TEST 1 - PCB 3013-WTA SOLUTIONS 23 October 2013

2
1. Explain the following conceptual questions; please be brief and precise in
your explanation.

a. List FOUR (4) objectives of pressure transient testing (PTT)?
[4 marks]
(a1) Estimate formation parameters (permeability, porosity, etc.)
(a2) Estimate skin factor (to evaluate productivity of the well)
(a3) Estimate reservoir boundaries/limits (to estimate reserves)
(a4) Estimate static or average reservoir pressure

b. List FIVE (5) variables used in well testing?
[5 marks]
(b1) Permeability
(b2) Porosity
(b3) Total compressibility (rock and fluid)
(b4) Net pay thickness
(b5) Wellbore radius

c. Give the formula for pressure-derivative (or Bourdet derivative) and
its unit?
[3 marks]
It is a derivative of pressure or pressure change with respect to natural
logarithm of time and its unit is the same as the unit of pressure (e.g,
psi, kPa, etc.)
t d
p d
p
ln

=
d. Why do we use pressure-derivative in well test analysis? (i.e., briefly
state the advantages associated using pressure-derivative in addition
to pressure in well test analysis)
[5 marks]
It is good for diagnostic purposes (or model/flow regime identification)
as it amplifies changes in pressure data and helps us to get better
estimates of parameters in type-curve matching when it is used with
pressure change.
TEST 1 - PCB 3013-WTA SOLUTIONS 23 October 2013
3

e. Give the definition of pressure-gauge resolution. Then, state in general,
if you have two gauges one with 5 and 0.1 psi resolution, which one
would you prefer using in a test and why you will use it?
[3 marks]
It is the smallest pressure change that can be detected or perceived by
the gauge. The smaller the resolution is to better detect small changes
in pressure which increases the radius of investigation. So, we will
prefer to use a gauge with 0.1 psi resolution as the pressure transient
testing and its analysis is based on identifying the changes in pressure
data.

f. Give TWO (3) important features distinguishing pressure transients (or
well tests) from their counterparts used in reservoir engineering.
[2 marks]
(f1) It provides in-situ/dynamic estimates of the parameter
(f2) it provides estimates over a large scale.

g. Describe what wellbore storage effect is.
[3 marks]
Wellbore storage is a result of the compressibility of the wellbore fluid
and this causes surface and sandface (q
sc
q
sf
) production rates to be
different at early times. During wellbore storage dominated flow when
mainly there is not flow from the reservoir to the wellbore (q
sf
0), the
pressure data do not reveal useful reservoir information.
TEST 1 - PCB 3013-WTA SOLUTIONS 23 October 2013
4
2. Circle the appropriate choice in each of the following items (Each is 5 marks)

i. The basic units of permeability is (L: Length, A is Area, M is Mass, T is
time):
(a) L (b) A (c) AM/T (d) L
3
/T
ii. Which of the followings defines the total isothermal compressibility of a
rock containing only oil and water in its pore spaces (S
w
: Water
saturation, S
o
: Oil Saturation, : porosity; c
f
: effective isothermal rock
compressibility, c
o
: isothermal compressibility of water; c
w
: isothermal
compressibility of water; c
t
: total isothermal compressibility of rock)
(a)
w o f t
c c c c + + =
(b)
w w o o f t
c S c S c c + + =
(c) ( )
w w o o f t
c S c S c c + + = 1
(d)
w w o o f t
c S c S c c + + =
iii. Which of the following defines the productivity index of a well? (J is the
productivity index, p
r
is the static reservoir pressure, p
wf
is the flowing
wellbore pressure, q is the flow rate)
(a) ( ) q p p J
wf r
/ =
(b) ( ) q p p J
wf r
=
(c) ( )
wf r
p p q J = /
(d) ( ) q p p J
wf r
=
2

iv. Pressure diffusion in an infinite homogeneous isotropic reservoir is
controlled by the diffusivity constant which is normally denoted by .
Which of the following is the equation of ?
(a)
c
k

= , (b)
t
c
k

= , (c)
t
c
k

= , (d)

c k

=
v. The infinite-acting-radial flow (IARF) is identified on the log-log plot of
pressure-derivative vs. time ( t p ) with a straight line with a slope of
(a) 1 (b) 0 (c) +1 (d) +1/2 (e) -1/2
TEST 1 - PCB 3013-WTA SOLUTIONS 23 October 2013
5
3. The data provided in Table Q3.1 are pertinent to a buildup test conducted in an
infinite acting reservoir.
Table Q3.1. Reservoir, Well and Fluid Data for the Buildup Test.
Reservoir thickness, h, 30 ft
Well radius, r
w
, 0.3 ft
viscosity, , 0.8 cp
Formation volume factor, B
o
, 1.2 RB/STB
Flow rate prior to buildup, q
sc
, 500 STB/D
Producing time, t
p
, 24 hours
The duration of buildup test is 24 hours
Total compressibility, c
t
, 1.0x10
-5
1/psi
Porosity, , 0.20
Flowing pressure at the instant of shut-in, p
ws
(t=0) = p
wf,s
.......... 2988.9 psi


a. Log-Log diagnostic plot of build-up pressure change p and its
derivative vs. shut-in time is shown in Fig. 3.1. Identify and explain the
flow regimes exhibited by the data and their time intervals on the log-
log diagnostic plot.
[10 marks]
0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Elapsed time t (hr)
1
10
100
1000
B
u
i
l
d
u
p

p
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

c
h
a
n
g
e
,

p

=

p
w
s

-

p
w
f
,
s

a
n
d
i
t
s

B
o
u
r
d
e
t

d
e
r
i
v
a
t
i
v
e

w
i
t
h

r
e
s
p
e
c
t

t
o

e
q
u
i
v
a
l
e
n
t

t
i
m
e
,

p
s
i


Figure Q3.1. Log-log diagnostic plot for the buildup test.
WBS Flow
(unit-slope line)
IARF (zero-slope line)
TEST 1 - PCB 3013-WTA SOLUTIONS 23 October 2013
6
a) The unit-slope (WBS dominated flow period) and zero-slope (IARF period) lines
are shown in Fig. Q3.1. The time interval for which WBS dominated flow is from
0.0015 to 0.0075 hr, whereas the IARF period is from 2 to 25 hr.

b. Perform Horner (semi-log) analysis of build-up pressure data and
determine permeability, skin and the initial reservoir pressure. You
should state how you chose the time intervals to draw your Horner
semilog straight line. Horner plot is given in Figure Q3.2, and you
should perform your analysis on this plot
[15 marks]

1 10 100 1000 10000 100000
Horner time ratio (t
p
+ t)/t
2900
3000
3100
3200
3300
3400
3500
S
h
u
t
-
i
n

p
r
e
s
s
u
r
e
,

p
w
s

(
p
s
i
)
1 10 100 1000 10000 100000
2900
3000
3100
3200
3300
3400
3500


Figure Q3.2. Horner plot for the buildup test.

b) Based on log-log plot, we identified that the IARF exists from shut-in time of t =
2 to t = 20 hr. So, when we fit out straight line on Horner plot, we should fit it on
the interval of the Horner times corresponding to these shut-in times. Hence, the
Horner time intervals for which the straight line should be fitted to are computed
Slope = m = -52 psi/cycle
R
H
= 25
p
1hr
= 3378 psi
p
i
= 3450 psi
TEST 1 - PCB 3013-WTA SOLUTIONS 23 October 2013
7
from the definition of Horner time ratio which is R
H
= (t
p
+t)/ t. So, these Horner
time values are (24+25)/25 = 1.96 and (24+2)/2 = 13. The fitted straight line is
shown in Fig. Q3.2. The slope of the straight line is -52 psi/cycle and p
1hr
is to be
read on the straight line at the value of R
H
= (24 + 1)/1 = 25. I determined p
1hr
=
3378 psi as shown in Fig. Q3.2.
The permeability k is computed from the slope value using the slope
equation given in the Appendix:

0 . 50
30 52
8 . 0 2 . 1 500 6 . 162 6 . 162
=

=
h m
B q
k
sc
md
Skin factor s from intercept using the equation given below:

5 . 2
23 . 3
3 . 0 8 . 0 10 0 . 1 2 . 0
. 50
log
52
9 . 2988 3378
151 . 1
23 . 3 log 151 . 1
2 5
2
, 1 ,
=
(

+ |

\
|

=
(

+
|
|

\
|

w t
s wf hr ws
r c
k
m
p p
S


The initial pressure reservoir is equal to the extrapolated pressure at Horner time
ratio of unity for this test, which is equal to p
i
= 3450 psi.















TEST 1 - PCB 3013-WTA SOLUTIONS 23 October 2013
8
4. Analyze the following drawdown test data shown in Figures Q4.1 and Q4.2
obtained at an oil well with the input data given in Table Q4.1.

Table Q4.1. Reservoir/well/fluid/rock property data

Reservoir Thickness, h, 30 ft
Well radii, r
w
,, 0.30 ft
Viscosity, , 0.94 cp
Porosiy, , 0.15
Formation volume factor, B
o
, 1.15 RB/STB
Well oil flow rate, q
sc
, 800 STB/D
Total compressibility, c
t
, 1.1x10
-5
1/psi
Initial reservoir pressure, p
i
, 3253 psi

a. On the log-log plot shown in Fig. Q4.1, identify the data lie on the unit-
slope line (wellbore storage) and zero-slope line (i.e., infinite-Acting
Radial Flow- IARF) based on Bourdet derivative ( p ) data and their
time intervals.
[5 marks]
a) The unit-slope (WBS dominated flow period) and zero-slope (IARF period) lines
are shown in Fig. Q4.1. The time interval for which WBS dominated flow is from
0.01 to 0.1 hr, whereas the IARF period is from 12 to 52 hr.
b. Calculate the wellbore storage coefficient (C) and permeability value (k)
from the values of p to be read on the unit-slope line and zero slope lines
you draw on Fig. Q4.1.
[8 marks]
b) The permeability is to be computed from the rearrangement of Eq. A-3 (note that
derivative value during the IARF is equal to about 28 psi) as:
7 . 72
30 28
94 . 0 15 . 1 800 6 . 70 6 . 70
=

=
h p
B q
k
sc
md
To compute the WBS coefficient C, we choose one time point (t
w
) and then read
the Bourdet derivative (p
w
) or pressure-change value corresponding this time
value on the unit-slope line as shown in Fig. Q4.1 and use Eq. A-4:
( )
0225
7 . 1 24
01 . 0 15 . 1 800
24
=

=

=
w
w sc
p
Bt q
C bbl/psi
TEST 1 - PCB 3013-WTA SOLUTIONS 23 October 2013
9

c. Perform semi-log analysis on semi-log plot given in Fig. Q4.2 to determine
the permeability (k) and the skin factor (S). Justify and explain how you
chose the time intervals to fit your semi-log line. Discuss how your k
values from log-log and semi-log compare?
[12 marks]

0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Elapsed time, t (hr)
0.1
1
10
100
1000

p

a
n
d

p
'
,

p
s
i
p
p'

Figures Q4.1-Log-log plot for Question 4

c) I fit the semi-log line from 12 to 52 hr on the semi-log shown in Fig. Q4.2, as
determined on the log-log plot which exhibits IARF period in this time interval for
which a semi-log analysis can be performed. The slope of the semi-log is m = -58
psi/cycle and p
1hr
= 3175 psi.
From slope we determine k as:
8 . 80
30 . 58
94 . 0 15 . 1 800 6 . 162 6 . 162 6 . 162
=

=
h m
qB
k
kh
qB
m md

Skin factor S from intercept (p
1hr
) using the equation given below:

WBS Flow
IARF (zero-slope line)
t
w
= 0.01
(p)
w
= 1.7 psi
TEST 1 - PCB 3013-WTA SOLUTIONS 23 October 2013
10
8 . 4
23 . 3
3 . 0 94 . 0 10 1 . 1 15 . 0
8 . 80
log
. 58
. 3175 3253
151 . 1
23 . 3 log 151 . 1
2 5
2
1 ,
=
(

+ |

\
|

=
(
(

+
|
|

\
|

w t
hr wf i
r c
k
m
p p
S


The permeability values agree within less than 1% from log-log and semi-log
confirming the validity of our analysis.
0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Elapsed time, t (hr)
3040
3080
3120
3160
3200
3240
3280
F
l
o
w
i
n
g

b
o
t
t
o
m
-
h
o
l
e

p
r
e
s
s
u
r
e
,

p
w
f

(
p
s
i
)
3050
3100
3150
3200
3250
0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100


Figure Q4.2-Semilog plot for Question 4.







- END OF PAPER -
Slope = m = -58 psi/cycle
p
1hr
= 3175 psi
TEST 1 - PCB 3013-WTA SOLUTIONS 23 October 2013
11
APPENDIX BASIC EQUATIONS

162.6
sc
q B
m
kh

=
(A-1)

1
2
1.151 log 3.23
hr
t w
p k
s
m c r
| | | |
= +
| |
|
\ \
where
1 ,1 hr i wf hr
p p p =
(A-2)

70.6
ln
sc
d p q B
p
d t kh

= = (A-3)

24
sc
q Bt
p p
C
= = (A-4)

t
t t
R
p
H

+
=
(A-5)


(
(

+
|
|

\
|

= 23 . 3 log 151 . 1
2
, 1 ,
w t
s wf hr ws
r c
k
m
p p
S

(A-6)