Well Test and Analyses

PEE 502: Well Test and Analyses (3 Credits)

Engr. Dr. Michael C. Ogbue

Lecture 5: Draw-down tests on oil wells, skin concept

Draw-down Tests on Oil Wells

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.
A schematic of the ideal flow rate and pressure history is shown

The fundamental objectives of drawdown testing are to obtain the average

permeability,k, of the reservoir rock within the drainage area of the well, and to
assess the degree of damage of stimulation induced in the vicinity of the
wellbore through drilling and completion practices. Other objectives are to
determine the pore volume and to detect reservoir inhomogeneities within the
drainage area of the well.
Skin Concept
Usually during drilling, completion, or workover operations materials such as
mud filtrate, cement slurry, or clay particles enter the formation and reduce the
permeability around the wellbore. This effect is commonly referred to as
“wellbore damage” and the region of altered permeability is called the “skin
zone.” This zone can extend from a few inches to several feet from the
wellbore. Many other wells are stimulated by acidizing or fracturing, which in
effect increases the permeability near the wellbore. Thus, the permeability near
the wellbore is always different from the permeability away from the well
where the formation has not been affected by drilling or stimulation.. The effect
of the skin zone is to alter the pressure distribution around the wellbore. In case
of wellbore damage, the skin zone causes an additional pressure loss in the
formation. In case of wellbore improvement, the opposite to that of wellbore
damage occurs.

1. Δpskin > 0, indicates an additional pressure drop due to wellbore damage,

i.e., kskin < k.
2. Δpskin < 0, indicates less pressure drop due to wellbore improvement, i.e.,
kskin > k.
3. Δpskin = 0, indicates no changes in the wellbore condition, i.e., kskin = k.

Where Δpskin is pressure drop in the skin zone.

kskin is permeability in the skin zone.
k is permeability of the reservoir

Drawdown Well Test Analysis

When a well is flowing at a constant rate of Qo under the unsteady-state
condition, the pressure behavior of the well will act as if it exists in an infinite-
size reservoir. The pressure behavior during this period is described by:

[ ( ) ]

where
k = permeability, md
t= time, hours
rw= wellbore radius, ft
s = skin factor
The above expression can be written as:

[ ( ) ]
This relationship is essentially an equation of a straight line and can be
expressed as:

Pwf = a+m logt +b

Where
[( ) ]

Equation suggests that a plot of Pwf vs. time t on semilog graph paper would
yield a straight line with a slope m in psi/cycle. This semilog straight-line
portion of the drawdown data, as shown in figure can also be expressed in
another convenient form by employing the definition of the slope:

( ) ( )

During pressure drawdown test, bottom-hole pressure measurements are taken

during a period of flow at constant production rate. Usually the well is closed
prior to the flow test for a period of time sufficient to allow the pressure to
stabilize throughout the formation, i.e., to reach static pressure.
1. Transient or early flow period is usually used to analyze flow
characteristics;
 2. Semi-steady-state flow period is used in reservoir limit tests.

Transient Analysis - Infinite-Acting Reservoirs

Cartesian graph
Semilog graph

[ ]

P(psi), k(D), q(STB/day), µ(cp), h(ft), Ø(%), C(psi-1), rw(ft), t(hr), Bo(Rb/STB)

[ ]

[ ( ) ]

By comparison

Types of Plot
1. Semilog plot
A plot of flowing bottom-hole pressure data versus the logarithm of flowing
time should be a straight line with slope m and intercept P1hr. Semilog straight
line does appear after wellbore damage
The intercept at log t = 0, which occurs at t =1, is also determined from

[ ( ) ]

[ ( ) ]

Transmissibility,
Fluid mobility,
Fluid capacity,
Permeability, k
The apparent wellbore radius rwa may be estimated by

1. For single-rate and single-phase production.

q = 250 stb/day
rw = 0.198 ft
Bo = 1.475 RB/STB
h = 90 ft

Time, t Pressure,
(hr) pwf (psig)
0.00 4412
0.12 3812
1.94 3699
2.79 3653
4.01 3636
4.82 3616
5.78 3607
6.94 3600
9.32 3593
9.99 3586
14.40 3573
17.30 3567
20.70 3561
24.90 3555
29.80 3549
35.80 3544
43.00 3537
51.50 3532
61.80 3526
74.20 3521
89.10 3515
107.00 3509
128.00 3503
154.00 3497
185.00 3490
222.00 3481
266.00 3472
319.00 3460
383.00 3446
460.00 3429
Determine
a) Transmissibility
b) Fluid mobility
c) Fluid capacity
d) Permeability
e) Estimate the skin factor
f) Apparent wellbore radius
Solution

Time, Pressure,
t (hr) pwf (psig)
0.00 4412
0.12 3812
1.94 3699
2.79 3653
4.01 3636
4.82 3616
5.78 3607
6.94 3600
9.32 3593
9.99 3586
14.40 3573
17.30 3567
20.70 3561
24.90 3555
29.80 3549
35.80 3544
43.00 3537
51.50 3532
61.80 3526
74.20 3521
89.10 3515
107.00 3509
128.00 3503
154.00 3497
185.00 3490
222.00 3481
266.00 3472
319.00 3460
383.00 3446
460.00 3429
The intercept at log t = 0, which occurs at t =1, is also determined from

[ ( ) ]

[ ( ) ]

[ ( )

]
= 6.36
Exercise
A well is tested by producing it at a constant rate of 1500 stb/d for a period of
100 hours. It is suspected, from seismic and geological evidence, that the well is
draining an isolated reservoir block which has approximately a 2:1 rectangular
geometrical shape and the extended drawdown test is intended to confirm this.
The reservoir data and flowing bottom hole pressures recorded during the test
are detailed below
h = 20 ft, c = 15 × 10-6 /psi, rw =0 .33 ft, μo = 1 cp, φ = 0.18, Bo = 1.20 rb/stb

Flowing time
(hours
Flowing time
(hours)
pwf
(psia)
Flowing time (hours) pwf (psia) Flowing time (hours) pwf
(psia)
0 3500 20 2762
1 2917 30 2703
2 2900 40 2650
3 2888 50 2597
4 2879 60 2545
5 2869 70 2495
7.5 2848 80 2443
10 2830 90 2392
15 2794 100 2341
1) Calculate the effective permeability and skin factor of the well.

Exercise

1. For single-rate and single-phase production.

q = 340 stb/day

rw = 0.198 ft
Bo = 1.75 RB/STB
h = 60 ft

Time, t Pressure,
(hr) pwf (psig)
0.00 5541
0.11 5540
1.54 5500
1.79 5453
2.01 5436
3.82 5416
4.28 5407
5.45 5000
7.24 4993
8.33 4886
12.36 4785
15.56 4609
20.70 4561
24.90 4555
29.80 4549
35.80 4504
 42.00 4500
51.50 3932
61.80 3906
74.20 3851
89.10 3625
102.00 3610
120.00 3600
134.00 3597
185.00 3490
222.00 3481
266.00 3472
319.00 3460
383.00 3446
460.00 3429

Determine
g) Transmissibility
h) Fluid mobility
i) Fluid capacity
j) Permeability
k) Estimate the skin factor
l) Apparent wellbore radius

2. For single-rate and single-phase production.

q = 500 stb/day

rw = 0.188 ft
Bo = 1.5 RB/STB
h = 50 ft

Time, t Pressure,
(hr) pwf (psig)
0.00 3412
0.10 3411
1.84 3400
 2.59 3393
4.00 3386
4.60 3376
5.18 3367
6.04 3350
9.32 3343
9.99 3326
14.40 3313
17.30 3307
21.70 3300
24.80 3295
29.80 3289
35.80 3277
43.00 3255
52.50 3232
61.80 3226
74.20 3221
89.10 3218
106.00 3205
124.00 3203
154.00 3193
182.00 3190
222.00 3182
266.00 3176
319.00 3168
383.00 3136
460.00 3124

Determine
m) Transmissibility
n) Fluid mobility
o) Fluid capacity
p) Permeability
q) Estimate the skin factor
r) Apparent wellbore radius