Petroleum Production Engineering I

Year 3 – Department of Petroleum Engineering

University of Baghdad

Drill Stem Testing (DST)

A drill stem test (DST) is some form of temporary completion of a well that is designed to
determine the productivity and fluid properties prior to completion of the well. Although a DST
can be performed in uncased hole (open hole) or in cased hole (perforation tests), the open
hole test is more common.
DST is commonly used to evaluate the productivity of the zone, volume of oil accumulation and
reservoir characteristic such as:

- Average effective permeability.

- Reservoir pressure.
- Wellbore damage.
- Barriers, permeability change, fluids contact.
- Radius of investigation.
- Depletion.

In summary DST is a useful tool for well completion engineer.

DST tools

The tool assembly mainly consists of a packer, a test valve, and an equalizing valve. And it also
contains the following parts:
1- Surface pressure control valve.
2- Drill pipe.
3- Reverse circulation valve.
4- Drill collars.
5- Closed in pressure valve.
6- Reverse circulating ports.
7- Flow choke
8- Tester valve.
9- Pressure recorder
10- Hydraulic jar
11- Safety joints
12- Packer.
13- Temperature recorder.
14- Jail pipe anchor.

Dr. Dhifaf Jaafar Sadeq 1

Petroleum Production Engineering I
Year 3 – Department of Petroleum Engineering
University of Baghdad

DST tool parts

This tool is lowered on the drill pipe to a position opposite the formation to be tested. The
packer expands against the hole to segregate the mud-filled annular section from the interval
of interest, and the test valve allows formation fluids to enter the drill pipe during the test. The
equalizing valve allows pressure equalization after the test so the packer can be retrieved. By
closing the test valve, a build-up in pressure is obtained; by opening the test valve, a decline in

Dr. Dhifaf Jaafar Sadeq 2

Petroleum Production Engineering I
Year 3 – Department of Petroleum Engineering
University of Baghdad
pressure is obtained. During the DST, both pressures and flow rates are measured as a function
of time.

DST Operational procedure.

1- Going into hole.
2- Initial flow period (flow period (5-10 min) (for relieving of pay zone from increasing
pressure due to settling of packer).
3- Initial shut-in period (for establishing static reservoir pressure (30-60 mins).
4- Final flow period:(60 -180 mins for open hole test, 8-10 hrs for cased hole test) to
evaluate the formation for some distance from the well.
5- Final shut-in period ( twice the final shut-in period from 30 mins- several hrs)( to
calculate the transmissibility and other characteristic of reservoir).
6- Going out of the hole.

DST Pressure behavior ( pressure vs. time plot)

The entire sequence of events is recorded on pressure vs time plot as shown:

Dr. Dhifaf Jaafar Sadeq 3

Petroleum Production Engineering I
Year 3 – Department of Petroleum Engineering
University of Baghdad

For more explanation please watch the following video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpuiyXDYUkY

General consideration:
The following factors should be considered for a successful DST testing:
1- Condition of the hole
Circulation in the hole for cleaning it from drill cuttings before performing the DST.
2- Reducing pressure gage due to running drill pipe in the hole (displacement drill pipe
volume, running and pulling at low speed).
3- Placing pacer seat in true gage section of the hole opposite to the dense and
consolidated formation.

Dr. Dhifaf Jaafar Sadeq 4

Petroleum Production Engineering I
Year 3 – Department of Petroleum Engineering
University of Baghdad
4- Use of water cushions (placing a certain length of water inside the drill pipe to reduce
the collapse (external) pressure on drill pipe and to reduce the pressure drop on the
formation and across the packer)

Dr. Dhifaf Jaafar Sadeq 5