Gas Rate Equation

1.E+07 General Equation

qg  C( p pR  p pwf )
2
pR - p wf , psia
2

2kh
C
ln re rw   0.75  s  Dq g
2

1.E+06

n = 0.62 Backpressure Equation

qg  C' [ p p ( pR )  p p ( pwf )] n

2 2 n Low-pressure
1.E+05 qg  C' ( pR  pwf ) assumption
10 100
GAS FLOW RATE, qg, MMscf/D
Unit Conversion Units
1. The gas rate equation defines the relationship between surface gas rate and pressure
drawdown (average reservoir pressure minus bottomhole flowing pressure). This relationship is
also called “inflow performance”, reservoir “backpressure curve”, and reservoir “deliverability”.

2. kh and skin (s+Dq) are the most important variables defining a well’s reservoir deliverability.

3. For low-rate (low-kh) wells, Dq is usually small (n=1). For high-rate (high-kh) wells, Dq can be
significant (0.5<n<1).

4. Multirate well tests are used to determine the magnitude of kh, s, and Dq.

5. Rate behavior in low- to moderate permeability wells may be strongly influenced by transient
effects, where the term ln(re/rw) should be replaced by the dimensionless pressure pD(tD).

6. Combined with the material balance relation, the rate equation can (and should) be used to
generate rate-time forecasts.

February 13, 2019 e-notes (c) Curtis H. Whitson 1

 References
1. Fetkovich, Multipoint Testing of Gas Wells
2. Golan-Whitson, Well Performance excerpts
3. Hussainy et al., Flow of Real Gases through Porous Media

Examples
1. Gas rate calculation
2. Gas Production Forecasting.
3. Fetkovich multirate test example.

Notes

February 13, 2019 e-notes (c) Curtis H. Whitson 2