Well Test Analysis

Dr Mostafa Ghasemi
Email: mostafa.baboli@utp.edu.my
Ext:7375
Room: No.8, 2nd floor, Block J3
 Well Test Objectives

During the well test, the response of a reservoir to

changing production (or) injection condition is
monitored.

Well test interpretation is therefore an inverse problem

in that model parameters are inferred by analyzing
model response to a given input.
 Well Test Objectives

Well testing is the only technique that examines a significant portion

of the reservoir under dynamic conditions to determine its
production capability and reservoir properties. The basic reasons for
testing a well can be summarized as follows:

to obtain a physical sample of the fluids produced from the

reservoir

to obtain a measured flow rate indicative of the productivity

of the formation

to obtain pressure data for the calculation of reservoir

parameters and for the recognition of natural or induced
anomalies around the borehole.
Fundamentals of Fluid Flow Equation
All pressure analysis techniques are derived from solutions to the
partial differential equations that describe the flow of fluids through
porous media under various boundary conditions. This mathematical
description of fluid flow is based on three physical principles:
(1) the law of conservation of mass, (2) equations of state (3) Darcy's law.

The law of conservation of mass and Darcy's law apply regardless of the
fluid type and are the basis of the flow equation and, therefore, of
pressure analysis. The equations of state apply to a specific fluid, e.g.,
oil, gas or water, and describe the relationship between that fluid's
density, pressure, and temperature.
 The Diffusivity Equation
Diffusivity equation is a basic differential equation
that describes the diffusion (transmission) of pressure in
a porous media.
For a 1 dimensional radial system, it has a form

(1)

where, p=pressure, psi

r=radial distance, ft
t=time, days
=viscosity, cp
=permeability, mD
=total compressibility, 1
=hydraulic diffusivity constant
To apply Eqution.1 the fluid must have these properties:

1. Slightly compressible fluid

2. Laminar (Darcy) flow
3. Small and constant fluid compressibility
4. Isothermal conditions
5. Negligible gravity effects
6. Homogeneous porous media
Physical Principles of Diffusivity Equation

(2)

(3)

(4)
 Reminding

Darcy definition

Q = C A (P)/L

The Permeability is defined such that a rock having the

permeability of 1 Darcy would transmit 1 cc of water per second
(with viscosity of 1 cp) through a region of 1cm2 cross sectional
area if the pressure drop along the direction of flow is 1 atm/cm.
Exponential Integral (Ei) Solution
Ei-Function
 Transient Flow

Dr Mostafa Ghasemi
Email: mostafa.baboli@utp.edu.my
Ext:7375
Room: No.8, 2nd floor, Block J3
 Transient Flow

When a well is opened to flow for a drawdown test or shut in

for a buildup, a pressure gradient, or transient, is established
between the wellbore and the reservoir. This pressure
transient propagates into the reservoir at a speed that is
directly dependent on the reservoir's rock and fluid properties.

This pressure response represents the infinite-acting radial flow

regime, also called transient flow. By solving the flow equation for
this regime it is possible to analyze the pressures and obtain
information about reservoir characteristics.
Fig. 1
Fig.2
Fig.3
Fig. 4
Fig.5
Basic Types of PTT

Drawdown test

Buildup test

Variable rate test

Multi-well test
 Drawdown Test
Is conducted by producing a well at a known rate or
rates while measuring changes in bottomhole pressure
(BHP) as a function of time.

It is designed to determine permeability and skin factor

If the pressure transient is affected by outer reservoir

boundary, drawdown test can be used to establish the
outer limits of the reservoir and to estimate the
hydrocarbon volume (reservoir-limit test).
Pressure Drawdown test

Shutting the well till

pressure reaches the
static level & then
flowing the well to a
constant rate , q and
measuring Pwf.
 Build up Test

In buildup test, a well which is

already flowing (ideally at constant
rate) is shut in, and the bottomhole
pressure measured as the pressure
builds up.
Variable rate test
 Multi-well test
Frequently, it is desired
to account for the
effects of more that one
well on the pressure at
some point in the
reservoir.
Reservoir Analysis
We may divide a reservoir into three key regions. These regions can be referred
to in either physical or mathematical terms, as shown in Table 1.

Physical Terminology Mathematical Terminology

Region 1 The well bore and near well bore The inner boundary conditions

Region 2 The reservoir beyond the The basic model

wellbore

Region 3 The Pressure/flow conditions at The outer boundary condition

the outer extent of the well
drainage area

Table 1: Principal regions of a reservoir.

Each region is identified schematically in Figure 1 . For our purposes we
shall use the mathematical terminology because it is normally used in the
literature, but you should keep in mind the physical definitions of each
region as we proceed.

Figure 1
Complication of a Reservoir
 The Inner Boundary Conditions (The
Wellbore and Near-Wellbore Regions)

The inner boundary conditions are those that exist at or near the
wellbore. There are three that are most commonly found in practice:

Wellbore storage
Skin effect
Induced fractures

We should spend a little time developing and understanding of each of

these.
First Complication: Wellbore Storage
Constant Wellbore storage
Wellbore Storage
 Wellbore Storage

When a wellbore is opened to

flow, it is opened at the surface
(Figure 2). The early
production comes from the
decompression of fluids in the
wellbore and other wellbore
effects, and not from fluids in
the reservoir. This effect is
referred to as unloading, a
form of wellbore storage.

Figure 2
 Wellbore Storage
Figure 3 shows the difference that
exists in the flow rate at the surface
and the flow rate at the sandface, or
perforations. There is a time delay
before the flow rate from the
reservoir equals the flow rate at the
surface. Essentially, this wellbore
storage effect causes the reservoir
flow rate to gradually, rather than
instantaneously, reach the surface
flow rate. It is important that we
incorporate or account for the
wellbore unloading when we
interpret the pressure/flow data Figure 3
collected during a well test.
 Quiz: Wellbore Storage
Just as there is a delay in flow-rate response during the opening of a
well for a drawdown test, there is also a delay when a well is shut in
at the surface to begin a buildup test ( Figure 4 ).

In this case the surface flow stops instantaneously, while the sandface
flow gradually drops to zero. This condition is a second wellbore
storage effect that is often referred to as after flow.

After-flow must also be incorporated into the interpretation of buildup

test data.
Wellbore Storage

Figure 4
Well Bore Storage

=
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