SPE 77538

Study of Gas-Condensate Well Productivity in Santa Barbara Field, Venezuela,

by Well Test Analysis
Mario Briones, Judith A. Zambrano, PDV EPM and César Zerpa, Universidad de Oriente

Copyright 2002, Society of Petroleum Engineers Inc.

Introduction
This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Santa Barbara field is the biggest gas condensate field in
Exhibition held in San Antonio, Texas, 29 September–2 October 2002.
Venezuela. In this area, PDVSA concentrates most of it
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE Program Committee following review of operational activity due to its high potential in gas and light
information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper, as
presented, have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to oil. Reserves are as big as 6060 MMbls of liquid originally in
correction by the author(s). The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any
position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Papers presented at place, and the accumulative production at December 2001 is
SPE meetings are subject to publication review by Editorial Committees of the Society of approximately 530 MMbls.
Petroleum Engineers. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper
for commercial purposes without the written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is During the last years, it has been observed with great concern
prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300
words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous that the reservoir pressure of Santa-Barbara field has been
acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper was presented. Write Librarian, SPE, P.O. declining dramatically. While the initial pressure was 12000
Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435.
psia at a datum elevation of 15800 feet-ss, nowadays the
average reservoir pressure and temperature is around 7400
Abstract psia and 290 °F, respectively. As the bottomhole flowing
Numerous gas condensate well production data have shown pressures of some gas condensate wells started to show values
that well productivity is severely affected when the bottom below the dewpoint at the end of 1998, gas productivity
hole flowing pressure drops below the fluid dew point impairment caused by retrograde condensation became an
pressure. This productivity reduction is caused by liquid issue of great deal due to its negative impact on the
accumulation around the well. It is essential to take account of recoverable reserves.
this ‘condensate blockage’ effect when calculating well Numerous laboratory, theoretical and field studies have been
productivity since productivity losses can be significant. conducted over the last forty years to try to understand
Published laboratory, simulation and well-test data have condensate flow behavior. The data collected from these
shown that at bottom hole flowing pressure below the studies have shown that when the pressure around a well drops
dewpoint pressure three regions are created with different below the dewpoint pressure, retrograde condensation occurs
liquid saturation. and three different mobility zones with different liquid
Since the retrograde condensation has an important impact on saturation are created within a radius less than 100 feet. An
gas condensate well productivity, the optimum exploitation of outer zone away from the well with initial liquid condensate
these reservoirs depends on the ability to diagnose condensate saturation, a zone closer to the well with increased immobile
bank. Well test data has proven to be one of the few reliable condensate saturation and low gas mobility, and a near
field data of practical use to detect the existence of retrograde wellbore zone with high capillary number (velocity stripping)
condensation. In Santa Barbara field, the biggest Venezuelan which increases the gas relative permeability. This increment
gas-condensate field, application of the latest practical well- on gas mobility at the immediate vicinity of the well
test analysis methods contributed to demonstrate the presence compensates much of the lost caused by the condensate. It has
of velocity stripping and retrograde condensation despite been found that these zones are very important when
conventional reservoir engineering analysis did not show calculating well deliverability1,2.
such phenomena. The analysis of well tests on gas condensate wells with
The paper discusses how the use of two and three radial retrograde condensation is usually based on either the two or
composite model helped to gain a better understanding of three-zone radial composite model3. This model is based on a
Santa Barbara condensate reservoir behaviour when 1999 to simplified geometry of the three regions described above. This
2001 well tests were reinterpreted. As velocity stripping was paper explains how well test analysis was one of the few
detected, near well bore relative permeability measurements reliable field data of practical use to detect the existence of
were proposed in order to take account of the phenomena retrograde condensation and velocity stripping around gas
which occur at high flow rates when calculating well condensate wells in Santa-Barbara field.
productivity in the field-scale simulation model.
2 M. BRIONES, J. ZAMBRANO AND C. ZERPA SPE 77538

The well-test analysis study was conducted as part of a major wells was below the dewpoint, there was no indication of the
project which was started last year aiming at assessing both presence of retrograde condensation on the production plots
the negative effect of condensate blockage and the positive generated based on traditional reservoir engineering
effect of high capillary number on the deliverability of 96 gas- methodologies. Figure 2 shows as the producing GOR did not
condensate wells in Santa Barbara field. During the study indicate a reduction on the efficiency of the producing gas
more than a hundred tests between drawdown, buildup, falloff condensate well or any evidence of retrograde condensation.
and back flow were analyzed. The results of this study will be Well test is one of the most complete tools to characterize the
used in the next part of the project that will evaluate the well-reservoir system. And it is the only tool capable to
feasibility of bypassing the condensate bank using hydraulic diagnose the presence of liquid accumulation around the well.
fracturing, extracting liquid by injecting solvents and During a well test, the changes in fluid mobility as it flows
removing liquids by gas cycling. toward the well affect the pressure response measured in a
gauge sensor. When this pressure response is analyzed by
Background using log-log plots, the derivative of the pressure response
Reservoirs in Santa Barbara field are of great dimensions; exhibit two or three different zones of stabilization
characterized by high depth, temperatures and pressures; it is corresponding to each one the three different mobility zones
highly heterogeneous and has a complex fluid column. It was with different liquid saturation described below.
discovered in 1988 and covers 243 square kms under Tejero A major well-test reinterpretation project was initiated and
area northeast Venezuela excellent results were obtained since it provides hard
Regarding the geological structure of the reservoir, Santa- evidences of the existence of retrograde condensation and
Barbara field belongs to the compressive trend of El Furrial, in relative permeability increment around the wells.
North Monagas (Figure 1). It is the result of several phases of
deformation that originated from the northwest. The structure Methodology
has a high level of complexity due to the repeated activity of As it was mentioned above, the analysis of well tests on gas
the Pirital megathrust located to the north and of the existence condensate wells with retrograde condensation is usually
of the Urica fault (to the SW) that altered the development of based on the two or three-zone radial composite model. The
the structure. applicability of these models to diagnose the presence of a
The main productive formations are Naricual and Cretaceous, condensate bank is founded on the fact that any contrast in the
which have a thickness of 2500 feet approximately and gas mobility causes that the pressure derivative curve
average absolute permeability of 1-300 mD. The first well, stabilizes at lower or higher level depending on whether the
which reached Naricual and Cretaceous formations at a depth gas mobility is increasing or decreasing, respectively.
of 16000 feet-ss, had an initial production of 4600 bbls/day Nevertheless, there could be other reasons that may cause the
from Naricual. Along these formations there is a progressive pressure derivative curve stabilizes at a lower or higher level
degradation of both fluid and rock properties with depth. The in a diagnostic log-log plot.
initial well tests, fluid and petrophysical analyses have Once it has been found that the diagnostic log-log plot exhibits
confirmed this variation. either a 2 or 3-zone radial composite system, it is necessary to
The fluid column of the area is very complex; it is 1300 feet make sure that such behavior is not caused by the presence of
height and bears highly commercial fluids with composition geological heterogeneities instead of a fluid property contrast.
that varies with depth. It originally presented subsaturated gas Among the possible geological heterogeneities are different
condensate at the top of the structure followed by volatile oil, petrophysical facies with contrasting rock properties (flow
and subsaturated black oil at the deepest zones of the fluid capacity, kh), a closed system with any possible fault
column. A transition zone of supercritical fluids coexists configuration or a constant pressure boundary.
between the gas condensate and the black oil zone. In this work, there were analyzed around 30 pressure tests
Santa Barbara field produces a rich condensate gas with an among drawdown, buildups, falloff and back flow. Most of the
average maximum liquid dropout of 25%; however, it reaches wells had a valid DST test and at least one pressure test. It was
40% at the deepest part of the reservoir. The dewpoint found that most of these tests exhibited the presence of two or
pressure of the fluid is 8500 psia approximately while the three zone radial composite systems.
bubblepoint pressure of the black oil is 3800 psia. Fluids The interpretation process consisted in three main steps. First
obtained from the gas condensate zone have an unusual at all, for each well data concerning production, PVT, fluid
gravity of 36° API. behavior and well tests taken during its productive life were
collected. Additionally, interpretation models obtained from
Problem structural, sedimentological and petrophysical data were also
As the reservoir average pressure started to decline and the bring together to complement the well test interpretations.
pressure around the wells drop below the dewpoint pressure, a Secondly, tests belonging to each well were interpreted
great concern on the effects of retrograde condensation upon chronologically and sequentially to visualize changes in the
gas and oil well productivity began to arise. Despite that the well, reservoir or the well-reservoir system. Those DST tests
bottomhole flowing pressure in most of the gas condensate that exhibited clearly a closed system with any type of fault
SPE 77538 STUDY OF GAS-CONDENSATE WELL PRODUCTIVITY IN SANTA BARBARA FIELD, VENEZUELA, BY WELL TEST ANALYSIS 3

configuration were identified from those that had an infinite the closed system model was tried. Results showed that the
radial homogeneous system. This step is very important to reservoir is not infinitely acting but closed and that the
avoid misinterpretation of the following pressure tests. reservoir is being depleted (Figure 3).
Additionally, in those cases where the pressure derivative Well #2. This is a condensate well that has a monobore
curve exhibited a radial composite behavior, the existence of a completion at 16880 to 16910 feet measure depth. In this well
multilayer system was verified by combining well test and there were interpreted two build-ups, one pre-fracturing and
PLT data. Thirdly, other hard data such as oil and gas the other post-fracturing. The gas rate before fracturing was
production rates, producing GOR and dynamic gradients were 12.6 MMscf/day and the oil rate was 1983 STB/day. These
taken into account for the analysis. After all these analysis, values changed to 16.2 MMscf/day and 2472 STB/day,
there was certain guarantee that those radial composite respectively after fracturing the well.
behavior detected in the following pressure tests could be Pressure derivative log-log behavior. Figure 5 shows the
interpreted as an evidence of the presence of different gas log-log plot of the first build-up test. It can observe two
mobility zones. In the following section, four wells were taken stabilization zones that indicate the presence of a condensate
as an example of the wells that exhibited gas condensate blockage near the wellbore and an initial condensate saturation
blockage and/or increase in gas mobility near wellbore. zone away from the well. At early time, the pressure derivative
exhibits a first stabilization that corresponds to 1.5 mD. The
Field Example Applications second stabilization corresponds to 190 mD. As one can see
Well #1. This is a gas condensate well that has a monobore there is a 90% of permeability reduction due to condensate
completion at the top of the Cretaceous formation (16890 to blockage. Additionally, the bottomhole flowing pressure is
17050 feet measure depth). Table 1 shows detailed 5290 psia approximately, which means a pressure drop of
information regarding the well parameters, rock properties and 2577 psia.
the fluid properties. The gas rate is 14.5 MMscf/day and the In order to bypass the condensate bank and increase the
oil rate is 2100 STB/day. Two different build up tests were pressure drop, a hydraulic fracturing work was undertaken.
analysed for this well, the tests were taken one year apart of Figure 6 shows the log-log plot of the second build-up that
the other. was taken post fracture. The bottomhole flowing pressure
Figure 3 shows the structural map of the area where this increased to 7470 psia and the pressure drop was reduced to
well is located. Considering the structural geometry and the 314 psia. However, in Figure 6, it can be seen that the pressure
tectonism of the area, the geologist draws a fault (fault # 4) on derivative is still exhibiting a high condensate saturation
the map oriented SW-NE that split into two blocks the bigger (liquid dropout) zone. Moreover, at early time there is a lower
compartment delimited by fault #1 and fault #2. Seismic data condensate saturation zone (stripping) which was not present
interpretation demonstrate the existence of three faults, faults in the first test. Regarding the gas mobility, permeability near
#1 and #2, which are verticals, and #3 (less than 30 degree) wellbore increased to 48.9 mD and closer to the well (in the
while there is no seismic evidence of the existence of fault #4, condensate bank) to 41 mD, which means that the gas mobility
therefore, if this fault exist it must be subseismic. The reduction due to condensate blokage is 15%. The outermost
geologist believes that if fault #4 existed, then fault #3 would zone did not suffer any change, as the permeability kept being
really be two fault segments oriented SE-NW. 190 mD.
Pressure derivative log-log behavior. Figure 4 shows how Regarding the fracture, the effect of it on the pressure
a three-zone radial composite system matches to the pressure transient was not observed on the pressure derivative curve.
response and pressure derivative curve. The measure Nevertheless, it was possible to calculate the fracture length
bottomhole pressure is 7027 psia. At early time, the pressure (152 feet) by using another analytical method.
derivative exhibits a first stabilization that corresponds to 5.7- Well #3. This is a condensate well that has a monobore
mD permeability. A second stabilization occurs at a higher completion at 16718 to 16828 feet measure depth in the
level that corresponds to a lower permeability of 2.25 mD. cretaceous formation. The gas rate is 16 MMscf/day and oil
This means that a permeability reduction of more than 50% rate of 3000 STB/day.
have occurred. These results show that there is a first zone 134 Pressure derivative log-log behavior. Figure 7 shows the
feet away from the wellbore, where the gas mobility has log-log derivative of a recent buildup test. The pressure
double compared to the gas mobility at a second zone, which derivative exhibits a two-zone radial composite system.
could be as far as 1400 feet away from the wellbore. However, the outer zone with initial condensate saturation
Unfortunately, the test was no long enough for the pressure does not appear because the test was not long enough. At early
derivative to exhibit the gas mobility at the outer zone. Figure time, the pressure derivative displays a first stabilization that
4 shows two examples of what would be the gas mobility corresponds to 5.85 mD. The second stabilization corresponds
reduction with respect to the initial condensate saturation zone to 3.85 mD. As one can see there is a 68.5% of permeability
in case that it was an infinity acting homogeneous reservoir. reduction. Additionally, the bottomhole flowing pressure is
In the Horner plot, the pressure history of the two build-up 6368 psia, which means a pressure drop of 1718 psia.
test were simulated based on the match obtained in the log-log
plot. Since the infinitely acting model did not match both tests,
4 M. BRIONES, J. ZAMBRANO AND C. ZERPA SPE 77538

Well #4. This is an injector well that was evaluated as a Department staff, for their contribution to this work.
producer before injection started, therefore the first pressure Consulting contribution of A.C Gringarten and Jean Chatellier
test is a build-up and the second a fall-off test. is gratefully acknowledged.
Pressure derivative log-log behavior. The pressure
derivative in the build-up exhibits two-zone radial composite References
system, which would have been three zones if the test were 1. Fevang y Withson C.H., “Modeling Gas Condensate Well
longer. Figure 8 shows that at early time, the pressure Deliverability”, SPE Annual Technical Conference &
derivative displays a first stabilization that corresponds to 160 Exhibition, Dallas, 22-25 Octubre, 1995.
mD. The second stabilization corresponds to 51 mD. As one 2. Mott Robert, “Calculating Well Deliverability in Gas
can see there is a 67.5% of permeability reduction. Condensate Reservoirs”, 10th European Symposium on
In the fall-off test (Figure 9), it can been that the pressure Improved Oil Recivery, Brighton, Reino Unido, 18-20
derivative curve exhibits the typical behavior of an injector Agosto, 1999.
well. Nevertheless, the presence of stripping near well 3. Gringarten, A.C., Al-Lamki, A. and Daungkaew, S.: “Well
wellbore was proven by the build-up test of the producer well. Test Analysis in Gas-Condensate Reservoirs” paper SPE
Well #5. This is an injector well. Since its injectivity 62920 presented at the 2000 SPE Annual Technical
capacity was decreasing, it was put into production and a Conference and Exhibition held in Dallas, texas, 1-4
back-flow test was performed. This test consisted in a 46-hour October 2000.
flow with different chocks and an average gas rate of 29
MMscf/day; afterward it was shut in for 72 hours. Figure 10
shows the log-log plot of the shut-in period.
Pressure derivative log-log behavior. At early time, the
pressure derivative exhibits a first stabilization that
corresponds to 220 mD. The second stabilization corresponds
to 76 mD, which means that gas mobility declined in 65%. It
is believe that the injectivity impairment is due to the presence
of a condensate blockage near the wellbore.

Conclusions

Well-test data proved to be a source of reliable data of

practical use to detect the existence of retrograde condensation
and velocity stripping in Santa Barbara field.
Solutions from well-test interpretation are non-unique.
However, methodology such the one applied in this work
would help to reduce this uncertainty by integrating these
results to independent interpretation models obtained from
seismic, sedimentological and petrophysical data.
Well tests are a source of practical data to monitor gas
condensate reservoirs since the appearance of problems such
as the retrograde condensation can be detected on time by
applying methodologies such the one described in this work.
It can be seen from the interpreted field examples that most
of the tests were not long enough to undertake a
comprehensive characterization of the retrograde condensation
problem in Santa Barbara field.
In all the wells analyzed in this paper, the near wellbore
zone with high capillary number is present.
From the results obtained in well # 2, it was found that the
success of a hydraulic fracture in bypassing the condensate
bank depends on a good design. In this specific case, despite a
big improvement on the pressure differential was achieved, the
condensate bank was not bypassed completely.

Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank the engineers José Salas
and Pedro Figuera from Pirital Operating and Monitoring
6 M. BRIONES, J. ZAMBRANO AND C. ZERPA SPE 77538

#1
lt

4
u

t#
Fa

ul
Fa
Fa

2
ul

t#
t#

ul
3

Fa
Well#1

Figure 3. - Santa Barbara structural model around Well # 1 according to well-test interpretation results.
Delta m(p)/Delta Q (psi2/cp (*1E-06))/MMscf/day

High condensate K2 = 2.25 mD

saturation (liquid drop-out)

Gas with initial

Gas with lower condensate condensado saturation
saturation (velocity stripping) K3=15 mD,
K1 = 5.7 mD ω3/2 =0.3

K3=25 mD,
ω3/2 =0.1
Equivalent time (hours)
Figure 4.- Log-log plot of the pressure response and pressure derivative curve of Well # 1.
SPE 77538 STUDY OF GAS-CONDENSATE WELL PRODUCTIVITY IN SANTA BARBARA FIELD, VENEZUELA, BY WELL TEST ANALYSIS 7

Delta m(p)/Delta Q (psi2/cp (*1E-06))/MMscf/day

K 1 = 1.5 mD
High condensate
saturation (liquid drop-out)

Gas with initial

condensado saturation
K 2 = 190 mD

Equivalent time (hours)

Figure 5. Log-log plot of the pressure response and pressure derivative curve of Well # 2 before fracturing.
Delta m(p)/Delta Q (psi2/cp (*1E-06))/MMscf/day

K2 = 41 mD
High condensate
saturation (liquid drop-out)

Gas with lower condensate

saturation (velocity stripping)
K1 = 48.9 mD
Gas with initial
condensado saturation

K3 = 190 mD

Equivalent time (hours)

Figure 6. Log-log plot of the pressure response and pressure derivative curve of Well # 2 post fracturing.
8 M. BRIONES, J. ZAMBRANO AND C. ZERPA SPE 77538

Delta m(p)/Delta Q (psi2/cp (*1E-06))/MMscf/day

K2 = 3.85 mD
High condensate
saturation (liquid drop-out)

Gas with lower condensate

saturation (velocity stripping)
K1 = 5.85 mD

Equivalent time (hours)

Figure 7. Log-log plot of the pressure response and pressure derivative curve of Well # 3.
Delta m(p)/Delta Q (psi2/cp (*1E-06))/MMscf/day

K2 = 51 mD
High condensate
saturation (liquid drop-out)

Gas with lower condensate

saturation (velocity stripping)
K1 = 160 mD

Equivalent time (hours)

Figure 8. Log-log plot of the pressure response and pressure derivative curve of Well # 4 as a producer.
SPE 77538 STUDY OF GAS-CONDENSATE WELL PRODUCTIVITY IN SANTA BARBARA FIELD, VENEZUELA, BY WELL TEST ANALYSIS 9

Delta m(p)/Delta Q (psi2/cp (*1E-06))/MMscf/day

Equivalent time (hours)

Figure 9.- Log-log plot of the pressure response and pressure derivative curve of Well # 4 as an injector.
Delta m(p)/Delta Q (psi2/cp (*1E-06))/MMscf/day

K2 = 76 mD
High condensate
saturation (liquid drop-out)

Gas with lower condensate

saturation (velocity stripping)
K1 = 220 mD

Equivalent time (hours)

Figure 10.- Log-log plot of the pressure response and pressure derivative curve of Well # 5 as an injector.