SPE 9347 SPE Soca Petron Coreerscr Att ‘SHORT TERM PRESSURE BUILD-UP ANALYSIS IN VERTICALLY FRACTURED WELLS, CONSTANT RATE AND VARIABLE RATE CASES by Terence J, Seardall, uabi Petroleum co. Thetrabralis Soetoro Scenyrght 190, émarican este of ang, Metta. and Petroleum Ensnees, Ts rape was resort al th Stn Anal Fel Tochnal orererce an Exnoion cl ha Sac of Petleun Engreerscl AME, hed Dals, Toca, Septonbet 21:24, 1080, hor Permission fo tooy Steshctng oan sbstacielfatmtetan SO word, Wa E200N Conta Sepa, Baloo toes DOR. ABSTRACT Enpirical approxination equations to the uniform flux and finite conductivity vertically fractured woll| nodels are presented. The equations are of similar Form and can be superposed to derive a wide range of analysis techniques analagous to those for radial Flow. To this paper, both constant rate and variable rate build-up cases are diecuzsed. New plotting ‘methods are derived uhich extané the normal Horner radial flow stvaight Line back to much earlier shut- in tines. The techniques are particularly useful in ‘the analysis of shart term pressure build-ups, ubich do not reach pseudo~ radial flow. muqgonuerrow During the last few yours, major advances have been made In the study of transient behaviour in vertically Fractured tells, Mathematical nodels have bean developed which enable the engineer to analyse ‘the entire pressure history of a test, detersining not enly gross reservoir characteristics but also gaining knowledge of the type and geometry of the fracture. ‘The vertically fractured well models most coneonly used in transiest analysis are the infinite conductivity and,uniform flux sclutions developed by Gringarten et al’. and che Finite conductivity solutions developed by Cinco et at’. All these nodele exhibit a 1.181 slope straight Line at late tines when plotted as py versus 108 tpy » indicating that semilogarithmic anslysis methods Can be applied for late tine analysis. furthermore, the models have characteristic shapes when plotted a3 19g pp versus log| tou + Type curve matching procedures can therefore De"used to" determine fornstion and also fracture Paraneters. A conbinatjon of both methods, as pointed ‘out by Gringarten et al’, should permit an extra gniinary confidence eve! iy the analysts of Held References and Tilusteations at end oF papers ___ Tn many cases, however, field data is far from ideal. The effects of afterflow, danage or inprove~ nent on the fracture face and rate variations, either individually or in combination, can lead to serious errors when using type curve matching procedures. Senilogarithmic nethods are generally more accurate, But, with the current high price of oil, it de often prohibitively expensive to test Long enough to achieve pseudo radial Flow. Type curve matching then becones the only snalysis setkod available, without the use of complex, regression analysis computer prograns In this paper, enpiricel approximation equations are presented for the various vertically fractured well models. The equations exhibit a senilog straight Ling, with a’ slope equal to 1.18), starting approx” inately one log cycle before the beginning of the pseudo radial flow period, The equations are of Sintlan forn and can be superpased to generate 2 wide renge of analysis methods, analagous to these for radial flow. Tor illuetracion purposes, constant rate and variable rate pressure build-up analysis methods are presented. THEORY ‘The two vertically fractured well models aiscussed in this paper are the uniform flux model presented by Gringarten et al'. and the finite vity models presented by Cinco et al’ nite conductivity nodel also presented by Gringarten et at! can be considered as a Limiting ease of the finite conductivity nodels.) (the HE ww RY FLX MODEL ‘The uniform Flux modal ie a first approxination to the behaviour of @ vertically fractured well. For a single well in an infinite reservoir, the pressure drawdown equation is given by 2 Site Lae] el aa)? i (=? we Where py = @2 CCONSTAN? RATE AND VARIABLE” RATE CASES. SPE s9u7 26 10% eee) and Tio At long tines (tp, > 2) equation 1 may be approximated by seer) = 1MONS + 2.1519 Jog thy, ++ tho 1.151 somilog slope being a characteristic of conventional radial flow analysis methods. At early Eines (5,,< 0-1) equation 1 becomes, pp = Mme, seaee5) o om which is the conventional result for a tinear systen. Equation § indicates that early tive data will exhibit a characteristic half elope when plotted as 10g Ry vOrstS 16 Ey, Equation u can be modified to include the transition period between Linear end redial flow, such that , # LKOOL + 1.2515 Log ( ty, + -0845)..(6) Equation 6 is an empinical approxination to equation 1 but ie accurate to lest than 0.28 for all tines after toy = 0-08 (i.e. from the ond of the Linear flow petiod) EINITE CONDUCTIVITY FRACTURED WELL NODES, Cinco et a1? give tabulated zp versus tp, data for a vertically fractured well with finite * Conductivity, They shew she the various solutions cin be corseiaced by the prosuct hyp ig, wich J Sesenttsily the fractune Flow condteseey- For al values of fracture conductivity, Cinco ot al. showed that the solutions exhipit a 1.15) Slope senilog straight line at late tines. The start of the straight line varies betwoan toy = 2.5 for lon fracture conductivities and ty = 5 for high fracture conductivities, The characteristic half slope on log-log plot, honever, is only developed for high fracture conductivities. Cinco et el. aleo showed that the uniform flux vertical fracture nodel acts as a variable con ductivity fracture. At early tines, the solution behaves ae an infinite conductivity fracture while at late tines it folloys the solution for kp <9 = .t, Geingarten et al? stated that in the analysis of well tests, the infinite conductivity solution applies best to propped hydraulic fractures while ‘the uniform flux solution appears to apply nore oftes| to naturally fractured formations. However, we have also found that the uniform flux solution applies to in Limestone For practical well tect analysis, a generalized form of equation 6 has been found to fit all che fractured well models, such that 2D Py = A #261813 106 (toy, + FD where A and Pare constants, dependent on fracture type and conductivity, Figire 1 shows the results of equation 7 plotted as py versus 10g (tog > P+ ‘The 1.151 slope senilog straight line starts at approxinately toy = 0.2 for all. Finite conductivity, Fractures, at east one log cycle before the onset of pseudo-radial flow. Figure 2 shows the constants A and F plotted against the log of the fracture conductivity. Fer conductivities greater than 10n, F is essentially constant with a value of 0.21. In practice, this neens that data after toy = 0.2 cannot differentiate betweon fracture type. hie ie because an infinite conductivity fracture with skin damage would give the same response as a finite conductivity fracture. Though equation 7 exhibits a 1,151 stope straight Line, characteristic of conilog analysis wathods, it cannot be used directly in well test analysis. Amore useful form is a, = AN #2.2519 tog (Be +). +8) ceseeeeeeee eel 8.6 x 10-9 & hey and AN = A 1.1519 log F (20) Equation B can be superposed to derive @ wide range of snalysis methods, analagous to those for radial flow. In this paper, both constant rete and variable rate pressure build-up cases will be davoioped. ANT RATE_DRANDoW RE BUILD-UP PRE con The generalized equation for a pressure build-up preceded by a constant vate drawiovn can be written ao] Ry 7 1842 QB CoyL (Sp r0t)) “B,D AD) Substituting for py using equation 8, the pressure build-up equation for a fractured well becomes R= A 7 PIAL gue toe (ep #8) #2 oo. (02) Bat et Equation 12 indicates that a plot of R, vereue th Jog term will be a straight Line with slope’ = 2121 ‘Quo/kh. For large values of tine or large val the og term reduces to the faniliar Horner ratio ter at/az. The normal Horner straight tine section 35 ‘therofcre oxtenced to much earlier tines as shown in Figure 3. In all other respects the ansiysie ie essentially the sane as for a conventSonal Horner plot. For instance, the ekin factor can be deter Teined using the standand formula’: 2.0923]..(13) 21.1519) yen Ry Joe kt [apa Py Py dang determined at log (ty + 1)/1 as for a S¥nel Horner plot. Sinilarly gversge pressures can be determined by either MBHfor Diet? methods.sre 9347. DETERMINATION OF at this point, the method of determining i should be discussed. Taree nethods have been found to be genevolly useful: 1. From a type curve match. pcan be determined directly fron the tine axis atch point, where, Ae lela F fs obtained from Figure 2 for the value of Fracture conductivity corresponding to the patched curve. If the unfforn flu fracture type curve is used F = 0.0845. oe ‘this method for determining @ is only useful if production tine ie relatively long compared to Bhutvin tine and variable rate effects are spall. If these conditions are not satisfied, the type curve patch can be significantly in error and he value of P will be incorrect. Tor an in- Gonvect fi valve, the data will plot as a curve nt not a ¢ straight Line on a senilog f plot. 2. gy Tefal And Error can be determined relatively easily by trial God errors the correct value of A being the one which gives the longest straight Line section on Iiserilog Bi plot. Pigure 3 shove the effects of Bither too large, ov too small a value of Be ‘The advantage of the trial ang error method ts thet no knowledge of fracture type is required. Once f has been established, the date can be Sesuperposed to obtain a comrected 'arewtown" plot fas discussed in the following section. This can then be used with type curves to identify the fracture type and conductivity. 3, From A Ray Versus /at Plot By substituting for tp,, and Pp sn equation 5 andl 6 terns, as) thie, if a Linea flow straight Line is developed! Gn a Pyq versus JAE plot, the slope can be used {D ebetla B. Because the Linear flow slope is amy developed for nigh frecture conductivities, Pull be either 0.22 for the infinite eon ductivity cage on 0.0806 for the uniform flax Grecture case. Unforsunately, the radial flow Slope mis alco required. An iterative procedure fay therefore have to ba adopted if the true Pedial flow slope {3 not reached on 3 semilog ples. We have found that it is generally preferable to fetermine P from either method 1 op 2, Equation fs can then be used to determine F as @ check om Fracture type and conductivity. Ted. BEARDALL 4 PRESSURE BUILD-UP PRECEDED BY A VARIABLE RATE DRAWDOWI A multiple rate flow sequence followed by a pros- sure bulid-up can be superposed to give the following general formula, Fee FP 7 1882 awd Lay CL Grat = 52) as) = ple, fat = 431). where gy is the last rate before shut-in, Again, Substituting for p, by equation 8, Bltpt at - ty) +2... Rete ya A plot of p, versus the sumation term will be a straight Line ofelope m= 2121 qyp/eh and an Inter~ cept of p+ For large values of fy or large values of t, the suination term reduces to gj tog ty tat ty on aT which was presented by Horner. The Horner sun can be tedious to calculate by hand and would generally be evaluated by computer. As a consequence, the engineer hes often avoided using this nethod preferring the sinpler but lese accurate t)* approximations’ However] with the advent of the programmable calculator the Suimation teras for either equation 17 or 18 can be sasily calculated and should see more widespread use. and ty =O. wwe obtain 1 ~ B2tego ta, tog, Rh 2a, Pr --(s) Aa in the cage of the constant rate build-up, can unually be determined by any of the three methods described above, though the trial and error nethod is generally most applicable. However, hon the rate Nenies significantly prion to shutting in the well, trfal and error nay be the only method available for determining @ accurately, in waich case the fracture type will be unknown the established value of ean be used to calcu late ap, ina siniler sathod to that proposed by Slided™ A plot of Ap against at on a log-log raph will desuperpose”the data to the drasdown curve for all values of at, provided houndary effects do not Influence the builé-up. A2eq can be calculated from the foliowing equation, which te derived ueing the vortical fracture version of the erawdown sun given by Odeh and Jones® Beg Bey +B (Slateo) ~ Fae. vtere Flas) = Tae guatetetio at ~ Sy Pt (29) )+u(20a) As well as being useful for the identification of fracture type uaing type curves, the desuperposed pressure cata can also be plotted against /At to obtain| The Linear Flow slopa, provided the fracture condueti- vity is high enough for a otraight Line to have developed. Fracture length can then be calculated from] ‘the following equation, sintlar to that given by char my = 001959 QB [ u } perro) ty B aKat ‘CONSTANT RATE AND VARIABLE RATE CASES The use of the AR. data is i2lustrated in Example 2. nts ‘Throughout this paper SPE preferred ST units have| deen used. If ffeld units are used, the follwing constants should be employed. owe decones 142.2 in equations 2, 11 and 16 becomes 162.8 in equations 12 and 17 becones 0.000264 in equations 3 and 9 becones 3.2275 in equations 13 becomes 4.064 in equation 21. of apPLICATION Example 2 ‘The finet example is a chort term build-up test. ‘The well was acié fraced on conpietion and then pro- duced for approvinately 9 months before th Table L gives the pertinent reservoir, well property data. Because the well wos shut-in for only 8 hour ‘the production time ia mich greater than the shut tine and a druvdovn type curve can therefore be used. Figure # shows the build-up data fitted to the unitora flux fracture type curve, from the match, the end of the bufld-op cedure at about thy 2 0+7, Well before The onset of radial Flow. Con€quentiy normal sani2og anslyeis petheds are not applicable, However, the tine axis match (tp, 7 O-1, 6¢ = 1.18h), can be used ermine pusihg equation 14, as follow, Be 9.2) = 2.008 cont cay ‘the build-up data is plotted as Aun data from at © 0.7 hours shown plots as a straight Line with 2 slope of 2810 kPa/ cycle (12 pai/eycle). For a conventional Horner plot, also shown on Figure 8, there is ro straigat Line section. Permeability can be calculated from the straight Line slope as follows, ke + 2022(988.3 n¥/a)(.00205 Fa.s)(1.28 hh 2610 KFa/eyoia) (35 my 0269 unt (29.3 na) ‘he 1op-20g plot (Figure 4), exhibits 2 half siope until a af OF 1.52 hours, infleating Linear How. then plotted a8 Dyq vorsus/at. these date Yield o straight Line with slope m= 2260 kPa.b’? Gast potanias Eracture Length can then be calculate asing eqistson 21 a5 folioWs, xy = 0:1959¢988.3 n2/a)(1.29 n/n?) Cizso kPa. TICSS (00105 Pa.s) + THWBN 2 «10-* BaD LOTTD pa ‘mat ds, vy = 48.0 m (157 fe) ‘These results coxpare favorably to those obtained fron the type curve match which gives k 0269 pn? (29.3 md) and %y = 48.8 m (160 ft). In contrast, if the final points on the Horner plot are erroneously assumed 20 fe on a straight Line, SPE 97 ‘conventional methods would give k = .0992 ua? (93.6 md) fond xy 2 64.0 m (167 Ft)3 errors of 168 and -88 respectively. Also the extrapolated pressure, pA obtained fron the Horner plot, would be 22075 kFa (2318 psig), 915 kPa (133 pes) too low. If necessary, the results could be refined further by calculating a few Pusing equation is, replotting Figure 5 and repeating the calculations.” However, in ‘this particular case the original P deternination is sufficiently accurate for enginesring purposes. The close agreenent between the type curve match and the proposed senilog plot leads to.a high degree of confidence in the results obtained. Example 2 Exanple 2 is also a shore term build-up test. However, in this case, the test was carried out soon peter the well was acid fraced. The well was treaced fat an equivalent average ofl rate of 4130 mi/é (26000 BPD) for 2.9 hours and then shut-in to run pressure gauges before boing floued for 3 furcher 22.6 hours. During the flow period, the rate declined fron 1520 n¥/| @ (9800 BPD) to 739 m®/d (lig80 BPD). Finally the well was shut-in for a 45 hour build-up period. Pertinent reservoir, well and fluid data are given in Table 2. As might be expected, because of the variable rate and short production period, a preliminary log~ og plot dove not fit any of the fractured well type curves. Furthermore, the Horner plot (Tigure 6) continues to curve upvard throughout the build-up and consequently has no obvious straight Line section. Danust therefore be determined by trial end error. ‘The variable rate sun (equation 17) was calculated for differing values of B, the longest straight Line being obtained with @= 0.45, (+ .01) h*L These cata ane given in Table 2 and plotted on Figure §. The sraight Line section has a slope of 880 kPa/eycle (708 psi/eyele) end an extrapolated initial pressure of 25490 kFa (3588 psig). Perscabiuity fe calculated fron the slope a follows, k= 2u2u(720 n¥e) (00295 Pa.s)(1.22 n/m) = ,0187 pot (880 KPa/eyeie) (27-5 wm) fas.9 ba) Yo cetermine fractune type and geonetry {¢ ta necessary fo calculate apy fem equstion 20 axing the previcurly. doterwined veltle of and a. the eau Tated values of Ay, ae given, in Table 2. "The dev Sipecponed. date oft'shom on Figure, Dy puocted werd6s Gee. these is an excellent. ctreight Lino, section ou with asting approxinately 4 hours into the bi a slope of 1547 kPa.ir"% 224.0 peltiM#), The un- corrected ap data are also plotted on Figure 7, Ellustrating how the data are curved by the preceding variable rate effects, obscuring the true Linear flow ight Line. From the Linear flow slope, the fracture ength ig calculated from oquation 21 ae follows, sy = (0.1959)6700 w/ay(2.99 6/53) (2567 KPa. EM) (87.5 m) Pag) [(0.995)(2.42 10°? POCO? pe) That is, 1 = 829m (7 fe)spe 9347 Te J. BEARDALL 5 Minally f ig determined from equation 15, (.u2n9)(a5u7 Pa.bvp" F'(yen0 ea/eyele P o.m6 Tat ts, F = 0.092 ‘Te value of F is close to that for a uniform flux fracture where F = 0.0846 and it is therefore Concluded that the uniform flux fracture is the most Sppropriate model for this particular well. (0.082 could also apply to a very low conductivity fracture. However, in this case, the Linear flow straight Line would not be developed.) [A log-log plot using the Apjq data could also be used to ebtain essentially the sue results, hoxever, the exanple illustrates how Fracture type and geometry can be derived without the use of type curves. concLusTONS 1. Both finite conductivity and uniform flux vertical fracture modols can be epproxinated by enpinical equations of the form, gy FA +2518 208 (oq, + FD for toy greater than 0.2 2. Fracture conductivity can only be datermined From data occurring before tpyy = 0.2. After this tine, there de no distinguishable aitference between a Finite conductivity Fracture and on infinite conductivity fracture with skin daage. 3. The approximation equations to the various vertically fractured well odels can be supor- posed to derive a wide range of anslysis Pechniguse, The constant rate and variable pate bullé-vp casas have been presented in this papers 4. The fractured well build-up analysis methods deccribed in this However, they are parcicularly useful in the gnelysis of short term build-up surveys which, Go not extend into the normal ‘The techniques enable the engineer zo derive accurate results without the aid of corplex fegression snalysie computer programmes. ACHOVOWLEDSEMENTS ‘the author wishes to thank the Governnent of pubat and the Managenent of Dubai Petroleun Company and its Partner Companies for permission to publish this paper. NOMENCLATURE A = constant, defined in equation 2. 3. = formation volune factor, res m/std os Gy = total system conpressibtzity, Pat Fo = constant, defined in equation 7 h = formeion thickness, X= formeion perneabiliey, yn Ky = Srecture permeability, pms Nyz_ dinansSonless fracture perseability, ky /k a F of peper have general application. Tadial flow period. Rete a0 uw sonilog slope, kPa/log cycle. Linear flow slope, kPa.h'# pressure, kPa. ‘Sinensionless pressure. Initial reservoir pressure, kPa. Flowing pressure, kPa extrapolated flowing pressure, kPa. shut-in pressure, kPé preasure on eemilog slope evaluated at ‘at 21 hour, kPa. pressure on cemilog slope extrapolated to infinite ehutein tine, kPa. flowrate, 03/4 wollbore radius, m. skin factor. tine, he dizensionless tine. producing tine, he shut-in tine, he fracture width, a. dinensfonless fracture width, w/x, fracture half lengthy B- wees Gringarten, A.C.) and Raney, Bods, Jet Ngnsteady-State Pressure Distributions Created by @ Well with 9 Single Infinite-Conductivity Vorties Fracture," Soc. Pet. Eng. J. (Aug. 1978) 387, cinco, H., Samanfege, F., and Doninguess We “eranaient Preeetre Behaviour for a Well with a Pinite-Conductivity Vertical Fracture,” Soc. Pet. Eng. J. (Aug. 1978), 252. Gringarten, A.C.» Ramey, HoJ., Srey and Raghavan, Re: "Applied Pressure Analysis for Practured Wollo,"J. Pet. Tech. (July 1975), #97. Horner, D-Re Procss Thing World Pet. Cong. Sea. HE, $08523. "ppesoure Bufld-Up in Welie," ‘The Hague (2951), van Everdingens AP. 1e Skin Effect and its Influence on the Productivity Capacity of @ elt" Trans. AIME (1959), 199, 171-176. natehens, C.8.» Bronsy F,, and Hazebrock, Pot SA Hethod for Determination of Average Pressure 2 Bounded Reservoin,"” Trans., AINE (1354) 201, 182. Diete, 06M, Pressure Fron Build-Up Surveys, (hug 1965), 955-259. "poteraination of Average Reservois Odeh, A.S. and Selig, F1 "Preseure Build-Up analysis, Vardable-zate Caco," J. Pet, Tech. (duly 1968), 790-738. Slider, H.C. "A Simplified Method of Pressure Bulld-lp analysis for a Stabilized Well," (Sept. 2971), 1155-1150. deh, A.S. and Jones, 1.G.: "Pressure Drawdown Analysis, Vardable-Rate Case," J. Pet. Tech. (isug. 1985), 960-964, clark, K Injection Wells," J. Pet. Tech ‘ivanaient Pressure Testing of Water (une 1968), 633.a ae & + £0 x 20% 23.9 104psi*) br ere gy Pi Etat HRs Li ebm wes ae Gout te pea ean ce one Popp agen ger agpearmnes (ot carats a ° (0) ge 298 : : as al Pree aa e9 : BBR Pr Bsa ge ; IGS PTE rte ll Baw : Be : 33 te at (4 se cig) Bzeb BeOwe nt ane toot ee a oe eee - pater (G¥st0) ‘sonsFig, 1- Pr verus Tog (tag F) fr a finite conductivity vertical fracture, 0000 20 neue Sunt of Raia 20000 26000 Te 12 Wb 08 08 os a2 0 tag Burp eared Fig. 2~ Constante & and F versus fracture conductivity. Fig. 3 Simulated tld plot shoving the effect of varyieg 2.wp 1 Fig, 4~ Type cure watch, Exaglo 1. Fig, 6~ Yarieble rate butldap plot, Example 2. Fig, 5 ~ ulldap plot, ramte 1. Fig, 7 Linear flow plat, Example 2,