Flow Regimes and 

the Diagnostic Plot

Narrated by: RS Trijana Kartoatmodjo, PhD

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Objectives
1. Identify early, middle, and late time regions on 
a diagnostic plot.
2. Identify characteristic shapes of flow regimes 
on a diagnostic plot.
3. List factors that affect pressure response in 
early time.
4. List boundaries that affect pressure response 
in late time.

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The Diagnostic Plot

Pressure change (p)

Pressure derivative (p )

Elapsed time (t ), hrs

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The Diagnostic Plot

Unit-slope
line

Near-wellbore effects
(wellbore storage)
Early-time Middle- Late-time
region time region
region

Elapsed time (t ), hrs

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The Diagnostic Plot

Homogenous reservoir 
horizontal derivative

Partial penetration, phase (best estimate of k )

redistribution, fracture
conductivity Middle- Late-time
time region
Early-time region
region

Elapsed time (t ), hrs

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The Diagnostic Plot

Infinite-acting
behavior

Partial penetration, phase Boundary

redistribution, fracture effects
conductivity
Middle- Late-time
time region
Early-time region
region

Elapsed time (t ), hrs

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Flow Regimes
• Common characteristic shapes of derivative
Volumetric
Radial
Linear
Bilinear
Spherical
• Different flow patterns may appear at different times 
in a single test
• Flow regimes follow sequence within model

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 Volumetric Behavior

Fluids from outside ‘recharge’ tank

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 Volumetric Behavior
qBt
Wellbore Storage p 
24C
Pseudosteady‐State Flow
0.0744qBt 141.2qB   re  3 
pi  pwf   ln    s 
ct hre2
kh   rw  4 

General Form p  mV t  bV

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Volumetric Behavior

General Form p  mV t  bV

p  mV t  bV 
Derivative t t
t t
 mV t

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Volumetric Behavior

Pressure change during recharge or

pseudosteadystate flow

Pressure derivative

Elapsed time (t ), hrs

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Volumetric Behavior

Wellbore
storage

Elapsed time (t ), hrs

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 Radial Flow

Wellbore

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Radial Flow

Wellbore

Fracture

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 Radial Flow
Late radial flow

Wellbore
Early radial flow

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 Radial Flow

Vertical Well

162.6qB   kt  
p  log 
2 
 3.23  0.869 s 
kh   ct rw  

General Form p  m logt   b

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 Radial Flow

General Form p  m logt   b

p  m logt   b 
Derivative t t
t t
m

2.303

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 Radial Flow

Pressure

Pressure derivative

Elapsed time (t ), hrs

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 Radial Flow

Radial
flow

Elapsed time (t ), hrs

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 Spherical Flow

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Spherical Flow
Vertical wellbore
Few perforations
open

Spherical flow

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 Spherical Flow

Small part of
Vertical wellbore zone perforated

Spherical flow

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 Spherical Flow

Certain wireline
Vertical wellbore testing tools

Spherical flow

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 Spherical Flow

Spherical Probe (RFT)

q   ct rp
2 
pi  pwf  1 
4krp  kt 
 
1 2
General Form p  bS  mS t

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Spherical Flow

1 2
General Form p  bS  mS t

p  b  mS t 1 2

Derivative t t S
t t
1 1 2
 mS t
2

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 Spherical Flow

Pressure

Pressure derivative
1
2

Elapsed time (t ), hrs

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 Spherical Flow

Spherical flow

Elapsed time (t ), hrs

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Linear Flow

Vertical wellbore Fracture

Linear flow

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 Linear Flow

Vertical
Linear
wellbore
flow

Channel (ancient
stream) reservoir
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 Linear Flow

Wellbore
Early linear flow

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Linear Flow
Late linear flow

Wellbore

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Linear Flow
12
16.26qB  kt 
Channel p   
khw  ct 
Hydraulic  12
4.064qB  kt 
Fracture p   
khL f  ct 
General Form
p  mL t 12
 bL

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 Linear Flow

General Form p  mL t 12
 bL

Derivative t
p
t

 mL t  bL 12

t t
1
 mL t 12

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Linear Flow

Pressure change in fractured/damaged or horizontal

well

Pressure change in
undamaged fractured well
Pressure 1
derivative

Elapsed time (t ), hrs

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Bilinear Flow

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Bilinear Flow

Hydraulic Fracture
12 14
44 .1qB   1   t 
p     
 wk 
h  f    c t k 

General Form p  mB t 14
 bB

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 Bilinear Flow

General Form p  mB t 14
 bB

Derivative t
p
t

 mB t  bB 14

t t
1
 mB t 14

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Bilinear Flow

Pressure in fractured,
damaged well

Pressure in fractured,
undamaged well

1
Pressure derivative

Elapsed time (t ), hrs

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Diagnostic Plot

Radial
Wellbore flow
storage Spherical flow Recharge?

Elapsed time (t ), hrs

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Flow Regime Identification tool

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The 
Radial 
Flow

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 Impermeable 
barrier
The doubling of the slope 
m on the Horner plot 
simplistically indicates 
that the sole cause is an
impermeable barrier near 
the well, such as a sealing 
fault.

9/25/2016 Well Test 238