Reservoir Engineering

Chapter 7: Water influx

Craft & Hawkins (Chapter 8)
Tarek Ahmed (Chapter 10)
Dake (Chapter 9)
 Chapter outline
Topic Learning outcomes
• Calculation models • Describe the behavior of
– Hurst & Van Everdingen
steady state and modified
steady state water influx
– Fetkovich models
• Calculation of water influx • Calculate water influx
by Material Balance performance using Hurst &
Equation Van Everdingen model.
• Calculate water influx
performance using Fetkovich
model.
• Calculate water influx
performance using material
balance equation.
 Introduction
• Many reservoirs are bounded by aquifers (water bearing
rocks).

Bounded and formed a closed unit Outcrop and replenished by surface water
Aquifers response to pressure drop
• Offset/retard pressure decline by providing a
source of water influx by;
– Expansion of water
– Expansion of other hydrocarbon in the aquifer
rock
– Compressibility of the aquifer rock
– Artesian flow (when the aquifer rises to a level
above the reservoir).
 Calculation of the amount of We
• Needed to determine the effect that an aquifer has on the
hydrocarbon production.
• Use MBE when N and Np are known.
 Water influx models
• Involves many uncertainties
– Size
– Shape
– Aquifer properties (e.g. porosity, permeability)
• Time dependence
– Steady state
– Unsteady state
• Flow geometries
– Edge-water drive
– Bottom-water drive
 Water influx models
• Pot aquifer
• Schilthuis’ steady-state
• Hurst’s modified steady-state
• The Van Everdingen-Hurst unsteady-state
– Edge-water drive
– Bottom-water drive
• The Carter-Tracy unsteady-state
• Fetkovich’s method
– Radial aquifer
– Linear aquifer
 Steady state models
• The simplest steady state model is the one proposed by
Schilthuis (1936)
• Rate of water influx is directly proportional to (pi-p), where p
is measured at the original OWC.
 
 
dWe  0.00708kh 


 pi  p   C  pi  p  Where,
dt  ra   k = permeability of the aquifer, md
  w ln   
  re   h = thickness of the aquifer, ft
ra = radius of the aquifer, ft
re = radius of the reservoir, ft
We  C   pi  p dt
t

0 t = time, days
Also, C is the water influx constant, bbl/day/psi
dWe dN p dN p dW p
 Bt  ( R  Rsoi ) Bg  Bw Water influx rate = reservoir voidage rate
dt dt dt dt oil + gas + water
 Example 8.1 (pg 278, Craft & Hawkins)
Given:
The PVT data for Conroe Field.
Calculate the water influx constant when the pressure stabilizes

Pi = 2275 psig
Ps = 2090 psig (stabilized pressure)
Bt = 7.520 cu.ft/STB at 2090 psig
Bg = 0.00693 cu.ft/SCF at 2090 psig
Rsoi = 600 SCF/STB (initial solution gas )
R = 825 SCF/STB, from production data
dNp/dt = 44,100 STB/day
dWp/dt = 0
 Example 8.1 (solution)
dWe dN p dN p dW p
 Bt  ( R  Rsoi ) Bg  Bw  C ( pi  p )
dt dt dt dt
dWe
 (7.520)( 44,100)  (825  600)(0.00693)( 44,100)  0  401,000cu. ft / day
dt
C ( pi  p )  401,000
401,000 401,000
C   2170cuft / day / psi
( pi  p ) (2275  2090)

If the reservoir pressure suddenly

If at the end of 10 days, the pressure
drop from 2275 to 2265 (Δp = 10
drop from 2275 to 2255 (Δp = 20 psi),
psi), and remains there for 10 days;
and remains there for 20 days;
We1  2170 10 10  217,000cuft
We 2  2170  20  20  868,000cuft
The cumulative water influx at the
end of 30 days;
We  C  ( pi  p)dt  2170(2275  2265) 10  (2275  2255)  20
30

 1,085,000cuft
Example 8.1 (solution)
t
We  C  ( pi  p)dt  Area under the graph
0
 Hurst’s modified Steady-state model
• One of the problems in the Schilthuis Steady-state model is that as
water is drained from the aquifer, the distance that the water has to
travel to the reservoir increases.
• Hurst suggested modification by including logarithmic term to
account for this increasing distance.
• The Hurst method has limited application and is infrequently used.

t ( pi  p)dt
We  c'  Where,
0 log( at )
C’ is the water influx constant (bbl/day/psi)
dWe c' ( pi  p)
 (pi – p) is the boundary pressure drop (psi)
dt log( at )
a is a time conversion constant
 Unsteady-state model
• In nearly all applications, the steady-state models are not adequate
in describing water influx
• Time- dependent term needs to be included
• Applied to both;
– edge-water drive (negligible flow in vertical direction)
– bottom-water drive (significant vertical flow).
The van Everdingen and Hurst Edge-Water
Drive Model
The radial diffusivity equation;
 2 p 1 p ct p
 
r 2 r r 0.0002637k t

Inner boundary condition;

P = constant = pi – Δp at r = rR

Initial condition;
P = pi for all values of r

Outer boundary condition;

For an infinite aquifer:
p = pi at r = ∞

For a finite aquifer:

p
0 at r  re
r
The van Everdingen and Hurst Edge-Water
Drive Model
The diffusivity equation can be written in terms of dimensionless parameters;

Dimensionless time: kt
t D  0.0002637
ct rR2
Dimensionless radius:
r
rD 
rR
Dimensionless pressure:
pi  p
pD 
pi  pwf
Then,
 2 pD 1 pD pD
 
rD
2
rD rD t D

Van Everdingen and Hurst converted the solutions to dimensionless,

cumulative water influx, WeD presented in Table 8.1 & 8.2 (Craft & Hawkins),
and Figures 8.7 to 8.10
 Calculation of WeD
The water influx can be
calculated by;

We  B' pWeD
where

B'  1.119ct rR2 h
360

 Is the angle subtended

by the reservoir
circumference
 Example 8.1 (pg 283 C & H)
Calculate the water influx after 100 days, 200 days, 400 days, and 800 days into a
reservoir the boundary pressure of which is suddenly lowered and held at 2724
psia (pi = 2734 psia).

Given:
φ = 0.20 k = 83 md
ct = 8(10)-6 psi-1 rR = 3000 ft
re = 30,000 ft μ = 0.62 cp
 = 360o h = 40 ft

Solution:
kt (83t )
t D  0.0002637   0.00245t
ct rR2
0.0002637
 
(0.20)(0.62) 8(10) 6 (3000) 2


B'  1.119ct rR2 h    360 
 1.119(0.20) 8(10) 6 (3000) 2 (40)   644.5
360  360 
Example 8.1

At 100 days;

tD = 0.00245t
= 0.00245(100 x 24) = 5.88

re/rR = 30,000/3000 = 10

We  B' pWeD
 644.5(10)(5)
 32,225bbl
WeD = 5

5.88
Example 8.2
 Example 8.1 (pg 283 C & H)
Solution:
t = 100 days t = 200 days t = 400 days t = 800 days

tD = 5.88 11.76 23.52 47.04

WeD = 5 8.43 13.90 22.75
We = 32,225 54,330 89,590 146,600
 Example 8.2 (C & H)
Supposed in Example 8.1, at the end of 100 days, the reservoir boundary pressure
suddenly drops to p2 = 2704 psia (i.e., Δp2 = p1 – p2 = 20 psi, not pi – p2 = 30 psi.
Calculate the water influx at 400 days total time.

From Example 8.1, the water influx due to the first pressure drop, Δp1 (10 psi) was
89,590 bbl.

The second pressure drop acted for 300 days = 400 – 100.

At 300 days;

tD = 0.00245t
= 0.00245(300 x 24) = 17.6

re/rR = 30,000/3000 = 10
Example 8.2

At 300 days;

tD = 0.00245t
= 0.00245(300 x 24) = 17.6

re/rR = 30,000/3000 = 10

WeD = 11

We  B' pWeD
 644.5(20)(11) 17.6
 141,790bbl
 Example 8.2 (C & H)
Using the principle of superposition;

We _ total  B'  pWeD

 We1  We 2
 89,590  141,790  231,380bbl
 Example 8.3 (C & H)
Calculation of water influx at two successive time values.

Calculate the water influx at the third and

fourth quarter years of production for the
reservoir shown in Fig. 8.13.
Use φ = 0.209; k = 275 md (average reservoir
permeability, presumed the same for aquifer)
μ = 0.25 cp; ct = 6 x 10-6 psi-1; h = 19.2 ft;
Area of the reservoir = 1216 ac;
Estimated area of the aquifer = 250,000 ac;
 = 180o.
 Example 8.3 (C & H)
1
A  rR2
2
A 1216  43560
rR2    33721087
0.5 0.5
rR  5807 ft

kt (275t )
t D  0.0002637   0.00686t
ct rR
2
0.0002637
 6

(0.209)(0.25) 6(10) (5807) 2

For t = 0ne quarter year = 365/4 = 91.3 days

tD  0.00686t  0.00686  91.3 24  15.0


B'  1.119ct rR2 h    180 
 1.119(0.209) 6(10) 6 (5807) 2 (19.2)   455
360  360 
Example 8.3
(C & H)
re 250,000
  216
rR 1216

Can be considered as
infinite aquifer

For tD = 15, WeD = 10

Example 8.3 (C & H)
 Step Pressures
Pi, P1, P2, P3,…are the observed reservoir pressures at time = 0, t1, t2, t3,…etc
(measured at the original OWC or GWC).
pi  p1 p1  p2 p j 1  p j
The average pressures; p1  2
p2 
2
pj 
2

The pressure drops;

p0  pi  p1  pi 
 pi  p1   pi  p1
2 2

p1  p1  p2 
 pi  p1    p1  p2   pi  p2
2 2 2

p j  p j  p j 1 
p j 1  pj 

p j  p j 1 

p j 1  p j 1
2 2 2

(From Dake, 1978)

Example 8.3 (C & H)
Coats , Allard and Chen model

BOTTOM-WATER DRIVE
 The Coats, Allard & Chen
Bottom-Water Drive Model
Recall the radial diffusivity equation;
 2 p 1 p ct p
 
r 2 r r 0.0002637k t

For Bottom-Water drive, where vertical flow is significant, Coats, Allard &
Chen include additional term;

 2 p 1 p 2 p ct p
  F  where Fk is the ratio of vertical to
r 2 r r z 2 0.0002637k t
k

horizontal permeability.

Using dimensionless distance, zD; z

zD 
rR Fk1/ 2

 2 pD 1 pD  2 pD pD
  
rD 2
rD rD z D
2
t D
 The Coats, Allard & Chen
Bottom-Water Drive Model
Coats, Allard and Chen defined the water influx constant, B’ as

B'  1.119hct rR2

The solutions presented by Allard and Chen in Table 8.6 to 8.10 (Craft & Hawkins)
as a function of two dimensionless parameters

re
rD' 
rR

h
z 'D 
rR Fk1/ 2
 Example 8.4 (C&H)
Calculate the water influx as a function of time for the reservoir data and boundary
pressure data that follow:
Time in days Average
Given: (t) boundary
rR = 2000 ft re = ∞ pressure, psia
(PB)
h = 200 ft k = 50 md 0 3000

Fk = 0.04 φ = 0.10 30 2956

60 2917
μ = 0.395 cp ct = 8 x 10-6 psi-1
90 2877
120 2844
150 2811
180 2791
210 2773
240 2755
 Example 8.4 (solution)
re
rD'  
rR

h 200
z 'D    0.5
rR Fk1/ 2 2000(0.040)1/ 2

B'  1.119hct rR2  1.119(0.10)( 200)(8 10 6 )( 2000) 2  716 bbl / psi

kt (50t )
t D  0.0002637   0.0104t
ct rR
2
0.0002637
 6

(0.10)(0.395) 8(10) (2000) 2
 Example 8.4 (solution)
Time in days Dimensinless WeD Average Step Water
(t) time (from Table 8.6) boundary pressure Influx, M bbl
(tD = 0.0104t) pressure, (ΔP) (We)
psia (PB)
0 0 0 3000 0 0
30 7.5 5.038 2956 22.0 79
60 15.0 8.389 2917 41.5 282
90 22.5 11.414 2877 39.5 572
120 30.0 14.263 2844 36.5 933
150 37.5 16.994 2811 33.0 1353
180 45.0 19.641 2791 26.5 1810
210 52.5 22.214 2773 19.0 2284
240 60.0 24.728 2755 18.0 2782
Example 10-6 (T. Ahmed)
 Example 10-6 (solution)
Step 1: calculate the total compressibility for the aquifer
ct  cw  c f  (0.7  0.3) 106  1106 psi 1


Step 2: calculate the water influx constant B'  1.119ct rR2 h
360
 360 
B  1.119(0.2)(110 6 )( 2000 2 )( 25)   22.4
 360 
Step 3: calculate the dimensionless time
kt
t D  0.0002637
ct rR2
Example 10-6 (solution)
Example 10-7 (T. Ahmed)
 The Carter-Tracy Model
• Van Everdingen-Hurst method provides exact solution
but involves tedious calculation due to the
superposition required.
• Carter and Tracy proposed a method which is more
direct.
• The Carter-Tracy technique assumes constant water
influx rates over each finite time interval
• The cumulative water influx at any time tn, can be
calculated directly from the previous value obtained at
tn-1
• The Carter-Tracy method is not an exact solution to the
diffusivity equation and should be considered an
approximation.
The Carter-Tracy Model
The Carter-Tracy Model
 The Carter-Tracy Model

Example 10-9 in Tarek Ahmed demonstrates the Carter-

Tracy method
 Example 10-9 (T. Ahmed)
Rework Example 10-7 by using the Carter-Tracy method.
From Example 10-7;

B = 22.4 bbl/psi

tD = 0.0412t
Example 10-9 (solution)
 Example 10-9 (solution)

 Bpn  (We ) n1 ( p'D ) n 

(We ) n  (We ) n1  (t D ) n  (t D ) n1  
 D n
( p )  (t )
D n 1 ( p ' D n 
)
 Comparison between Carter-Tracey
method and van Everdingen-Hurst method
• The previous example indicates that the Carter-Tracy
method overestimates the water influx
• This is due to the large time step used (6 months)
• Accuracy of the Carter-Tracy method can be
increased substantially by restricting the time step to
less than 30 days (Δt = 30 days)
• Recalculating using monthly basis produces an
excellent match (next slide)
 The Fetkovich’s Model
• Approximates water influx for finite aquifer for radial
and linear geometries
• Simplify the calculation using an aquifer material
balance and an equation that describes the flow rate
from the aquifer
• Based on the premise that water influx rate is directly
proportional to the pressure drop between the average
aquifer pressure and the pressure at the boundary
• Neglects the effect of transient period since the
productivity index equation require pseudo-steady
state flow conditions.
The Fetkovich’s Model
 The Fetkovich’s Model

10-39
The Fetkovich’s Model
The Fetkovich’s Model
The Fetkovich’s Model procedure
The Fetkovich’s Model procedure
The Fetkovich’s Model procedure
Example 10-10 (Tarek Ahmed)