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WELL TEST ANALYSIS

PBM5153

GAS WELL TESTING

May 2021 Semester

DR BERIHUN MAMO NEGASH

PETROLEUM ENGINERRING DEPARTMENT

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 Lesson Outcome

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

➢Perform semilog analysis using pseudopressure for gas well
pressure drawdown and buildup test data to estimate
apparent skin, effective permeability to gas, and wellbore
storage coefficient.
➢ Apply type curve matching for gas well test data to
estimate apparent skin, effective permeability to gas, and
wellbore storage coefficient.

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 Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir

➢The solution to the diffusivity equation for slightly

compressible fluid (i.e., liquid) is with relatively constant
fluid properties such as viscosity

➢However, for flow of a compressible fluid (i.e., gas), the

solution to the diffusivity equation requires adjustment
because the physical properties, such as viscosity, isothermal
compressibility and the gas deviation factor, are strong
functions of pressure.

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 Derivation of the diffusivity equation
DIFFUSIVITY EQUATION FOR RADIAL, SINGLE-PHASE FLOW OF A GAS
Diffusivity Equation Substituting the real gas law
1 𝜕 𝜕 1 𝜕 𝑘𝑝𝑀 𝜕𝑃 𝜕 𝑃𝑀
𝑟𝜌𝑢𝑟 = − 𝜙𝜌 𝑟 = 𝜙
𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑡 𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜇𝑧𝑅𝑇 𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑡 𝑧𝑅𝑇
Equation of motion R, T, and M are constants. Assuming k constant
𝑘 𝜕𝑃 1 𝜕 𝑝 𝜕𝑃 1𝜕 𝑃
𝑢𝑟 = − 𝑟 = 𝜙
𝜇 𝜕𝑟 𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜇𝑧 𝜕𝑟 𝑘 𝜕𝑡 𝑧
Equation of state – Real gas law
𝑝𝑀 1 𝜕 𝑃 𝜕𝑃 1 𝑃 𝜕𝛷 𝜙𝜕 𝑃
𝜌= 𝑟 = +
𝑧𝑅𝑇 𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜇𝑧 𝜕𝑟 𝑘 𝑧 𝜕t 𝜕𝑡 𝑧
Combining Diffusivity equation Using the chain rule
and equation of motion
1 𝜕 𝑃 𝜕𝑃 1 𝑝 𝜕𝜙 𝜕𝑃 𝜕 𝑃 𝜕𝑃
1 𝜕 𝜌𝑘 𝜕𝑃 𝜕 𝑟 = +𝜙
− 𝑟 =− 𝜙𝜌 𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜇𝑧 𝜕𝑟 𝑘 𝑧 𝜕𝑃 𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑃 𝑧 𝜕𝑡
𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜇 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑡

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 Derivation of the diffusivity equation
Rearranging Substituting the total compressibility
1𝜕 𝑃 𝜕𝑃 𝑝𝜙 𝜕𝑃 1 𝜕𝜙 𝑧 𝜕 𝑃 1𝜕 𝑃 𝜕𝑃 𝑝𝜙𝐶𝑡 𝜕𝑃
𝑟 = + 𝑟 =
𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜇𝑧 𝜕𝑟 𝑧𝑘 𝜕𝑡 𝜙 𝜕𝑃 𝑃 𝜕𝑃 𝑧 𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜇𝑧 𝜕𝑟 𝑧𝑘 𝜕𝑡
Gas compressibility in terms of density

1 𝜕𝜌 2𝑅𝑇 𝜕 𝑃𝑀 𝑧 𝜕 𝑃 This is a nonlinear partial-differential

𝐶𝑔 = = = equation and cannot be solved directly.
𝜌 𝜕𝑃 𝑝𝑀 𝜕𝑃 𝑧𝑅𝑇 𝑃 𝜕𝑝 𝑧
We generally consider three limiting
Formation compressibility assumptions,
1 𝜕𝜙 P
𝐶𝑓 = ➢ is constant,
𝜙 𝜕𝑃 μz

Total compressibility ➢ μCt is constant, and

➢ the real-gas pseudo-pressure
𝐶𝑡 = 𝐶𝑓 + 𝐶𝑔 transformation.
Substituting total compressibility gives
1 𝜕 𝑃 𝜕𝑃 𝑃𝜙 𝜕𝑃
𝑟 = 𝐶 + 𝐶𝑔
𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜇𝑧 𝜕𝑟 𝑧𝑘 𝜕𝑡 𝑓

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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D
➢ The diffusivity equation for gas flow through porous media is:
1 𝜕 𝑝 𝜕𝑝 𝜙𝑐𝑡 𝑝 𝜕𝑝
𝑟 = (1)
𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜇Ζ 𝜕𝑟 2.64𝑥10−4 𝑘 Ζ 𝜕𝑡

Equation 1 is a nonlinear equation where 𝜇 and Ζ are strong

functions of pressure

Equation 1 is derived by combining:

• Continuity equation
• Transport equation
𝑝𝑀
• Real gas EOS 𝜌 =
Ζ𝑅𝑇

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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D
➢ In terms of the real gas Pseudo-pressure

Al-Hussainy, Ramey, and Crawford (1966) linearize the flow equation by

introducing the real gas potential m(p) to Eqn. 1.
𝑝 2𝑝
𝑚 𝑝 = ‫׬‬0 𝜇Ζdp (2)
Differentiating Eqn. 2 with respect to p
𝜕𝑚 𝑝 2𝑝
= (3)
𝜕𝑝 𝜇Ζ
Obtaining the following relationships by applying chain rule:
𝜕𝑚 𝑝 𝜕𝑚 𝑝 𝜕𝑝
= (4)
𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑝 𝜕𝑟
𝜕𝑚 𝑝 𝜕𝑚 𝑝 𝜕𝑝
= (5)
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑝 𝜕𝑡

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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D
Substituting Eq. 3 into Eqs. 4 and 5 and rearranging gives
𝜕𝑝 𝜇Ζ 𝜕𝑚 𝑝
= (6)
𝜕𝑟 2𝑝 𝜕𝑟
𝜕𝑝 𝜇Ζ 𝜕𝑚 𝑝
= (7)
𝜕𝑡 2𝑝 𝜕𝑡

Combining Eq. 6 and 7 with Eq. 1 gives:

𝝏𝟐 𝒎 𝒑 𝟏 𝝏𝒎 𝒑 𝝓𝝁𝒄𝒕 𝝏𝒎 𝒑
+ = (8)
𝝏𝒓𝟐 𝒓 𝝏𝒓 𝟐.𝟔𝟒𝒙𝟏𝟎−𝟒 𝒌 𝝏𝒕

Eq. 8 is the radial diffusivity equation for compressible fluid in terms of

pseudopressure.

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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D
➢ In terms of Pseudo- pressure

Analysis of gas well test using the pseudo pressure is similar to a slightly
compressible flow, except the psudopressure 𝑚(𝑝) or 𝑃𝑝 is used
instead of 𝑃.
The Pseudo pressure can be calculated using the trapezoidal rule.
𝑝 2𝑝
𝑚 𝑝 = ‫׬‬0 dp
𝜇Ζ

Steps
𝑝
1. calculate for each data point
𝜇𝑧
2. calculate the area under each interval to find the trapezoidal area
3. Calculate Pp at each point by using the cumulative area under the
curve.

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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D
Trapizoidal
P mu z 2P/mu/z Pp
area

0 0 0 0

150 0.01238 0.9856 24,587 1,844,001 1,844,001

300 0.01254 0.9717 49,240 5,537,031 7,381,032 400000

450 0.01274 0.9582 73,725 9,222,432 16,603,463
350000
600 0.01303 0.9453 97,424 12,836,223 29,439,686
300000
750 0.01329 0.9332 120,946 16,377,771 45,817,457

900 0.0136 0.9218 143,581 19,839,524 65,656,981 250000

Example

P/mu/z
1050 0.01387 0.9112 166,161 23,230,649 88,887,630
200000
1200 0.01428 0.9016 186,410 26,442,823 115,330,453
150000
1350 0.01451 0.8931 208,351 29,607,097 144,937,550
0.01485 0.8857 228,091 32,733,175 177,670,724 100000
1500
1650 0.0152 0.8795 246,851 35,620,634 213,291,358 50000
1800 0.01554 0.8745 264,906 38,381,753 251,673,111
0
1950 0.01589 0.8708 281,853 41,006,901 292,680,013 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500
2100 0.0163 0.8684 296,717 43,392,703 336,072,716 P
2250 0.01676 0.8671 309,649 45,477,402 381,550,118

2400 0.01721 0.8671 321,656 47,347,829 428,897,946

2550 0.01767 0.8683 332,402 49,054,335 477,952,281

2700 0.01813 0.8705 342,158 50,592,040 528,544,321

2850 0.01862 0.8738 350,335 51,936,980 580,481,301

3000 0.01911 0.878 357,599 53,095,011 633,576,312

3150 0.01961 0.883 363,833 54,107,395 687,683,70

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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D
The flow equation has the same form as the diffusivity equation for
slightly compressible fluid, with the pressure P replace by the
pseudopressure m(p) 𝝏𝟐 𝒑 𝟏 𝝏𝒑 𝝓𝝁𝒄𝒕 𝝏𝒑
𝟐 +
𝝏𝒓
= −𝟒
𝒓 𝝏𝒓 𝟐.𝟔𝟒𝒙𝟏𝟎 𝒌 𝝏𝒕
Assumptions for Eq. 8 are
1. Radial flow 𝝏𝟐 𝒎 𝒑 𝟏 𝝏𝒎 𝒑 𝝓𝝁𝒄𝒕 𝝏𝒎 𝒑
+ =
𝝏𝒓𝟐 𝒓 𝝏𝒓 𝟐.𝟔𝟒𝒙𝟏𝟎−𝟒 𝒌 𝝏𝒕
2. Laminar flow
3. Homogeneous formation The use of adjusted pressure and time in
4. Negligible gravity formulating equations for analysis of transient
tests in gas wells is not always necessary. For
5. Isothermal condition cases where use of transformed variables is not
6. Fluid obeys the real gas law needed , two approximations are possible
1. Pressure squared analysis (μz = constant)
2. Pressure analysis (p/μz = constant)

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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D
➢ Interms of pressure-squared (for p <= 2000psi)

Eq. 1 can be written interms of pressure squared, P2 by use of the fact

that
𝜕𝑝 1 𝜕𝑝2
𝑝 = (9)
𝜕𝑟 2 𝜕𝑟
𝜕𝑝 1 𝜕𝑝2
𝑝 = (10)
𝜕𝑡 2 𝜕𝑡
Substituting Eqns. 9 and 10 and considering 𝜇Ζ constant with respect to
pressure gives,
1 𝜕 𝜕𝑝2 𝜇𝜙𝑐𝑡 𝜕𝑝2
𝑟 = (11)
𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑟 2.64𝑥10−4 𝑘 𝜕𝑡
Eq. 11 is the diffusivity equation for gas in terms of pressure-square
which is similar to the diffusivity equation for slightly compressible fluid.
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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D
Assumptions for Eq. 11
are
1. Radial flow
2. Laminar flow
3. Homogeneous
formation
4. Negligible gravity
5. Isothermal
condition
6. Fluid obeys the real
gas law
7. 𝝁𝜡 is constant with
respect to pressure

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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D
➢ Interms of pressure- (for p >= 3000psi)
𝑝
If we assume is constant with respect to pressure, Eq. 1 can be
𝜇Ζ
written as:

1 𝜕 𝜕𝑝 𝜇𝜙𝑐𝑡 𝜕𝑝
𝑟 = (12)
𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑟 2.64𝑥10−4 𝑘 𝜕𝑡

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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D
Assumptions for Eq. 12
are
1. Radial flow
2. Laminar flow
3. Homogeneous
formation
4. Negligible gravity
5. Isothermal
condition
6. Fluid obeys the real
gas law
𝒑
7. 𝝁𝜡
is constant with
respect to pressure

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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D
➢ Summary
➢ Pressure disturbance moves away from wellbore at a rate
determined by
➢ Permeability
➢ Porosity
➢ Fluid viscosity
➢ Rock and fluid are compressible
➢ Gas flow equation is nonlinear due to the dependency of its
viscosity and compressibility on pressure
➢ Real gas Pseudopressure equation is valid for all pressure ranges
➢ Pressure squared equation is valid only for low pressure (
P<2000psi)
➢ Pressure equation is valid only for high pressure (P>3000 psi)
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 Gas well test analysis using Semilog
𝝏𝟐 𝒎 𝒑 𝟏 𝝏𝒎 𝒑 𝝓𝝁𝒄𝒕 𝝏𝒎 𝒑
𝟐
+ =
𝝏𝒓 𝒓 𝝏𝒓 𝟐. 𝟔𝟒𝒙𝟏𝟎−𝟒 𝒌 𝝏𝒕
The above equation (eq. 8) has the same form as the diffusivity
equation for slightly compressible liquids, with pressure replaced by the
real gas pseudo-pressure.
1637𝑞𝑔 𝑇 𝑘𝑡
𝑚 𝑝𝑤𝑓 = 𝑚 𝑝𝑖 − 𝑙𝑜𝑔 2 − 3.23 + 0.869𝑠 ′ (in field unit)
𝑘ℎ 𝜙ഥ
𝜇 𝑐𝑡 𝑟𝑤
where

𝑠 ′ is apparent skin factor

𝑞𝑔 is gas flow rate, Mscf/D
T is reservoir temperature, oR

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 Gas well test analysis using Semilog

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 Gas well test analysis using Semilog

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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D
➢ Non – Darcy Flow
➢ The pressure transient response of a gas well may be affected by
high-velocity or non-Darcy flow near the wellbore.
➢ Flow equation developed before are with Darcy flow assumption.
➢ This non-Darcy behaviour can be often modelled as a rate-
dependent skin factor.
𝑠 ′ = 𝑠 + 𝐷𝑞𝑔
Where
𝑠 = true skin due to damage or stimulation
𝑠 ′ = apparent of effective skin factor
𝐷
𝐷 = non − Darcy flow coefficient,
𝑀𝑠𝑐𝑓
𝐷𝑠𝑐𝑓
𝑞𝑔 = gas flow rate,
𝐷
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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D
➢ Non – Darcy Flow cont’d
➢ For a single test data,
2.2223𝑥10−15 𝛽𝑘𝑔 𝛾𝑔
𝐷=
ℎ𝑟𝑤 𝜇𝑔,𝑤𝑓
where
𝐷
𝐷 = non − Darcy flow coefficient,
𝑀𝑠𝑐𝑓
ℎ = formation thickness, ft
𝑘𝑔 = effetive permeability to gas, 𝑚𝑑
𝛾𝑔 = specific gravity of gas
𝑟𝑤 = wellbore radius, ft
𝛽 = turbulance parameter, 1/ft
𝜇𝑔,𝑤𝑓 = gas viscosity at flowing bottomhole pressure, 𝑝𝑤𝑓 𝐶𝑝

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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D
➢ Non – Darcy Flow cont’d

The turbulence parameter, 𝛽, is approximately inversely

proportional to effective gas permeability and maybe determined by

𝛽 = 1.88 𝑥 1010 𝑘𝑔−1.47 𝜙 −0.53

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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D

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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D

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Basic Theory of Gas flow in Reservoir CONT’D

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 Type Curve Matching for Gas Well Test Analysis

Procedure
Step 1: For drawdown test, plot Δ𝑚 𝑝 and 𝑡Δ𝑚 𝑝 ′ 𝑣𝑠 𝑡
For build-up test, plot Δ𝑚 𝑝 and Δ𝑡𝑒 Δ𝑚 𝑝 ′ 𝑣𝑠 Δ𝑡𝑒 .
Step 2: Align horizontal part of field data and the master type
curve pressure-derivative.
Step 3:Allign unit-slope part of the field data and type curve.
Step 4: Determine 𝐶𝐷 𝑒 2𝑠 from the match point and select a
match point Δ𝑚 𝑝 , 𝑝𝐷 and 𝑡, 𝑡𝐷 /𝐶𝐷 for build-up test.

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 Type Curve Matching for Gas Well Test Analysis
Procedure
Step 5: calculate permeability, k, from the pressure match point.
𝑞𝑔 𝑇 𝑝𝐷
𝑘 = 1422
ℎ Δ𝑚 𝑝 𝑀𝑃
Step 6: Calculate the dimensionless wellbore-storage coefficient, 𝐶𝐷 ,
from the time match point
0.000264𝑘 𝑡 𝑜𝑟 Δ𝑡𝑒
𝐶𝐷 =
𝜇ҧ 𝐶ഥ𝑡 𝑟𝑤2 𝜙 𝑡𝐷 /𝐶𝐷 𝑀𝑃
and to confirm
0.03723𝑞𝑔 𝑇 𝑡 𝑜𝑟 Δ𝑡𝑒
𝐶𝐷 =
𝜙ℎ𝐶ഥ𝑡 𝑟𝑤2 Δ𝑚 𝑝 𝑈𝑆𝐿

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 Type Curve Matching for Gas Well Test Analysis
Step 7: calculate the skin factor 𝑠 ′ with 𝐶𝐷 from step 6 and 𝐶𝐷 𝑒 2𝑠 from
step 4.
2𝑠
𝐶𝐷 𝑒
𝑠 ′ = 0.5𝑙𝑛
𝐶𝐷

Exercise
Calculate the following for the data given in Example 1 using Bourdet et
al type curve.
a. Effective permeability
b. Wellbore storage coefficient
c. Apparent skin factor
d. Skin factor due to non-Darcy flow
e. Mechanical skin factor

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 …

The End
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