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Pressure Derivative Analysis
Pressure Derivative Analysis
Pressure derivative analysis is based on the observation the pressure variation that occurs
during a well test is more significant than the pressure itself. The use of pressure derivatives
makes the well test interpretation easier in a number of ways:
Note that pressure derivative analysis does not necessarily provide additional information over
that provided by conventional analysis. Rather, it accentuates certain events and helps us
recognize events that would otherwise be hidden in the response.
k
p i p wf p m Log t p Log
2
c t rw
3.23
where
162.6q sc B
kh
and m 0
dt p
d p
d p
p dt p
2.3026d
dLog t p
dt p dLog t p
dt p dLn t p
or
d p
d p
2.3026t p
m
dLog t p
dt p
The above development implies that a log-log plot of [d(p)/d(Log tp)] versus tp should yield
a horizontal line with an intercept equal to m (Figure 1 ).
Figure 1
pD
tD
cD
where cD is the wellbore storage constant. By taking the logarithm of both sides, we obtain
dp D
1
t
D
d
c D
Therefore, when wellbore storage effects dominate, the derivative of the pressure curve with
respect to tD/cD also has a unit slope (Figure 2 , Daltaban and Wall (1998)courtesy Imperial
College Press).
Figure 2
During the radial flow period, the dimensionless form of the drawdown equation is:
pD
1
2s
t
Ln D c 0.8097 Ln c D e
D
Then,
dp D
1
2
d t D
c
D
The above equation implies that the derivative plot during radial flow will generate a horizontal
line with a value of 0.5 (Figure 2).
pwf = pi -pwf )
d p wf d p wf dt p
p 'wf t p
dLn t p
dt p dLn t p
This shows that drawdown data needs to be plotted on a log-log graph paper as Dtpwf'
versus tp.
t p t
p ws p i mLog
where
162.6qk B
kh
d p ws
t p t
d Log
d p ws
d t
d t
t p t
d Log
t p t
p 'ws t
Again, the above expression shows that field data should be plotted on a log-log graph as
t p t
p 'ws t
versus t.
In pressure buildup data, as pressure stabilizes, the pressure derivative approaches zero,
giving the impression of the response of a constant pressure boundary. A suggested correction
for this is to use an effective shut-in time
t e
t
tp
When this correction is not helpful, then the effect of a nearby boundary should be suspected
(in the presence of a boundary, the pressure derivative will also tend to zero in the case of a
drawdown test).
Derivative Calculation
The major disadvantage of derivative analysis is calculating the derivative from measured
pressure data. Any kind of pressure oscillation or noise in the data causes the derivative to
jump around, and some smoothing of the data becomes necessary.
In derivative calculations, the finite-difference method is used as a numerical tool. For data
with no noise, forward, backward and/or central differences probably will work fine. If noise is
present, the effect can be suppressed by using various algorithms. Some of the more
commonly used algorithms are presented below:
t i t i 1 p i 1
t t 2t i p i
t i 1 t i p i 1
dp
i 1 i
dt i t i1 t i t i1 t i1 t i1 t i t i t i1 t i t i1 t i1 t i1
The above algorithmic equation is not found to be very effective in removing the noise.
As a well test progresses, data are plotted over increasingly large time intervals. Under such
conditions, it is recommended to use the following expression that uses numerical
differentiation with respect to the logarithm of time.
t t
t
t i 1 t i1
Ln i1 i1 p i
p i1
Ln i p i1
Ln
t2
t
t
dp
i
i
i 1
dt
t
t
t
t
t
t
i
Ln i1 Ln i1 Ln i1 Ln i Ln i Ln i1
ti
t i 1
ti
t i1
t i1
t i 1
Horne [1990] suggests another method for reducing noise. This algorithm, which uses data
points that are separated by at least 0.2 of a log cycle, is given below:
t
Ln i p i j
dp
t ik
t
t i j
t
dt i
Ln i j
Ln
ti
t i k
t i j t i k
t i j
p
Ln
p ik
Ln
i
t2
t
i
i
t
i j
t
t
t
Ln i Ln i Ln i j
Ln
t ik
t i k
ti
t i k
where
Figure 3
Almost all of the pressure derivative type curves are plotted together with the pressure type
curves. With this presentation of type curves, it is possible to analyze the test data without
going through the Horner plot.
Figure 5 and Figure 6
Figure 6
(after Boudarot, 1998courtesy Editions Technip) show three of the most commonly used
pressure/pressure derivative type curves. The procedure for using infinite-acting and
homogeneous reservoir pressure derivative type curves is as follows:
Figure 5
Plot p versus t and p' versus t on a log-log graph with the same scale as
that of the type curve.
Align the horizontal segment of the Dp' versus t curve with the constant
slope=0.5 line segment of the pressure derivative type curve. The onset of the
horizontal segment of the Dp' versus Dt curve signifies the start of the infiniteacting (transient) flow period.
With the vertical axis (pD) set, shift the field (real) pressure plot to the left or right
until the first few points of the data fall on the unit slope segment of the type
curve. This match will set the horizontal (tD/cD) axis.
the end of wellbore storage (departure from the unit slope line), t
p D
t Dk D
kh
141.2qB
0.000295
M
kh
c
e 2s
0.8936c 2 s
e
c t hr w2
(since cDe2s is known from the curve matched, (s)can be back-calculated from the
above equation).