FORMATION DAMAGE

WELL COMPLETION AND WORKOBER OPERATIONS

DR. K. SARKODIE
 Skin Factor

• A formation damage model is a dynamic relationship expressing the

fluid transport capability of porous medium undergoing various
alteration processes.

• Modeling formation damage in petroleum reservoirs has been of

continuing interest. Although many models have been proposed,
these models do not have the general applicability.
 Hawkins’ Formula

ps  preal  pideal

 Hawkins’ Formula

q  rs 
preal  ps  pwf ,real  ln  
2k s h  rw 

q  rs 
pideal  ps  pwf ,ideal  ln  
2kh  rw 
q
ps  s
2kh pwf

Steady-state pressure drop due to skin is given by: Ps

ps  preal  pideal rs

rw
q q  rs  q  rs 
s ln    ln  
2kh 2k s h  rw  2kh  rw 

1 1  rs  1  rs  k   rs  Hawkins’
s  ln    ln   s    1 ln   Formula
k k s  rw  k  rw   k s   rw 
 Hawkins’ Formula

q s dr
r

2h rw rk (r )
preal 

q  rs 
pideal  ln  
2kh  rw 
q
ps  s
2kh pwf
Steady-state pressure drop due to skin is given by:
Ps

ps  preal  pideal rs

rw
q q q  rs 
rs
dr
2kh
s   ln  
2h rw rk (r ) 2kh  rw 
1 r  r 
s r rs General
1 dr dr
s  ln  s  s  k  ln  s  Hawkins’
k rw
rk (r ) k  rw  rw
rk (r )  rw  Formula
Hawkins’ Formula - Example
 Hawkins’ Formula - Example

Example: assume that a well has a radius rw equal to 0.25 ft, and the
damage beyond the well is 5 ft. What would be the skin effect if the
permeability impairment results in k/ks equal to 6 and 12, respectively.

Solution:

k  r   5.25 
s    1 ln  s   6  1 ln    15.22
 k s   rw   0.25 

k  r   5.25 
s    1 ln  s   12  1 ln    33.49
 k s   rw   0.25 
 non-Darcy Skin (S)

Skin due to turbulence is additional

pressure drop caused by high gas
velocity near the wellbore and applies
only to gas wells.

s  Dq

6 10 5  k s0.1h
D
rw hperf
2

Where,  is the gas gravity, ks is the

near-wellbore permeability in md, h
and hperf are the net and perforated This shows the apparent skin from well testing.
thicknesses in ft and  is the gas
viscosity in cp. s  s  Dq
 non-Darcy Skin (S)

Example: Calculate the non-Darcy coefficient for well with wellbore radius
of 0.25 ft. Assume that ks is the same as the reservoir permeability (0.1 md)
and hperf is half of the reservoir thickness. Use a viscosity of 0.01 cp, gas
gravity of 0.6, and reservoir thickness of 80 ft. What will happen if the near-
wellbore permeability reduced by damage to one-fifth?
Solution:

5 0.1
6 10 5  k s0.1h 6 10 (0.6) (0.1) (80)
D 
rw hperf
2
(0.01)(0.25)(40) 2
 9.06 10 9 MSCF / d 
1

5 0.1
6 10 5  k s0.1h 6 10 (0.6) (0.02) (80)
D 
rw hperf
2
(0.01)(0.25)( 40) 2
 1.06 10 8 MSCF / d 
1
Slanted/Partial Penetration
 Partial Completion Skin

• Skin due to partial penetration

is always greater than 0 and
typically ranges from 0 to 30.

• Partial penetration with

vertical permeability (kv)
equal to zero is the limiting
case. Skin factor can be
estimated using Hawkins’
formula.
 Partial Completion Skin

Muskat’s Model
 
 
 r  1  hw h
s pp   ln e    1
 w  
r  r 
0.5
 h  
h 1  7 w  cos   
   h h   2    zw
   

h 
h  w  Completion Ratio h = Reservoir height
 h  hw = Perforation height
zw = The elevation of the
perforation midpoint from the base
of the reservoir

This model did not consider the permeability anisotropy

 Partial Completion Skin

Odeh Model
 h    k H   
0.825
 kH   
s pp  1.35  1 ln  h   0.49  0.1ln  h   ln rwc   1.95
 hw    kV      
 kV  
Where,
  z  
 rw exp 0.2126  m   2.753 for y  0
rwc     h  
r for y  0
w
h 
zm  y   w  y
 2
hw h
h = Reservoir height
hw = Perforation height
zw = The elevation of the perforation midpoint from zw
the base of the reservoir
y = The distance from top of reservoir to top of
perforation
 Partial Completion Skin

Papatzacos Model
y
 1     1  hpD  A  1 0.5 
s pp    1 ln      
h  2r  h 1  hpD  B  1  
hw h
 pD   D  pD
Where, zw
hw
h pD 
h
0. 5
rw  kV  h = Reservoir height
rD   
hw = Perforation height
h  kH 
zw = The elevation of the
h perforation midpoint from the base
h1D 
y of the reservoir
y = The distance from top of
1
A reservoir to top of perforation
h1D  h pD 4 
1
B
h1D  3h pD 4  All models assumed kx = ky
Partial Completion Skin

Ref. Yildiz (2006), SPE-82249

 Partial Completion Skin

Example:
A well with a radius rw = 0.328 ft is completed in a 33-ft reservoir.
In order to avoid severe water coning problems, only 8 ft are completed
and the midpoint of the perforations is 29 ft above the base of the
reservoir.
1. Calculate the skin effect due to partial completion for a vertical well.
What would be the composite skin effect if Ɵ = 45 °?
2. Repeat this problem for h = 330 ft, hw = 80 ft and zw = 290 ft.
 Partial Completion Skin - Example

Solution:
The dimensionless reservoir thickness hD is h/rw = 33/0.328 = 100.
The elevation ratio is zw/h = 29/33 = 0.875
The completion ratio is hw/h = 8/33 = 0.25.
From Table 5-1 for a vertical well,
Ɵ = 0°and Sc + Ɵ = 8.6, Sc = 8.6 and SƟ = 0.
If Ɵ = 45° , then
Sc = 8.6 but SƟ = -2.7 resulting in Sc + Ɵ = 6.
If hD = 330/0.328 = 1000 and the other ratios are the same.
From Table 5-2
Sc + Ɵ = 15.7 for the vertical well and
Sc + Ɵ = 10.4 for the 45 °slant well.
 Partial Completion Skin - Example

Solution:
Ɵ hD zw/h hw/h SƟ +c Sc SƟ
 Skin due to Inclination

• When the angle of inclination

through the formation is
significant (> 10°), a reduction in
pressure drop can occur due to
the angle of inclination.
• This pressure drop is defined as
skin due to inclination
• The skin is negative and the
larger the angle of slant, the
larger the negative contribution
to the total skin effect.

 kH 

  tan 
' 1
tan  w 
 ' 2.06
  ' 1.865  hD 
w

s   
w
    log   kV 
 41   56   100  h k
hD    H
Does s negative all the time?  rw  kV
Perforation Skin