01-Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING
Well Testing Overview
Well Testing
Overview
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Petroleum Engineering
Yves Chauvel

What is a Well Test?
A well test consists in changing the well flow rate. A pressure disturbance is
created, and travels away from the wellbore into the reservoir. Reservoir
pressure and sandface flow rates are measured to interpret the test.
Drawdown tests are performed by opening a non-flowing well. They are used
mostly to evaluate the reservoir flow capacity, and to take fluid samples.
Build-up tests are performed by closing a flowing well. They are used mostly to
evaluate the reservoir pressure and dynamic properties.
Well tests can last a very short time (minutes in MDT pretests) or a very long time
(weeks in reservoir limit tests).
Well tests are performed with a DST, with the MDT, or with Production Logging
tools. The design and applications will be different in each case.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Exploration/Appraisal Well Tests
Exploration/appraisal production tests are essentially performed to gauge the viability
of the hydrocarbon find as a commercial oil or gas field. Hence the primary objectives
are:
To determine the deliverability ( K h / ) of the reservoir.
To determine whether a skin condition exists, that may impair producibility at
the time of testing.
To determine the reservoir fluid properties by collecting a fluid sample.
To determine the volume of the reservoir, and its geometrical limits.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Well Tests in Developed Fields (Producing Wells)
In developed fields, the objectives will be to optimize the engineering of the reservoir,
and the productivity of the wells, and collect data for reservoir simulation.
Determination of average reservoir pressure.
Determination of skin.
Post-treatment productivity tests.
Reservoir interference tests.
Also
Short duration tests: closed chamber, impulse, slug tests.
Specific test types: pressure-flow tests, layered reservoir tests, gas well tests,
limit tests, etc...
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Offshore Well Test Layout
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Typical FullBore Pressure Controlled Tester (PCT) DST String
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Testing and Sampling with the Modular Reservoir Dynamics Tester (MDT)
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

MDT Configurations for Testing and Sampling
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Typical Basic PL Tool String
Basic Measurement sonde
GR, CCL,
pressure,
temperature
Memory or
telemetry
module
Pressure Gauge
Gradiomanometer
Flow-Caliper Imaging tool
CQG
pressure
Density,
deviation,
acceleration
Velocity,
X-Y caliper,
holdup, RB,
bubble count
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Real-Time vs Memory Data Acquisition
Real-time data acquisition is the only fully reliable method to ensure that
The test duration is long enough to reach the interpretation and reservoir
objectives assigned to the test.
The test is not unnecessarily prolonged into waisted and valuable time.
Real-time data acquisition can be performed

Routinely in production well testing, by using production logging tools for the
measurements.
By wireline tools deployed during exploration tests (possible but often
impractical).
When using the DataLatch* system on all DST tests.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

DataLatch* System
Power LINC running tool
LINC
DLWA
DGA
Inductive coupling
DLWA electronic board
Independent gauge batteries

(up to 4 gauges can be run)
Up to 4 independent gauges
Test
valve
Selective porting
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel
Flow Regimes
in
Well Testing
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Reservoir Flow Regimes
Transient flow or Infinite-acting radial flow (IARF):
The pressure disturbance has not reached any reservoir boundary and the
reservoir seems infinite.
Pseudo-steady state (PSS):
The effects of a reservoir boundary are felt. The pressure starts depleting linearly
with time. The flow rate remains the same as long as the pressure drawdown
remains the same.
Steady state (SS):
The pressure distribution is uniform throughout the reservoir and the average
reservoir pressure does not change with time.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Infinite Acting Radial Flow (IARF)
IARF is of particular interest in well testing because, when it is detected, its dynamics
allow to extract the well test target parameters: Kh, S etc... In IARF:
- Flow lines are parallel between themselves and horizontal. Gravity has no effect.
- Flow lines converge towards the axis of the wellbore.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel
Wellbore Storage
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Wellbore Effects
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

The Afterflow
The capacity of the wellbore masks the effects of the reservoir on the pressure
response because of the phenomenon of afterflow.
When a well is open for a production period, it takes some time for the fluid column
to decompress and for the reservoir fluid to start flowing into the wellbore.
Similarly, when a well is shut-in after a production period, the reservoir fluid keeps
flowing into the wellbore until the wellbore column is compressed back to reservoir
pressure.
It is important to reduce wellbore storage effects to speed up the detection of IARF
in the reservoir and hence to shorten the overall duration of the tests.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Wellbore Storage Analogy: the Rained-out Pedestrian
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Wellbore Storage Effects
The parameter controlling wellbore storage effects is the wellbore storage constant
C = VwCw
Vw
is the volume of the wellbore
Cw
is the compressibility of the wellbore fluid
Although a constant, C often varies with Cw. This is especially important when
testing gas wells in which condensate precipitates during the buildup.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Control of Wellbore Storage while Testing
Build-up testing in new wells:
- the DST Tester Valve.
Buildup testing in producing wells:

- downhole shut-in valves.
- alternative: the pressure-flow convolution.
Drawdown testing: the pressure-flow convolution.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel
Skin
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Example of Skin: Formation Damage
Pw (no skin)
kd
pskin
pskin is the additional

pressure drop due to
reduced permeability
around the wellbore:
S =
kh Pskin
141.2q
Pwf (with skin)

rw
rd
r (distance from wellbore)
k
rd
sdo = 1 ln
kd
rw
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Skin Exercise
What is the skin-related pressure drop in a completion with a skin factor of
10, with the following reservoir and fluid parameters:
k = 50 md
h = 10 ft
q = 520 bpd
= 0.77 cp
S =
kh Pskin
141.2q
Answer:
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Some Common Causes of Skin
Positive skin:
Drilling-induced or other formation damage.
Plugging by migration of formation fines.
Perforation skin (imperfect cleanout).
Partial completions (and partial penetration) cases.
Gravel packs.
Most perforated completions.
Negative skin:
Stimulated formations.
High density perforated completions.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Effect of Skin on Flow Rates
Q =
Example
h = 10 ft,
k = 50 md,
kh( Pe Pwf )
141.2 Ln re + S
rw
If S = 10, Q = 519 bpd

If S = 0, what is the flow rate?
Answer:
Pe = 3000 psi,
Pwf = 1000 psi,
re = 745 ft,
rw = 0.328 ft
= 0.77 cp
If S = -3, what is the flow rate?

Answer:
Skin is the single most important parameter which
can be controlled to improve production rates
Gamma Experts
September 2002
Yves Chauvel

Apparent Wellbore Radius
Skin can be assimilated to an apparent wellbore radius rwa, with
or
S =Ln rwa
rw
S
rwa=rwe
Hence
rwa < rw for damaged formations and other causes of positive skin,
rwa > rw for stimulated formations.
Stimulating a formation is equivalent to enlarging the wellbore radius.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Lower Limit of Skin
A lower limit of the skin in stimulated formations would be reached if the apparent
wellbore radius rwa were to become equal to the reservoir drainage radius re.
Hence,
S min=Ln re
rw
Example: if a well (rw = 0.5 ft) drains a 40-acre area (re = 745 ft), then
S min=Ln 745 =7.3

0 .5
Practically, stimulated formations seldom exhibit skin values below 3.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Combined Effects of Wellbore Storage and Skin
The effects of wellbore storage and skin are superimposed onto the ideal reservoir
response on this MDH plot (plot of p vs Logt used to detect radial flow).
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel
Drawdown
and
Buildup
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Drawdown versus Build-up
The pressure responses in drawdown and build-up differ because the production
history is not the same in both cases.
A drawdown implies that the pressure has been stable at pi for an infinite length of
time prior to opening the well for production.
A build-up implies a previous production period prior to shutting-in the well.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Drawdown versus Build-up
For a specific t, the
build-up PBu is
always less than the
drawdown PDd. This
is because at time tp
into the build-up the
pressures cannot have
recovered by the same
amount they have
dropped at the end of
the drawdown.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Measurements Needed for Well Test Interpretation
The drawdown solution of the diffusivity equation for infinite acting radial flow
(IARF) is given by:
162.6q
k
log(t)+log
p(t ) pi
3.2275
C
t
r
w
kh
Hence both downhole pressure and flow measurements are theoretically needed to
interpret a well test.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Measurements Needed for Well Test Interpretation
Both flow rate and pressure measurements are needed for well test interpretation.
Practically, this leaves only three possibilities for the interpretation:
Consider that flow rates are constant during drawdown periods.

Incorporate downhole flow measurements during the test.
Interpret shut-in periods (Q = 0 at surface).
Most well tests performed with simple objectives (e.g., P*, skin) are buildup tests.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel
Primer
of
Interpretation
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Interpretation Methodology
TCMATCH.WTD (Field Data)
10000
Pressure change, psi
1000
100
Wellbore Storage
10
1
0.001
Radial Flow
0.01
0.1
Equivalent time, hrs
September 2002
10
100
1000
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Typical Type Curve Array
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Example: Stimulation case.
Radial flow is seen at the
same position on the two
tests, indicating no change
in permeability.
Skin has disappeared from
the analysis of the after
acid test.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Example of Reservoir Flow Regimes during a Well Test
The test duration must be long enough to reach the radial flow, and to observe any
late-time flow regimes that may be significant for the description of the reservoir.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Pressure Gauge Resolution
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

Importance of Pressure Gauge Resolution
A gauge with a high resolution will investigate a comparatively large region

around the wellbore, and will address the upper range of Kh/ values.
A gauge with a low resolution will investigate a comparatively small region
around the wellbore, and will address the lower range of Kh/ values.
Mechanical gauges used to have a resolution in the range of 10 psi.
Strain gauges have a resolution in the range of 0.05 to 0.5 psi.
Quartz gauges have a resolution in the range of 0.01 psi.
September 2002
Gamma Experts
Yves Chauvel

01-Well Testing Overview

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PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

Basic Measurement sonde

Flow-Caliper Imaging tool

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

Real-time data acquisition can be performed

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

DLWA electronic board

Independent gauge batteries

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

is the volume of the wellbore

is the compressibility of the wellbore fluid

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

Buildup testing in producing wells:

Drawdown testing: the pressure-flow convolution.

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

pskin is the additional

Pwf (with skin)

r (distance from wellbore)

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

PRACTICAL PRESSURE TRANSIENT TESTING

Well Testing Overview

If S = 10, Q = 519 bpd