based on this concept, we logically can divide a buildup
curve into three regions:
• Early time region (ETR) during which a pressure transient is
moving between the formation nearest the wellbore.
• Middle time region (MTR) during which the pressure
transient has moved away from the wellbore and into the
bulk formation.
• Late time region (LTR) in which the radius of investigation
has reached the well’s drainage boundaries.
Methods of analysis

Horner plot (1951): Infinite acting

 reservoir.

 Miller-Dyes-Hutchinson (MDH plot): Analysis

of P.S.S. flow conditions.
 Matthews-Brons-Hazebroek (MBH):
Extension of Horner plot to finite reservoir.
 Estimating permeability and skin factor

𝑞𝐵𝜇 𝑡𝑝 + ∆𝑡 The equation suggests that 𝑃𝑤𝑠 recorded during a

𝑃𝑤𝑠 = 𝑃𝑖 − 162.6 log pressure buildup test should plot as a straight-line
𝑘ℎ ∆𝑡 𝑡𝑝 + ∆𝑡
function of log
∆𝑡

This equation represents the slope (m) of the

𝑞𝐵𝜇
𝑚 = −162.6 straight line. It is convenient to use the absolute
𝒌ℎ value of m in test analysis; the permeability can be
determined from it.
The value of 𝑃𝑤𝑠 at ∆𝑡=0

𝑷𝟏 𝒉𝒓 −𝑷𝒘𝒇 𝑘
𝑠 = 1.151 − log 2 + 3.23
𝑚 ∅ 𝜇 𝑐𝑡 𝑟𝑤

The additional pressure drop can be calculated from the following equation:
∆𝑃𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑛 = 0.87 𝑚 s
Calculation of flow efficiency

The flow efficiency (𝐸) define as the ratio of actual or observed PI of a tested well to its ideal PI.
𝐽𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑃∗ −𝑃𝑤𝑓 −(∆𝑃)𝑠
𝐸= =
𝐽𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑃∗ −𝑃𝑤𝑓
𝑡𝑝 + ∆𝑡
Where p*, the extrapolation of the middle-time line to =1
∆𝑡

 Flow efficiency is unity for a well that is neither damaged nor stimulated.
 For a damage well, flow efficiency is less than one.
 For a stimulated well, flow efficiency is greater than one.
 Problem

Table shows the pressure buildup data from an oil well with an ∆t (hour) Pws (psi) ∆t (hour) Pws (psi)
estimated drainage radius of 2640 ft. Before shut-in, the well had 0 2761 3.46 3286
produced at a stabilized rate of 4900 STB/day for 310 hours. 0.1 3057 4.08 3289
Known reservoir data is: 0.21 3153 5.03 3293
0.31 3234 5.97 3297
𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ = 10476 𝑓𝑡; 𝑟𝑤 = 0.354 𝑓𝑡; 𝜇 = 0.2 cp; 0.52 3249 6.07 3297
0.63 3256 7.01 3300
𝑅𝐵
𝑐𝑡 = 22.3𝑥10−6 𝑝𝑠𝑖 −1 ; 𝐵𝑜 = 1.55 𝑆𝑇𝐵 ; ℎ = 482 𝑓𝑡; ∅ = 0.09. 0.73 3260 8.06 3303
0.84 3263 9 3305
0.94 3266 10.05 3306
Calculate:
1.05 3267 13.09 3310
1.15 3268 16.02 3313
1. The average permeability (k).
1.36 3271 20 3317
1.68 3274 26.07 3320
2. The skin factor.
1.99 3276 31.03 3322
2.51 3280 34.98 3323
3. The additional pressure drop due to skin.
3.04 3283 37.54 3323
 The solution
𝒕𝒑 + ∆𝒕
1. Plot 𝑷𝒘𝒔 VS. on a semi-log paper.
∆𝒕

3400 ∆t (hour) Pws (psi) (tp+∆t)/∆t ∆t (hour) Pws (psi) (tp+∆t)/∆t

𝒕𝒑 + ∆𝒕 Pi 0 2761 - 3.46 3286 90.59538
𝑷𝒘𝒔 VS.
∆𝒕 3350 0.1 3057 3101 4.08 3289 76.98039
Y2 0.21 3153 1477.19 5.03 3293 62.63022
3300
Y1 0.31 3234 1001 5.97 3297 52.9263
3250 0.52 3249 597.1538 6.07 3297 52.07084
0.63 3256 493.0635 7.01 3300 45.22254
3200 𝑷𝒘𝒔
0.73 3260 425.6575 8.06 3303 39.46154
0.84 3263 370.0476 9 3305 35.44444
3150
0.94 3266 330.7872 10.05 3306 31.84577
P 1hr 3100 1.05 3267 296.2381 13.09 3310 24.6822
1.15 3268 270.5652 16.02 3313 20.35081
X2 X1 3050 1.36 3271 228.9412 20 3317 16.5
1.68 3274 185.5238 26.07 3320 12.89106
3000
10000 1000 100 10 1
1.99 3276 156.7789 31.03 3322 10.99033
𝒕𝒑 + ∆𝒕 2.51 3280 124.506 34.98 3323 9.862207
∆𝒕 3.04 3283 102.9737 37.54 3323 9.257858
 The solution

2. Identify the correct straight-line portion of the curve 5. Calculate the skin factor by applying the following
equation:
and determine the slope m:
𝑃1 ℎ𝑟 −𝑃𝑤𝑓 𝑘
Δ𝑦 Y2−Y1 𝑝𝑠𝑖 𝑠 = 1.151 − log 2 + 3.23
𝑚 = Δ𝑥 = log(𝑋2)−log(𝑋1) = 40 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 𝑚 ∅ 𝜇 𝑐𝑡 𝑟𝑤
3266−2761 12.8
= 1.151 40
− log 0.09 0.2 22.3𝑥10−6 (0.354)2
+ 3.23
3. Calculate the average permeability by using the
following equation: = 8.6

𝑞𝐵𝜇 162.6 (4900)(1.55)(0.2)

𝑘 = 162.6 = = 12.8𝑚𝑑
ℎ𝑚 (482)(40) 6. Calculate the additional pressure drop by using:
4. Determine P after 1 hour from the straight-line ∆𝑷𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒏 = 𝟎. 𝟖𝟕 𝒎 𝐬
portion of the curve:
∆𝑃 𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑛
= 0.87 40 8.6 = 299.28 𝑝𝑠𝑖
𝑃1 ℎ𝑟 = 3266 𝑝𝑠𝑖
 Pressure drawdown test

 A pressure drawdown test is simply a series of bottom-hole pressure

measurements made during a period of flow at constant producing rate.
 Usually the well is shut in prior to the flow test for a period of time
sufficient to allow the pressure to equalize throughout the formation, i.e.,
to reach static pressure.
 The objectives of a drawdown test usually include estimates of
permeability, skin factor, and reservoir volume.
 This test are particularly applicable to (1) new wells, (2) wells that have
been shut in sufficiently long to allow the pressure to stabilize, and (3)
wells in which loss of revenue incurred in a buildup test would be difficult
to accept.
 Problems with the drawdown test, it isn't easy to maintain a constant rate,
which introduces scatter in measured Pwf.
 Pressure drawdown test

An idealized constant-rate drawdown test in an infinite-acting reservoir is modeled by the logarithmic

approximation to the Ei-function solution:
𝑞𝐵𝜇 2
1688 ∅ 𝜇 𝑐𝑡 𝑟𝑤 This relationship is essentially an equation of
𝑃𝑤𝑓 = 𝑃𝑖 + 162.6 log − 0.869 𝑠 a straight line, and its slope (m) is given by:
𝑘ℎ 𝑘𝑡
𝑞𝐵𝜇
𝑚 = 162.6 Thus, effective formation permeability, k,
𝒌ℎ can be estimated from this slope.
After the MTR is identified skin factor can be determined from the following equation:
𝑷𝒊 −𝑷𝟏 𝒉𝒓 𝑘
𝑠 = 1.151 − log 2 + 3.23 𝑃1 ℎ𝑟 (𝑃𝑤𝑓 value after 1 hr) must be obtained from the
𝑚 ∅ 𝜇 𝑐𝑡 𝑟𝑤 semilog straight line. 𝑃𝑖 , the value of 𝑃𝑤𝑓 at t =0

The additional pressure drop can be calculated from the following equation:

∆𝑃𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑛 = 0.87 𝑚 s
 Problem

A pressure drawdown test in a new oil well is strongly t (hour) Pwf (psi) t (hour) Pwf (psi)
0 4412 35.8 3544
influenced by skin and wellbore storage. The measured
0.12 3812 43 3537
pressure data as a function of time are listed in Table . 1.94 3699 51.5 3532
Other known reservoir and well data are: 2.79 3653 61.8 3526
𝑆𝑇𝐵 4.01 3636 74.2 3521
𝑄 = 250 ; 𝑟𝑤 = 0.198 𝑓𝑡; 𝜇 = 0.8 cp; 𝑐𝑡 = 17𝑥10−6 𝑝𝑠𝑖 −1 ; 4.82 3616 89.1 3515
𝐷
5.78 3607 107 3509
𝑅𝐵
𝐵𝑜 = 1.136 𝑆𝑇𝐵 ; ℎ = 69 𝑓𝑡; ∅ = 0.039. 6.94 3600 128 3503
8.32 3593 154 3497
Calculate: 9.99 3586 185 3490
14.4 3573 222 3481
1. The formation permeability (k). 17.3 3567 266 3472
20.7 3561 319 3460
2. The skin factor.
24.9 3555 383 3446
3. The additional pressure drop due to skin. 29.8 3549 460 3429
 The solution

Pwf Vs. t 1. Plot 𝑃𝑤𝑓 vs. t on semilog paper.

3850 2. Identify the correct straight-line portion of the curve and
3800 determine the slope m:
3750
Δ𝑦 𝑝𝑠𝑖
3700 𝑚 = Δ𝑥 = 70 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒
3650
3. Calculate the formation permeability
Pwf 3600
𝑞𝐵𝜇 162.6 (250)(1.136)(0.8)
3550 𝑘 = 162.6 = = 7.65 𝑚𝑑
ℎ𝑚 (69)(70)
3500

3450
4. Determine P after 1 hour from the straight-line portion of
the curve:
3400
1 10 100 1000
t 𝑃1 ℎ𝑟 = 3652 𝑝𝑠𝑖
The solution

5. Calculate the skin factor

𝑷𝒊 −𝑷𝟏 𝒉𝒓 𝑘
𝑠 = 1.151 − log 2 + 3.23
𝑚 ∅ 𝜇 𝑐𝑡 𝑟𝑤
4412−3652 7.65
= 1.151 − log + 3.23
70 0.039 0.8 17𝑥10−6 (0.198)2

= 6.36
6. Calculate the additional pressure drop

∆𝑃𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑛 = 0.87 𝑚 s

∆𝑃 𝑠𝑘𝑖𝑛
= 0.87 70 6.36 = 387.32 𝑝𝑠𝑖