Chapter 1

Introduction

1.1 Role of Gas Well Tests and Information

in Petroleum Engineering
Gas well test analysis is a branch of reservoir engineering. Information
derived from flow and pressure transient tests about in-situ reservoir condi-
tions is important in many phases of petroleum engineering. The reservoir
engineer must have sufficient information about the reservoir/well condition
and characteristics to adequately analyze reservoir performance and forecast
future production under various modes of operation. The production engineer
must know the condition of production and injection wells to persuade the best
possible performance from the reservoir.
Pressures are most valuable and useful data in reservoir engineering.
Directly or indirectly, they enter into all phases of reservoir engineering cal-
culations. Therefore accurate determination of reservoir parameters is very
important. In general, gas well test analysis is conducted to meet the following
objectives:
• To obtain reservoir parameters.
• To determine whether all the drilled length of gas well is also a producing
zone.
• To estimate skin factor or drilling and completion related damage to a
gas well. Based upon magnitude of the damage a decision regarding well
stimulation can be made.

1.2 History of Gas Well Testing

The first analysis was based on the empirical method applicable to very
porous and permeable reservoirs developed by Schellherdt and Rawlins,1
"Back-Pressure Data on Natural Gas Wells and Their Application to Produc-
tion Practices." Monograph 7, U.S.B.M. This method today is known as the
four-point (sometimes as the one-point) method. The [ (p2R — p^) versus qsc ]
square of the average reservoir pressure minus the square of the flowing
sand-face pressure is plotted versus the respective flow rates on log-log
paper. The maximum rate is read at the pressure equal to the average reservoir
pressure after a straight line is drawn through test points for four semi-stabilized
flow rates. Later, more practical methods of testing were developed. These
included the isochronal test and the modified isochronal test. Such tests have
been used extensively by the gas industry.
Most recently flow and pressure transient tests have been developed and
used to determine the flow characteristics of gas wells. Development of even
tighter gas wells was common during the late 1950s and fracturing with large
amounts of sand was routine. Pressure difference across the drainage area
often was great. By 1966, a group of engineers working with Russell, Shell
Oil, published articles using basic flow equations applicable to all gas wells,
regardless of the permeability and fractures used by the operators. The state
of the art was summarized in 1967 in "Pressure Buildup and Flow Tests in
Wells" by Matthews and Russell,2 SPE Monograph 1, Henry L. Doherty
Series. Earlougher4 again reviewed the state of the art in 1977 in "Advances in
Well Test Analysis" in SPE Monograph 5. One book5 was published in 1975
covering different aspects of flow and pressure transient analysis.
The analysis of pressure data for fractured gas wells has deserved special
attention because of the number of wells that have been stimulated by hydraulic
fracturing techniques. References 4 through 7 have presented a summary of
the work done on flow toward fractured wells in 1962 and 1978.

1.3 Gas Well Test Data Acquisition, Analysis,

and Management
Throughout the life of a gas well, from exploration to abandonment, enough
well test data are collected to describe well condition and behavior. It is
emphasized that the multidisciplinary professionals need to work as an in-
tegrated team to develop and implement well test data management programs.

Efficient Gas Well Test Analysis Programs

Initial bottom hole pressure measurements should be made, preferably at
each well and at a selected "Key Gas Well" periodically. According to Woods
and Abib, key gas wells represent 25% of the total wells.2 Also, they found it
is beneficial to measure pressure in all wells at least every 2 to 3 years to aid
in calibrating reservoir models. It is essential to establish the specification of
what and how much well test data need to be gathered and the procedure and
frequency to be followed. A logical, methodical, and sequential well test data
acquisition and analysis program is shown in Figure 1-1.
 Plan, justify, time, and
priorities

Design, conduct,
and analyze

Before production During production

Fluid data
Well test

Well test Production

Injection

Special

Figure 1-1. Logical well test data acquisition and analysis program.

1.4 Selecting Gas Wells for Optimum

Stimulation Treatment
The key to determining whether or not a well is a good candidate for stimula-
tion treatment is diagnosing the well to find the cause for its low productivity.
Buildup, drawdown, or drill-stem tests, core analyses, offset well data, and
other information can be used to accomplish this. After diagnosis, the opti-
mum well stimulation treatment, either small or massive hydraulic fracturing,
can be designed for the well. Figure 1-2 shows several sets of calculations de-
signed to evaluate well/reservoir behavior and evaluate reservoir parameters,
 A
Evaluate

Well / reservoir condition and

behavior Take

Calculate Different course of

action to increase gas
production
Well bore damage or skin effect,
condition ratio or flow efficiency

Result of Low permeability Reservoir

Using permeability throughout the pressure
of well reservoir depleted

Gas well testing techniques, core

analyses, offset well data and other
information Proper design
fracturing
treatment

Determine
Using

Causes of low productivity

Improved gas well
testing methods

Figure 1-2. Shows selection of gas wells for optimum treatment.

quality, and stimulation efforts to optimize completion methods for enhancing

hydrocarbon gas recovery and maximizing profitability.

1.5 Reservoir System Characterization Process

An efficient gas well test data acquisition and analysis program requires
careful planning, designing, conducting, and evaluation and well-coordinated
team efforts through an integrated approach. Figures 1-3 and 1-4 indicate
general activities in reservoir description and inputs from various engineer-
ing disciplines (integrated approach). Core analysis measurements of samples
selected by the geologist provide data for the preliminary identification of
 Reservoir Characterization by Integrated Approach

Types of general activities in reservoir description

Rock Structural Style Work Reservoir Quality Integration

Studies Studies Studies Studies

Lithology Structure Quality Profile

Depositional Origin Continuity Reservoir Zonation Pore Volume
Reservoir Rock Gross Thickness Net Thickness Transmissibility
Studies Trends Trends

Core Gas Well Pressure

Analysis Testing Production
History

Gas Flow and Pressure See Figure 1-4

Analysis Methods and Their
Uses

Figure 1-3. Reservoir system characterization flow chart process using inte-
grated approach.

reservoir rock types. Well test results using various techniques were reason-
able when compared with known geologic and core data. Well test studies aid
in recognizing flow barriers, fractures, and variations in permeability. Vari-
ous simulation studies can be used to test the physical model against pressure
production. Performance adjustments are made to the model until a match is
achieved. The major goal is optimization of gas recovery through characteri-
zation of the reservoir system.

Most Common Gas Well Test Interpretation Methods

Figure 1-4 shows gas flow and pressure analysis methods. Theory and
example applications to illustrate effective well test analysis practices can be
found and are discussed in the following chapters.
 Gas Flow and Pressure Analysis Methods and Their Uses

Theory and example

Gas well test Important applications to illustrate
interpretation reservoir effective gas well test analysis
methods parameters practices can be found in the
following chapters

Solutions of interest for

various boundary conditions Chapter 2
Gas Flow equations and reservoir geometry.

l"eh> r ev, r V w , S m , S C A , SCAf , L D

Horizontal well systems Chapter 3
k v and kh

Deliverability tests C, n and AOF Chapters 4 & 7

Drawdown & Buildup kh, S11, s'2, s, D, p R , Ap skin and

pore volume Chapters 5 & 6
tests

Type curve matching C s , CSD, k, <j)ct, s \ s f , x f

Chapter 8
methods

k , s , k f , C, C D ; C Df , m Chapter 9
Pressure derivative
omega and delta
techniques

Massive hydraulic and

kfW, Sf, r\ v , Xf,
fractured well behavior
(kfb f ) D , rVXf.kfbf Chapters 10 & 11
analysis methods

Interference, pulse tests

Homogeneous and
kh/^,(j)hc,kx,ky,kxy, kmin,km
heterogeneous reservoir Chapters 12,13, & 14
, 0, (J)^iC1 v , (J)1, k h t ,
behavior analysis

Field studies, decline curve History matching Chapters 15, 16, 17,18, & 19
analysis, overall skin factor, performance prediction
production stimulation and s , , Sp, s H , SV , s w b , s P f, s c , S 0
design criteria. , ss and Js / J v

Figure 1-4. Gas flow and pressure analysis methods.