Well Test Analysis, PDB(3013)

Ch.1: Governing Equations of Transient Well Testing

Solution of the
Diffusivity Equation
Dr. Mohammed Abdalla Ayoub

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 Learning objectives

Recap on the Diffusivity Equation

To apply constant terminal pressure solution (CTP)

 Contents
Pressure distribution as a function of time

Transient (unsteady-state) flow

Derivation of the Diffusivity Equation

Radial Flow of Slightly Compressible Fluids

Solutions to the Diffusivity Equation

 Solutions to the Diffusivity Equation

The diffusivity equation:

---------eq. (18)

Where,

Diffusivity constant
 Solutions to the Diffusivity Equation

The three most common flow conditions are:

◦ Steady state
◦ P=const. at all r and t. ∂P/ ∂t=0

◦ This is the case where natural water influx or injection of some fluid

◦ Semi-steady state
◦ The effect of the outer boundary has been felt

◦ ∂P/ ∂r=0 at r=re

◦ ∂P/ ∂t ≈ const. for all r and t

◦ Transient – early time

◦ No boundary effect (infinite acting reservoir)

◦ P = f(r, t) and ∂P/ ∂r=q(r, t)

 Radial Flow of Slightly Compressible Fluids cont’d

The diffusivity equation as represented by Equation 18 is essentially

designed to determine the pressure as a function of time t and position r.
◦ P=f(r, t)

Assumptions and limitations used in developing Equation 18:

◦ Homogeneous and isotropic porous medium
◦ Uniform thickness
◦ Single phase flow
◦ Laminar flow
◦ Rock and fluid properties independent of pressure
 Radial Flow of Slightly Compressible Fluids cont’d

For steady state flow:

◦ ∂P/∂t=0

Hence, eq. (18) reduces to:

---------eq. (19)

Equation 19 is Laplace’s equation for steady-state flow.

 Solutions to the Diffusivity Equation

To obtain a solution to the diffusivity equation (Equation 18), it

is necessary to specify:
◦ An initial condition
◦ Uniform pressure Pi when production begins.

◦ Impose two boundary conditions. (outer and inner boundary)

◦ The well is producing at a constant production rate.

◦ The reservoir behaves as if it were infinite in size, i.e., re = ∞.

 Solutions to the Diffusivity Equation cont’d

Based on the boundary conditions imposed on, there are two

generalized solutions to the diffusivity equation:
◦ Constant-terminal-pressure solution

◦ Constant-terminal-rate solution
 Constant-terminal-pressure solution

The pressure is known to be constant at some particular radius and the

solution is designed to provide the cumulative fluid movement across
the specified radius (boundary).

It is widely used in water influx calculations.

A detailed description of the solution and its practical reservoir

engineering applications will be discussed in the water influx chapter.
Constant-Terminal-Rate Solution
 Solution to Diffusivity Equation

Constant-terminal-pressure solution is designed to provide the cumulative flow at any particular

time for a reservoir in which the pressure at one boundary of the reservoir is held constant. This
technique is frequently used in water influx calculations in gas and oil reservoirs.

Constant-terminal-rate solution of the radial diffusivity equation solves for the pressure change
throughout the radial system providing that the flow rate is held constant at one terminal end of
the radial system, i.e., at the producing well.

These are two commonly used forms of the constant-terminal-rate solution:

The EI-function solution

The dimensionless pressure pD solution

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 The Ei-function solution

The Exponential integral (Ei) can be used to estimate the pressure change throughout the radial system of the
reservoir. However, the following assumptions must be considered:

❖ Infinite acting reservoir

❖ well is producing at a constant flow rate.

❖ uniform reservoir pressure, Pi, when production begins.

❖ wellbore radius of rw, is centered in a cylindrical reservoir of radius re.

❖ No flow across the outer boundary.

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 The Ei-function solution

 70.6Qo  o Bo   − 948o ct r 
2
p (r , t ) = pi +   Ei   -------- (20)
 kh   kt 
where p (r,t) = pressure at
This equation can be used to calculate pressures at radius r from the well after t
hours
any distance r, from the wellbore when the well is t = time, hrs
opened for production of: k = permeability, md.
Qo = flow rate, STB/day

The reservoir is assumed to be infinite-acting if:

14
14
 The Ei-function solution, cont…

 70.6Qo  o Bo   − 948o ct r 
2
-------- (20)
p (r , t ) = pi +   Ei  (x)kt 
 kh   
When X is less than 0.02, the exponential integral Ei can be calculated using the following
Equation:

when x is in the range of 0.01 < x < 3.0

• when x > 10.0, the Ei (−x) can be considered zero

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16
 Example

A single well is producing oil at a constant rate of 5500 STB/D. Calculate the pressure at a location
500 feet away from the well after 5 days, and 10 days of production. The drainage boundary of the
well is located 1000 feet away. Other rock and fluid properties of the reservoir are as follows:

17 17
 Solution

Step 1. use the following equation to check that the well has been on production for enough
length of time so that the accuracy is not affected.
The length of time the well is on production must be greater than the time required.

Next, it is important to check that the reservoir is infinite-acting after 10 days of production.
This time of production must be less than the time calculated from the following equation:

The reservoir will cease to be infinite-acting after about 19.3 days of production. Hence,
after 10 days of production, the reservoir is still infinite-acting.

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Step 2: Calculate reservoir pressure after 5 days, and 10 days of
production at 500 feet from well. Substituting Eq. (20) with the
data provided gives:

 70.6Qo  o Bo   − 948o ct r 2 
p ( r , t ) = pi +   * Ei  
 kh   kt 

 70.6 * 5500 *1.1* 4.5   − 948 * 0.19 * 4.5 * 4 *10 −6 * (500) 2 

p (r , t ) = 19250 +   * Ei  
 7 * 345   7 * 24 * t 
 − 4.8246 
p (r , t ) = 19250 + 795.89 * Ei  
 t 
 − 4.8246   − 4.8246 
At 5 days of production, the Ei (-x) is: Ei   = Ei  = Ei (−0.96)
 t   5 
Because x is higher than 0.1, so the value of Ei(-x) can be obtained from the table which is
equal to 0.24.
p (r , t ) = 19250 − 795.89 * 0.24
p (r , t ) = 19,059 psia

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At 10 days of production, the Ei (-x) is:

 − 4.8246   − 4.8246 
Ei   = Ei  = Ei (−0.48)
 t   10 

Because x is higher than 0.1, so the value of Ei(-x) can be obtained from the table which
is equal to 0.585.

p (r , t ) = 19250 + 795.89 * 0.585

p (r , t ) = 18,784 psia

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 Example

An oil well is producing at a constant flow rate of 300 STB/day under unsteady-
state flow conditions. The reservoir has the following rock and fluid properties:

1. Calculate pressure at radii of 0.25, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 2500
feet, for 1 hour.
Plot the results as:
A. Pressure versus logarithm of radius
B. Pressure versus radius

 70.6Qo  o Bo   − 948o ct r 
2
p (r , t ) = pi +   Ei  
 kh   kt 

21
 Solution
• Step 1. From Equation (20) :

• Step 2. Perform the required calculations after one hour in the following tabulated form:

x < 0.02

0.01 < x < 3.0,

use Ei chart

x >10.9,
Ei = zero

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 Solution, cont…

• Step 3. Show results of the calculation graphically as illustrated in Figures below:

Pressure profiles as a
function of time
Pressure profiles as a function of
time on a semi-log scale

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 Solution, cont…

• When the parameter x in the Ei-function is less than 0.01, Eq. (21) in the form of the
following equation can also be used to calculate the Pwf:

-------- (21)

• For most of the transient flow calculations, engineers are primarily concerned with the
behavior of the bottom-hole flowing pressure at the wellbore, i.e., r = rw

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 Solution, cont…

162.6Qo  o Bo   kt   -------- (22)

pw f = pi − log  − 3.23
kh 
  o t w c r 2
 
where k = permeability, md
t = time, hr
ct = total compressibility, psi−1

• Equations (21) and (22) cannot be used until the flow time t exceeds the limit imposed by:

-------- (23)

where t = time, hr
k = permeability, md

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 Example 3

An oil well is producing at a constant flow rate of 300 STB/day under unsteady-
state flow conditions. Estimate the bottom-hole flowing pressure after 10 hours
of production.The reservoir has the following rock and fluid properties:

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 Solution

Equation 22 can be used to calculate pwf only if the time exceeds the time limit

Since the specified time of 10 hr is greater than 0.000267 hrs, the pwf can then
be estimated by Equation 22.

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 The Dimensionless Pressure Drop (pD) Solution

The solution describes the pressure drop as a function of time and radius for fixed values
of external radius re and well bore radius rw, rock and fluid properties. It is expressed in
term of dimensionless variables as:

PD = f(tD, rD, reD) tD = dimensionless time

rD = dimensionless radius
reD = dimensionless external radius

This solution to the diffusivity equation at constant terminal rate under the stated
initial and boundary conditions was reported by van Everdingen and Hurst. The
solution is presented in terms of dimensionless variables based on Darcy’s equation
in a radial form.

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 The Dimensionless Pressure Drop (pD) Solution

The PD is presented in terms of dimensionless variables based on Darcy’s equation for a

radial flow system.

Rearrange
Dimensionless
Dimensionless external radius
pressure
reD
PD

In Dimensionless format the previous equation can be written as:

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 The Dimensionless Pressure Drop (pD) Solution

In transient flow analysis, the dimensionless pressure PD = f(tD, rD, reD)

If the reservoir is fixed in size. i.e. reD is a particular value, then the dimensionless
pressure drop PD at the wellbore is only a function of dimensionless time, PD = f(tD)
The dimensionless pressure variable PD is defined as:
pe − pwf
PD =
 Qo Bo  o  -------- (24)
 
 0.00708kh 

-------- (25) The dimensionless time variable

Based on total drainage area, tDA

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 The Dimensionless Pressure Drop (pD) Solution

----- (25a)
where A = total drainage area = π re2
re = drainage radius, ft
rw = wellbore radius, ft
----- (25b)

reD = dimensionless external radius

reD = dimensionless external radius

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 The Dimensionless Pressure Drop (pD) Solution

The dimensions units can be obtained by substituting the appropriate dimensions such as
M for mass, L for length and T for the time for each of the quantities in the original
Darcy low:
force ML M
pe − pwf
p = = 2 2 = 2
PD = area T L T L
 Qo Bo  o 
 
 0.00708kh  (M / T L ) L3
= PD =
2
Q=
(L / T )(L / L )(M / LT )
3 3 3 T
0.00708 * L2 * L
L3
Bo = 3 A = L2
L
h=L
After cancelation, the PD is dimensionless M
= K = L2
LT

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 Dimensionless Diffusivity Equation

0.000264kt 0.000264 * L2 * T
tD = = tD =
ct rw2 ( )( )
(M / LT ) LT 2 / M L2
After cancelation, the tD is dimensionless

Introduce pD, tD, and rD into the diffusivity equation:

-------- (26)

Dimensionless Diffusivity Equation

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Assumptions:
➢ Perfectly radial reservoir system
➢ The producing well is in the center and producing at a constant production rate of Q
➢ Uniform pressure pi throughout the reservoir before production
➢ No flow across the external radius re

Van Everdingen and Hurst (1949) proposed an analytical solution to

the above equation For an Infinite-acting reservoir as:

-------- (27)

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 Infinite-Acting Reservoir

For an infinite-acting reservoir, i.e., reD = ∞, the dimensionless

pressure drop function pD is strictly a function of the dimensionless
time tD, or:

Chatas and Lee tabulated the pD values for the infinite-acting reservoir
as shown here.
For tD < 0.01 -------- (28)

For 100 < tD < 0.25 r2eD -------- (29)

For 0.02 < tD < 1000

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 Computational procedure

The computational procedure of using the pD-function in determining the bottom-hole flowing pressure:

1 Calculate the dimensionless time tD

2 Calculate the dimensionless radius reD

3 Using the calculated values of tD and reD, determine the corresponding

pressure function pD from the appropriate table or equation

4 Solve for the pressure at the desired radius, i.e., rw

It should be pointed out that, for an infinite acting

reservoir with tD > 100, the pD-function is related to
the Ei-function by the following relation: -------- (27)
-------- (27a)
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 Example 4

A well is producing at a constant flow rate of 300 STB/day under unsteady-state flow condition. Assuming an
infinite acting reservoir, calculate the bottom-hole flowing pressure after one hour of production by using the
dimensionless pressure approach. Assume the reservoir boundary is 1000 ft and the reservoir has the following
rock and fluid properties

Calculate the dimensionless time tD

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 Solution, cont…

Since 100 < tD < 0.25 r2eD, use Equation 29 to calculate the dimensionless pressure
drop function

Calculate the bottom-hole pressure after 1 hour by applying Equation 27:

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 Example 5

An oil well located at X field is supposed to produce at a constant production rate from a drainage boundary of 304.8 meters away from
the wellbore. After 10 days of production, the bottom hole flowing pressure was found to be 8134 psia at a wellbore radius of 0.5 ft.
Estimate the well production rate in bbl/day. other rock and fluid properties of the reservoir are as follows:

39 39
 Solution

Step 1: Calculate the dimensionless time tD using Eq. 25.

0.000263kt 0.000263 * 7 * 24 *10

tD = = = 518,147
c t rw
2 −6
0.19 * 4.5 * 4 *10 * (0.5) 2

Step 2: Calculate the dimensionless radius reD .

re 304.8 * 3.2808
reD = = = 2000
rw 0 .5
Step 3: Calculate the dimensionless pressure PD using Eq. 29.

PD = 0.5ln t D + 0.80907 = 6.9835

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 Solution, cont…

Step 4: Calculate the oil production rate using Eq. 27.

 Qo Bo  o 
Pwf = Pi −   PD Q = 5500 STB / day
 0.00708kh 

Step 5: convert the oil production rate from STB/day to bbl/day

Q = 5500 STB / day *1.1bbl / STB = 6050bbl / day

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 Finite-Radial Reservoir

The arrival of the pressure disturbance at the well drainage boundary marks the end of the transient
flow period and the beginning of the semi (pseudo)-steady state.

During this flow state, the reservoir boundaries and the shape of the drainage area influence the wellbore
pressure response as well as the behavior of the pressure distribution throughout the reservoir.

There is a short period of time that separates the transient state from the semi-steady state that is called
late-transient state. Due to its complexity and short duration, the late transient flow is not used in practical
well test analysis.

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 Finite-Radial Reservoir

where

-------- (30)

For 25 < tD and 0.25 r2eD < tD

-------- (31)

when r2eD >> 1 -------- (32)

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 Example 6

A well is producing at a constant flow rate of 300 STB/day under unsteady-state flow condition. The reservoir
has the following rock and fluid properties

Assuming an infinite acting reservoir, i.e., reD = ∞, calculate the bottom-hole flowing pressure after one hour of production
by using the dimensionless pressure approach.
Solution
Step 1. Calculate the dimensionless time tD from Equation:

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 Solution, cont…

Step 2. Since tD > 100, use Equation:

Step 3. Calculate the bottom-hole pressure after 1 hour by applying

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 Initial And Boundary Conditions
Radial Flow In a Circular Reservoir
Initial Condition : p = pi , t = 0, r  rw

Well production Flow regime Inner Boundary Outer Boundary

Condition conditions

Constant Rate Infinite Acting

 p 
  = −
 qBo ( p)
r → = pi
 r  r
w
2 rw hk
Constant Rate Finite Acting
 p   qBo  p 
(Bounded)   =−   =0
 r  r
w
2 rw hk  r  r→re

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 Important Note!

➢ The main difference between the two formulations is that the pD-
function can be only used to calculate the pressure at radius r
when the flow rate Q is constant and known. In that case, the
pD-function application is essentially restricted to the wellbore
radius because the rate is usually known.
➢ On the other hand, the Ei-function approach can be used to
calculate the pressure at any radius in the reservoir by using the
well flow rate Q.
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Questions 48
QUESTIONS

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