By:

Vishnu P Raj
Assistant Professor
Department of Petroleum Engineering
Al Habeeb College of Engineering & Technology
 The constant terminal rate solution of the radial diffusivity
equation and its application to oil well testing: The constant
terminal rate solution – transient, semi steady state and steady
state flow conditions – dimensionless variables – general
theory of well testing – the Mathews, Brons, Hazebroek
pressure build up theory - pressure build up analysis
techniques – Multi Rate Drawdown testing – the effects of
partial well completion – after flow analysis.

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 2

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 3
 The constant terminal rate solution is the equation of
pwf versus t for constant rate production for any value
of the flowing time.

 The pressure decline, can normally be divided into three

sections depending on the value of the flowing time and
the geometry of the reservoir or part of the reservoir
being drained by the well.
◦ Transient solution
◦ Late transient solution
◦ Semi Steady State

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 4

 Transient solution
◦ The pressure response at the wellbore is not
affected by the drainage boundary of the well
◦ The reservoir appears to be infinite in extent
 Late transient Solution
◦ After the transient region
◦ The shape of the area drained
◦ Position of the well with respect to the boundary
 Semi-steady state
◦ Rate of change of wellbore pressure with respect to
time is constant

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 5

 The constant terminal rate solution for transient
flow conditions
 The boundary and initial conditions
◦ Before producing, the pressure everywhere within the
drainage volume is equal to the initial equilibrium
pressure Pi
P = Pi @ t = 0, for all r
◦ The pressure at the outer, infinite boundary is not
affected by the pressure disturbance at the wellbore.
P = Pi @ r = α , for all t
◦ The line source inner boundary condition

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 6

 The constant terminal rate solution of the radial
diffusivity equation, determined using the Laplace
transform & approximated by line source solution

 Line source solution

 Including Skin factor

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 7

 Where

 line source approximation is only valid if

◦@r=r w

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 8

 When the line source approximation is not
valid the solution is given by

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 9

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 10
Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 11
Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 12
Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 13
Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 14
 For Semi steady state condition the
generalized formula with skin factor ( with
average reservoir pressure & initial reservoir
pressure)

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 15

 Radial diffusivity equation

 Radial diffusivity equation in terms of

Dimensionless variables

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 16

 Where the dimensional variables are

◦ Dimensionless radius
=
◦ Dimensionless time
𝒌
=
𝝋𝝁𝒄
◦ Dimensionless pressure
𝝅𝒌
, = − ,
𝝁

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 17

 The general solution of radial diffusivity equation is
dimensionless pressure as a function of
dimensionless radius and time.
 For the analysis at well bore r = 𝑤 → 𝐷 =

𝝅𝒌
, = = − 𝒇
𝝁
 Considering mechanical skin factor
𝝅𝒌
− 𝒇 = +𝑺
𝝁

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 18

 The general solution

 Transient flow condition

𝑘𝑡
𝑡𝐷𝐴 = 𝑡𝐷𝐴 < .
𝜑𝜇𝑐

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 19

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 20
 The reasons for using dimensionless
variables in pressure analysis are
◦ The dimensionless variables lead to both a
simplification and generality in the mathematics.
◦ If the radial flow of any fluid can be described by
the differential radial diffusivity equation in terms
of dimensionless variable then the solutions will
be identical irrespective of the nature of the fluid.
◦ Since the variables are dimensionless then
equations expressed in terms of them are
invariant in form, irrespective of the units system
used.

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 21

 The total pressure drop at a wellbore can be calculated as the
sum of the effects of several flowrate changes within the well,
or it may be the sum of the effects caused by production
from nearby wells.

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 22

 Application of superposition: Simulating
Boundary Effects
◦ An imaginary well is placed at a distance from the
real well equal to twice the distance to the
boundary.
◦ The flowrate histories are identical
◦ The principle of superposition can be used to
couple the effect of the imaginary well to the real
well in order to calculate the real well’s bottom
hole flowing pressure

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 23

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 24
 The main aim of MBH is to illustrate a simple method of
evaluating the function for a variety of drainage
shapes and for any value of the dimensionless flowing
time.
 MBH developed different charts for 𝟒𝝅𝒌 ∗ − vs 𝑡𝐷𝐴
𝝁

 The individual plots are for different geometries and

different asymmetries of the producing well with
respect to the no-flow boundary
 The MBH charts will be used to determine 𝐷 𝑡𝐷
functions for different range of drainage geometries
covered by the charts and for any value of the flowing
time.

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 25

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 26
Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 27
 Well testing involves producing well at a constant rate or
series of rates, some of which may be zero (well closed in),
while simultaneously taking a continuous recording of the
changing pressure in the wellbore using some form of
pressure recording device.
 The retrieved record of wellbore pressure as a function of
time can be analyzed in conjunction with the known rate
sequence to determine some or all of the following reservoir
parameters:
 Reservoir Parameters: Initial pressure (Pi), average pressure
within the drainage boundary (P̅), permeability thickness
product (kh), and permeability (k), mechanical skin factor (S),
area drained (A), Dietz shape factor (CA)

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 28

 The three most common forms of well testing
are the
◦ Single rate drawdown test,
◦ Pressure buildup test and
◦ Multi-rate drawdown test.

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 29

 Single rate drawdown test
◦ In this type of test the well is flowed at a single
constant rate for an extended period of time
◦ Determination of kh, k, S, A & CA

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 30



Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 31

 Pressure buildup test
◦ Ideally the well is flowed at a constant rate q for a
total time t and then closed in. During the latter
period the closed-in pressure pwf = pws is
recorded as a function of the closed in time Δt.
◦ The most common method of analysis is to plot the
closed in pressure pws as a function of log (t +
Δt)/Δt. This is called the Horner plot and can be
used to determine pi or p , kh, k and S.

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 32

 Horner Plot

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 33

 Multi-rate drawdown test.
◦ In this form of test the well is flowed at a series of
different rates for different periods of time.
◦ Closing in a well for a pressure buildup survey is
often inconvenient since it involves loss of
production.
◦ Therefore, multi-rate drawdown testing is
sometimes practiced as an alternative means of
measuring the basic reservoir parameters.

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 34

 The analysis is done
By plotting

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 35

 Multi-rate drawdown test.
◦ In this form of test the well is flowed at a series of
different rates for different periods of time

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 36

 In deriving the basic diffusivity equation for liquid
flow, it was assumed that the well was completed
across the entire producing interval thus implying
fully radial flow.
 If for some reason the well only partially penetrates
the formation

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 37

 The flow can no longer be regarded as radial.
Instead, in a restricted region at the base of the
well, the flow could more closely be described as
being spherical.
 The deviation from radial flow due to restricted
fluid entry leads to an additional pressure drop
close to the wellbore which can be interpreted as
an extra skin factor.
 This pseudo skin can be determined as a function
of two parameters, the penetration ratio b and the
ratio h/rw, where

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 38

 Penetration ratio is defined as

 And the h/rw is

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 39

 When a well is closed in, because the fluids in the
flow string have a higher compressibility,
production will continue at the sand face for some
finite time after the surface production has ceased.
This flow of oil in to the well after the closure of
well due to the compressibility of oil is known as
after flow
 The time lag between closing in the well at the
surface and feeling the effects of closure in the
reservoir, dependent upon the mechanical design
of the well.

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 40

 If the well is completed with a packed off annulus
the volume of fluids in the flow string is
considerably smaller if no packer is used and the
after flow effects will be of less significance.
 After flow distorts the early part of the Horner
buildup plot

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 41

 After flow analysis methods for the determination
of kh product & S.
◦ Russell Analysis
◦ McKinley Analysis
 After flow analysis are less accurate than those
from the simple Horner analysis of the straight line
part of the buildup.
 But in many cases, the after flow period can
completely dominate the pressure buildup and
after flow analysis is the only method of
determining the essential reservoir parameters

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 42

 Russell Analysis
◦ Russell developed a theoretical equation describing
how the bottom hole pressure should increase as
fluid accumulates in the wellbore during the
buildup.
◦ Correction for the build up plot affected by after
∆ − 𝒇
flow 𝐥𝐨𝐠 ∆
−
∆
◦ Where C is the correction factor determined by trial
and error method.

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 43

 Russell Analysis
◦ Once plotted the slope
m is found out.
Then kh& S where
Calculated using the
Following relation.

6 .6𝜇 𝑜
𝑚=
𝑘ℎ

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 44

 McKinley Analysis
◦ The steps involved in a McKinley analysis
◦ Make a table of values of Δt, the closed in time (minutes),
and the corresponding values of Δp = pws (Δt) - pwf (t).
◦ Overlay the McKinley chart with a sheet of transparent
paper and Plot the Δt versus Δp data on this transparent
paper (The ordinate should have the same log time scale as
the McKinley chart)
◦ The transparent paper is then moved laterally over the
McKinley chart, keeping the abscissae together, until the
early part of the pressure buildup coincides with one of the
type curves.

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 45

 McKinley Analysis
◦ The steps involved in a McKinley analysis
◦ The value of the parameter T/F, characterizing the type
curve for which the match is obtained, is noted.

T=kh/µ

Vishnu P Raj, Dept. of PET, AHCET 46