WELCOME

UTC

Well Testing
Techniques
Module PKR09
RAJNESH GOGOI

WHAT IS WELL TEST

Well testing is the technique

UTC and method
for the evaluation of well conditions and reservoir
characteristics.

It involves producing a well at a constant rate or

series of rates, some of which may be zero (well
closed in), while simultaneously taking a continuous
recording of the changing pressure in the well bore
using some form of pressure recording device.
Module PKR09

WHY TEST A WELL

To determine the following

UTCparameters
Initial pressure (p)
Average pressure within the drainage boundary (p)
Permeability thickness product(kh) and
permeability(k)
Mechanical skin factor (S)
Area drained (A)
Dietz shape factor (CA)
Module PKR09

Types of Well Tests

Productivity Well Test

Descriptive/Reservoir Test

Productivity Well Tests

Pwf

Well is produced at several flow

rates
Stabilized BHP is measured
Plot of Pwf Vs Q = IPR
Slope of lines indicative of well
productivity

Applications of Productivity Well Tests

Identify produced fluids
Measure reservoir pressure and temperature
Obtain samples for PVT analysis
Evaluate completion efficiency

Evaluate workover or stimulation treatments

Descriptive/Reservoir Testing
Involves introducing abrupt changes in production
Associated changes in BHP monitored
Disturbances penetrate more than near-wellbore
Other reservoir properties can be determined

Shape of Pw Vs time curve is defined by reservoir

characteristics

Applications of Descriptive Tests

Evaluate Reservoir parameters

Skin,Flow Efficiency,Productivity index

Permeability
Reservoir pressure
Characterize reservoir heterogeneity
Reservoir extent/geometry
Hydraulic communication

Well Testing In Different Phases

Drilling phase
Open hole testing(Descriptive )
DST
RFT

Completion Phase
Productivity Tests

Production phase
Cased hole testing
Descriptive Tests

Important datas required in well testing

Core,log data(to check homogeneity,dual porosity,OWC,GWC etc.)
RFT,pressure depth profiles(to check pressure equilibrium and thus
homogeneity)
Geological model(for structural interpretation,position of OWC,GOC)
Drive mechanism
PVT fluid properties(Pb,Bo,Co,

Well completion(partial completion and partial penetration)

Tests in neighbouring wells completed in the same reservoir
Equipment (position of pressure gauge from reservoir datum depth)

Types of Well Tests

Pressure Drawdown
Pressure Build up
Multirate
Injection/fall-off
Interference
Pulse

Pressure Drawdown Tests

Shut in the well till
Pwf
pressure reaches
static level & then
flowing the well at a
constant rate ,q &
measuring Pwf.
rate

Shut in

q
time

Pressure Drawdown Tests

BASIC EQUATION OF PRESSURE DRAWDOWN TEST:

Pwf=Pi (162.6qBo/kh)((log t + log (k/Ctrw2)3.23+0.87s)

This is the equation of a straight line with slope
m = 162.6(q Bo /kh)
From slope permeability and skin can be calculated as
k = 162.6(q Bo /mh)
and
skin,S = 1.151(((P1hr - Pwf)/m) - log(k/ Ctrw2 )+3.23)

Pressure Drawdown Tests

Advantages:

Suitable in new wells

No need to lose production
K,S,reservoir size can be determined

Disadvantages:

Difficult to maintain constant production rate.

Long shut in so that Pi is achieved is required.So suitable in new
wells.

Mulitrate Tests

Accounts for variable rate

history
Applications

Rate variations
kh product, Pr
Boundary
configurations
Skin,FE,PI etc.

Pwf
Pi

q1

0 t1

qn

qn-1

q2
t2

tn-1
Time,hrs

tn

Mulitrate Tests
Advantages:
No problem with variable flow rate
No loss of production
Reduced wellbore storage
Disadvantages:
Q3
Q2
Rate fluctuations are difficult
Q1 to
measure,especially on a continuous basis.

Pressure Build-up Tests

Most preferred well testing

technique
The well is first produced at a
constant rate till pressure is
stabilized and then the well is
shut in
Pressure is recorded as a
function of time

Pwf
Pi

q flowing

tp

Shut-in
t

Pressure Build-up Tests

The basic equation of pressure build up test is

Pws
= Pi - (162.6qBo/kh)log(tp+t/t)
(Horner equation)
This is the equation of a straight line when plotted as Pw Vs
log (tp+t/t) (Horner plot) with slope
m
=162.6qBo/kh and intercept Pi
From this k & s can be determined as
k=
162.6(qBo/mh) and
S=
1.1513(((P1hr-Pwf)/m)-log( k/ Ctrw2 )+3.23) Fault
distance=(0.0122ktx/ Ct)1/2
pskin= 0.87ms

Pressure Build-up Tests

Advantages:
Precise control of rate
P* can be determined
Disadvantages:
Loss of production due to shut in.
Q(t)

Well Test Planning

Before designing a test an engineer should ensure that there should

not be

more than one zone open to wellbore

interzone communication due to poor cement bond
partial zone completion

It includes

Test type
Test duration

Well Test Planning

Operational requirements
well completion data
location and pattern of wells completed in the same
reservoir
rate data
fluid type
pressure data

Well Testing - Data Acquisition

Downhole Recorders
Record pressure and temperature
Components
Pressure Gauge
Power Source
Memory unit

1 to 2 recorders used
Surface pressure readout
Wireline link

Well Test Data Analysis

Diffusivity Equation

Model Recognition

Interpretation Software

DARCYS LAW AND ITS APPLICATION

IN 1856, A FRENCH ENGINEER HENRY DARCY
FORMULATED THE LAW
THIS IS THE MOTHER OF ALL RESRVOIR ENGINEERING
CALCULATIONS
STUDY WAS ON UNCONSOLIDATED SAND FILTER BEDS

DARCYS LAW AND ITS APPLICATION

DARCYS LAW STATES THAT THE VELOCITY OF A
HOMOGENEOUS FLUID IN A POROUS MEDIA IS
PROPORTIONAL TO THE PRESSURE GRADIENT, AND
INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL TO THE FLUID VISCOSITY
V= - (K/ ) ( P/ L)=q/A

DARCYS LAW AND ITS APPLICATION

APPLIES ONLY IN LAMINAR FLOW
DOESNOT APPLY IN TURBULENT FLOW
DOES NOT REPRESENT THE FLOW THROUGH
INDIVIDUAL PORE SPACES BUT AVERAGES THE
FLOW OF SEVERAL PORE CHANNELS.IT IS A
STATISTICAL LAW

DARCYS LAW AND ITS APPLICATION

THE UNIT OF PERMEABILITY IS DARCY.
A ROCK OF 1DARCY PERMEABILITY IS ONE IN
WHICH A FLUID OF 1 CP VISCOSITY MOVE AT A
VELOCITY OF 1CM/SEC UNDER A PRESSURE
GRADIENT OF 1ATMOSPHERE/CM.

DARCYS LAW AND ITS APPLICATION

THE UNIT OF PERMEABILITY IS DARCY.
A ROCK OF 1DARCY PERMEABILITY IS ONE IN
WHICH A FLUID OF 1 CP VISCOSITY MOVE AT A
VELOCITY OF 1CM/SEC UNDER A PRESSURE
GRADIENT OF 1ATMOSPHERE/CM.

DARCYS LAW AND ITS APPLICATION

APPLICATIONS
TO CALCULATE THE FLOW RATE
TO CALCULATE THE P.I. OF A WELL
TO CALCULATE PRESSURE DRAWDOWN
IN RESERVOIR SIMULATION
TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY BY WELL
STIMULATION

To sum up : Well Test

A properly designed, executed, and analyzed well test can provide information:
about formation permeability
reservoir initial or average pressure
sand-face condition (well damage or stimulation)

volume of drainage area

boundary and discontinuities
reservoir heterogeneity
distance or extension of the fracture induced

validation of geological model.

To sum up : Well Test

Further, it is important to determine the ability of a formation to produce
reservoir fluids and underlying reason for a well's productivity.

Well Test data when combined with hydrocarbon production data, and laboratory
data on fluid and rock properties:
afford the means to estimate the original hydrocarbon in-place
and the recovery that may be expected from the reservoir under various modes of
exploitation
In addition, well test data and IPR well performance equations, combined with
production data, help to design, analyze, and optimize total well production system
or production optimization.

Typical layout of well test setup

Surge Tank

Flare

Pumps

Lab cum data

center
I/Heater

Choke
manifold

3 Phase
seperator

48 THREE PHASE SEPARATOR

CHOKE MANIFOLD

3 HEAD SEA SNAKE BURNER

GROUND FLARE

Diffusivity Equation
Assumptions:
Horizontal flow of a single phase fluid inward to a wellbore
located at the center of a radial volumetric element
Formation is both homogeneous and isotropic

The central well is perforated across the entire formation

thickness
Negligible gravity effect
Applicability of Darcys law
,,Ct ,k are independent of pressure

Single phase fluid is present in the reservoir

Diffusivity Equation
Partial differential equation
Describes physical processes occurring in the reservoir
Solutions depend on boundary conditions
Reservoir Extent
Initial Pressure

2p/

r2 + 1/r ( p/ r) = (Ct

k) p/ t

Pressure Build-up Tests

MDH plots
ETR

MTR

LTR
Constant pressure boundary

Semi log straight line

Pws

Closed boundary
Small wbs
Deep fracture,small wbs

Pressure increase due to fault

+s,small wbs
No s,no wbs

- s,large wbs
+s,large wbs
No s medium wbs

log (t)

Q(t)

Pressure decline from offset production

LOG-LOG PLOTS

Log-log plots are used in welltest interpretation

It is a plot of pressure change Vs log( tp+t/t) in BU & Vs logt in DD

In wellbore storage affected
region it gives
unit slope line
Derivatives are differentiation
of pressure
change wrt time
Pressure
change &
Boundary effects are evident
by late time
derivative
Q(t)
variation of the
derivative value

Elapsed time

LOG-LOG PLOTS
Pressure change & derivative

1=Infinite homogeneous reservoir

2=No flow barrier-faulted reservoir
3=Parallel faults-linear reservoir
1x104
4=Perpendicular faults
5=Constant pressure boundary
6=Parallel no flow &constant
pressure boundary
1x103
7=Net pay variation-linear

4
3
2
7

1x102

1x101

5
6

1.5 log cycles

1x100
0.010

0.100

1.000

10.000

Elapsed time

100.000

Special Cases In Well Testing

Afterflow
occurs because of surface shut in
end of this region can be approximately 1 1/2log cycle
away from unit slope

Pressure change & derivative

LOG-LOG PLOTS
1x104

1x103

1x102

1x101

1.5 log cycles

1x100
0.010

0.100

1.000

10.000

Elapsed time

100.000

Special Cases In Well Testing

Partial penetration or completion
results in additional pressure drop
S=(ht/hp)sd+sp where s=total skin
ht=total
formation thickness
hp=perforated
interval sd=damage skin
sp=partial penetration
skin
sp=(ht/hp-1)(ln(ht/hp(kh/kv)0.5 )-2)

Some Special Formation Types

Composite System
the fluid & rock properties varies in a steplike fashion
in radial direction away from the well

Zone 1: k1,ct1, 1, , 1
.

well
Zone 2:k2,ct2, 2 , 2

Some Special Formation Types

Layered Reservoir:Two types
layered reservoir with crossflow in which the layers
are hydrodynamically communicating at the contact
planes
layered reservoir without crossflow in which the layers
communicate only through wellbore(commingled
production)

Some Special Formation Types

Double porosity system
two distinct porosity types-matrix & fracture porosity
the condition applies to fractured reservoir or layered
reservoir with a large contrast in rock properties

HORNER PLOTS(Double porosity system

Dimensionless pressure

1x104

1x103

Pw
1x102

1x101

1.5 log cycles

1x100
0.010

0.100

1.000

Elapsed time

10.000

Elapstyed time

100.000

Pressure Transient Analysis

Methodology
Raw Data
Model
Identification
log-log analysis
Specialized
Analysis
Well and Reservoir
Parameters
Checking Procedures

Pressure Transient Analysis - Steps

1. Draw diagnostic (log-log) plot

2. Identify flow regimes
3. Draw specialized plots(if any)
4. Calculate well and reservoir parameters
5. Choose basic well and reservoir model and
re-compute parameters using Type Curves
6. Check for consistency by comparing results

Model Recognition

Step 5: Re-compute parameters using Type Curves

Type Curves

Generalized solutions to diffusivity equation

Graphical form
Depends on reservoir models and flow regimes
Most common
Homogeneous reservoir with wellbore storage

Type Curve Matching

Diagnostic Plot is matched with a Type Curve
Calculate parameters from given equations

Type Curve for a Homogeneous Reservoir

Wellbore Storage Effect