Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology

Well Testing Analysis

3/6/2017 Well Testing Analysis 1

 Basic transient flow equation
Under the steady-state flowing condition, the same
quantity of fluid enters the flow system as leaves it. In the
unsteady-state flow condition, the flow rate into an
element of volume of a porous medium may not be the
same as the flow rate out of that element and, accordingly,
the fluid content of the porous medium changes with time.
The mathematical formulation of the transient flow
equation is based on combining three independent
equations and a specifying set of boundary and initial
conditions that constitute the unsteady-state equation.

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 Basic transient flow equation
Continuity equation: The continuity equation is
essentially a material balance equation that accounts for
every pound mass of fluid produced, injected, or
remaining in the reservoir.
Transport equation: The continuity equation is
combined with the equation for fluid motion (transport
equation) to describe the fluid flow rate “in” and “out” of
the reservoir. Basically, the transport equation is Darcy’s
equation in its generalized differential form.

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 Basic transient flow equation
Compressibility equation: The fluid compressibility
equation (expressed in terms of density or volume) is used in
formulating the unsteady-state equation with the objective of
describing the changes in the fluid volume as a function of
pressure.
Initial and boundary conditions: There are two
boundary conditions and one initial condition is required to
complete the formulation and the solution of the transient flow
equation. The two boundary conditions:
(1) the formation produces at a constant rate into the wellbore;
(2) there is no flow across the outer boundary and the reservoir
behaves as if it were infinite in size, i.e., re =∞.

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 Basic transient flow equation

Radial flow model

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 Basic transient flow equation
mass entering volume mass leaving volume
element during interval element during interval
∆t ∆t
rate of mass accumulation
during interval ∆t

(Mass)in = ∆t[Aνρ]r+dr
ν = velocity of flowing fluid, ft/day
ρ = fluid density at (r + dr), lb/ft3
A = area at (r + dr)
t = time interval, days
Ar+dr = 2π(r + dr)h
(Mass)in = 2π(r + dr)h ∆t (νρ)r+dr
[Mass]out = 2πrh∆t(νρ)r
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 Basic transient flow equation
Total accumulation of mass The volume of some
element with a radius of r is given by:
V = πr2h
Differentiating the above equation with respect to r
dV
= 2πrh
dr
 dV = (2πrh)dr
Total mass accumulation during ∆t = dV [(φρ)t+∆t −(φρ)t]
Total mass accumulation = (2πrh)dr[(φρ)t+∆t −(φρ)t]
=> 2π(r + dr)h ∆t (νρ)r+dr - 2πrh∆t(νρ)r =
(2πrh)dr[(φρ)t+∆t −(φρ)t]

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 Basic transient flow equation
Divided equation by (2πrh)dr
𝟏 𝟏
 [(r + dr) (νρ)r+dr - r(νρ)r ]= [φρ)t+∆t −(φρ)t]
𝐫𝐝𝐫 ∆t
𝟏 𝛛 𝛛
 [r(νρ)] = (φρ)
𝐫 𝛛𝐫 𝛛𝐭
φ = porosity
ρ = density, lb/ft3
V = fluid velocity, ft/day
Darcy’s law is essentially the basic motion equation
𝐤 𝛛𝐩 𝟎.𝟎𝟎𝟔𝟑𝟐𝟖 𝛛 𝐤 𝛛𝐩 𝛛
ν= 5.615*0.001127 => [ (ρr) ] = (φρ)
𝛍 𝛛𝐫 𝐫 𝛛𝐫 𝛍 𝛛𝐫 𝛛𝐭
k = permeability, md
v = velocity, ft/day
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 Basic transient flow equation
On the right hand side:
𝛛 𝛛ρ 𝛛φ
(φρ) =φ +ρ
𝛛𝐭 𝛛𝐭 𝛛𝐭
The porosity is related to the formation compressibility
1 𝛛φ 𝛛φ 𝛛p
cf = => = φcf
φ 𝛛𝐩 𝛛𝐭 𝛛𝐭
𝟎.𝟎𝟎𝟔𝟑𝟐𝟖 𝛛 𝐤 𝛛𝐩 𝛛ρ 𝛛p
=> [ (ρr) ]= φ + ρφcf
𝐫 𝛛𝐫 𝛍 𝛛𝐫 𝛛𝐭 𝛛𝐭

Expand equation:
𝟎.𝟎𝟎𝟔𝟑𝟐𝟖 𝛛 𝐤 𝛛𝐩 𝐤 ρ 𝛛𝐩 𝛛𝟐 𝐩 𝛛𝐩 𝛛ρ
[ (ρr) ]=0.006328 [ + ρ 𝟐+ ] =
𝐫 𝛛𝐫 𝛍 𝛛𝐫 𝛍 𝐫 𝛛𝐫 𝛛𝐫 𝛛𝐫 𝛛𝐫
𝛛ρ 𝛛p
φ + ρφcf
𝛛𝐭 𝛛𝐭

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 Basic transient flow equation
k ρ 𝜕p 𝜕2 p 𝜕p 2 𝜕ρ 𝜕p 𝜕 ρ 𝜕p
0.006328 [ + ρ 2 + ] =φ + ρφcf
μ r 𝜕r 𝜕r 𝜕r 𝜕p 𝜕t 𝜕p 𝜕t

k 1 𝜕p𝜕2 p 𝜕p 2 1 𝜕ρ 𝜕p 1 𝜕ρ 𝜕p
0.006328 [ + 2 + ] = φ + φcf
μ r 𝜕r 𝜕r 𝜕r ρ 𝜕p 𝜕t ρ 𝜕p 𝜕t
1 𝜕ρ
C = ρ 𝜕p

k 1 𝜕p 𝜕2 p 𝜕p 2 𝜕p 𝜕p
 0.006328 + 2 + c = φc + φcf
μ r 𝜕r 𝜕r 𝜕r 𝜕t 𝜕t
𝜕p
= φ(cf +c)
𝜕t
k 1 𝜕p 𝜕2 p 𝜕p
 0.006328 + 2 = φct
μ r 𝜕r 𝜕r 𝜕t
1 𝜕p 𝜕2 p φμct 𝜕p
 + =
r 𝜕r 𝜕r2 0.006328k 𝜕t
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 Basic transient flow equation
Example 1: Demonstrate that the radial form of
Darcy’s equation consist with diffusivity equation

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 Basic transient flow equation
Example 1: Demonstrate that the radial form of
Darcy’s equation consist with diffusivity equation
𝐐𝐨 𝛍𝐨 𝐁𝐨 𝒓 𝒓
𝐩 = 𝐩𝐰𝐟 + 𝐥𝐧 = 𝒑𝒘𝒇 + [𝒄] 𝐥𝐧
𝟎.𝟎𝟎𝟕𝟎𝟖𝐤𝐡 𝐫𝐰 𝐫𝐰
𝝏p 𝟏
= [𝒄]
𝝏𝒓 𝒓
𝝏𝟐 𝒑 −𝟏
𝟐
= [𝐜] 𝟐
𝝏𝒓 𝒓
𝟏 𝟏 −𝟏
=> [𝒄] + 𝐜 =𝟎
𝒓 𝒓 𝒓𝟐

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 Basic transient flow equation
Constant-terminal-rate solution
The constant-terminal-rate solution is an integral part of
most transient test analysis techniques, e.g., drawdown
and pressure buildup analyses. Most of these tests involve
producing the well at a constant flow rate and recording
the flowing pressure as a function of time, i.e., p(rw, t).
There are two commonly used forms of the constant-
terminal-rate solution:
(1) the Ei function solution;
(2) the dimensionless pressure drop pD solution.

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 Basic transient flow equation
The Ei function solution
For an infinite-acting reservoir, Matthews and
Russell (1967) proposed the following solution to the
diffusivity equation
 qB   948ct r 2 
p (r , t )  pi   70.6  Ei  
 kh   kt 
p(r, t) = pressure at radius r from the well after t hours
t = time, hours
k = permeability, md
Qo = flow rate, STB/day  u
e
Ei( x)    du
x
u
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 Basic transient flow equation
Ei, is called the exponential integral and is defined by:

e u x x2 x3
Ei ( x)    du  [ln x     ...]
x
u 1! 2(2!) 3(3!)

The exponential integral “Ei” can be approximated by the

following equation when its argument x is less than 0.01:
948ct r 2
Ei(−x) = ln(1.781x) x 
kt
Approximates the Ei function with less than 0.25% error.

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 Basic transient flow equation
Approximate the Ei function for the range of 0.01 < x < 3.0
Ei(−x) = a1 + a2 ln(x) + a3[ln(x)]2 + a4[ln(x)]3 + a5x
+ a6x2 + a7x3 + a8/x
948ct r 2
a1 = −0. 33153973 a2 = −0. 81512322 x 
kt
a3 = 5. 22123384×10−2 a4 = 5. 9849819×10−3
a5 = 0. 662318450 a6 = −0. 12333524
a7 = 1. 0832566×10−2 a8 = 8. 6709776×10−4
The above relationship approximated the Ei values with
an average error of 0.5%.
It should be pointed out that for x > 10.9, Ei(−x) can be
considered zero for reservoir engineering calculations.

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 Basic transient flow equation
Values of −Ei(−x) as a function of x
(After Craft et al. 1991)

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 Basic transient flow equation
Example 2:
An oil well is producing at a constant flow rate of 500
STB/day under unsteady-state flow conditions. The reservoir
has the following rock and fluid properties:
Bo = 1.25bbl/STB, μo = 1.5 cp, ct = 12 × 10−6 psi−1
ko = 50 md, h = 25 ft, pi = 4500 psi
φ = 18%, rw = 0.25 ft
(1) Calculate the pressure at radius of 0.25, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500,
1000, 1500, 2000, and 2500ft, for 2 hour. Plot the results as:
(a) pressure versus the logarithm of radius;
(b) pressure versus radius.
(2) Repeat part 1 for t = 10 hours and 100 hours. Plot the
results as pressure versus logarithm of radius.

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 Basic transient flow equation
Example 2 shows that most of the pressure loss occurs close to the
wellbore; accordingly, near-wellbore conditions will exert the
greatest influence on flow behavior. Figure shows that the pressure
profile and the drainage radius are continuously changing with time.
It is also important to notice that the production rate of the well has
no effect on the velocity or the distance of the pressure disturbance
since the Ei function is independent of the flow rate.
5000

4800

4600

4400
Plots pressure and
4200 radius with 10hr

4000 Plot pressure and

radius with 100hr
3800 Series3
3600

3400

3200

3000
0.1 1 10 100 1000 10000

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 Basic transient flow equation
When the Ei parameter x < 0.01
 qB   948ct rw 
2
p (r , t )  pi   70.6  Ei  

 kh   kt 
 162.6qB  kt 
 Pi    log  3.23 
 kh  ct rw 2

k = permeability, md t = time, hours
ct= total compressibility, psi−1
Equations cannot be used until the flow time t exceeds the2
limit imposed by the following constraint: t  9.48 *104 ct rw
k
For t > 948Φµctre /k, the reservoir’s boundaries begin to
2

affect the pressure distribution in the reservoir, so that the

reservoir is no longer infinite acting.
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 Basic transient flow equation
Notice that when a well is producing under
unsteady-state (transient) flowing conditions at a constant
flow rate, can be expressed as the equation of a straight
line by manipulating the equation to give
162.6qo Bo  o   k  
pwf  Pi   log(t )  log   3.23 
kh   c r 2 
  t w  
=>Pwf = a + mlog(t)
162.6qo Bo  o
m
kh
162.6qo Bo  o   k  
a  Pi   log   3.23 
kh    2  
  ct rw  

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 Basic transient flow equation
Example 3: Using the data in Example 2, estimate
the bottom-hole flowing pressure after 20 hours of
production. An oil well is producing at a constant flow
rate of 500 STB/day under unsteady-state flow conditions.
The reservoir has the following rock and fluid properties:
Bo = 1.25bbl/STB, μo = 1.5 cp, ct = 12 × 10−6 psi−1
ko = 50 md, h = 25 ft, pi = 4500 psi
φ = 18%, rw = 0.25 ft

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 Basic transient flow equation
Example 3:
Q = 500 STB/day t = 20hr
Bo = 1.25bbl/STB, μo = 1.5 cp, ct = 12 × 10−6 psi−1
ko = 50 md, h = 25 ft, pi = 4500 psi
φ = 18%, rw = 0.25 ft

c r
2
t  9.48 *10 4 t w
 0.0019197hr
k

162.6qo Bo  o   kt  
  3711.6 psi
pwf  Pi  log 
2 
 3.23
kh   
  ct w 
r 

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 Basic transient flow equation
The dimensionless pressure drop pD solution
To introduce the concept of the dimensionless
pressure drop solution, consider for example Darcy’s
equation in a radial form as given
0.00708kh( pe  pwf ) kh( pe  pwf )
Qo  
Bo  o ln(re / rwf ) 141.2 Bo  o ln(re / rwf )
pe  pwf
  ln(re / rwf )
141.2 Bo  oQo
kh
pe  pwf
with  pD 
141.2 Bo  oQo
kh
reD  re / rwf
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 Basic transient flow equation
The dimensionless pressure drop pD solution
The dimensionless pressure drop concept can be
extended to describe the changes in the pressure during
the unsteadystate flow condition where the pressure is a
function of time and radius: p = p(r, t)
The dimensionless pressure during the
unsteadystate flowing condition is defined by:

pi  p(r , t )
with  pD 
141.2Qo Bo  o
kh

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 Basic transient flow equation
The dimensionless pressure drop pD solution
Since the pressure p(r,t), as expressed in a
dimensionless form, varies with time and location, it is
traditionally presented as a function of dimensionless time
tD and radius rD as defined below: 0.0002637kt
tD 
ct rw 2

Another common formof the dimensionless time tD

is based on the total drainage area A
2
0.0002637kt rw
t DA   tD ( )
ct A A

rD  r / rwf
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 Basic transient flow equation
The dimensionless pressure drop pD solution
Diffusivity equation with dimensionless form;
 pD 1 pD p
2
 
rD
2
rD rD t D
Van Everdingen and Hurst (1949) proposed an analytical
solution to the above equation by assuming:
● a perfectly radial reservoir system;
● the producing well is in the center and producing at a
constant production rate of Q;
● uniform pressure pi throughout the reservoir before
production;
● no flow across the external radius re.
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 Basic transient flow equation
The dimensionless pressure drop pD solution
Chatas (1953) and Lee (1982) conveniently
tabulated these solutions for the following two cases:
(1) infinite-acting reservoir reD =∞;
(2) finite-radial reservoir.
Infinite-acting reservoir For an infinite-acting reservoir,
reD = ∞ the dimensionless pressure drop pD is strictly a
function of the dimensionless time tD, or:
pD = f (tD)

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 Basic transient flow equation
The dimensionless pressure drop pD solution
The following mathematical expressions can be
used to approximate these tabulated
For tD < 0. 01:
PD = 2sqrt(tD /π)
For tD > 100
pD = 0. 5[ln(tD) + 0. 80907]
For 0. 02 < tD ≤ 1000:
pD = a1 + a2 ln(tD) + a3[ln(tD)]2 + a4[ln(tD)]3 + a5tD
+ a6(tD)2 + a7(tD)3 + a8/tD

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 Basic transient flow equation
The dimensionless pressure drop pD solution
a1 = 0.8085064 a2 = 0.29302022
a3 = 3.5264177×10−2 a4 = -1.4036304×10−3
a5 = -4.7722225×10−4 a6 = 5.1240532×10−7
a7 = -2.3033017×10−10 a8 = -2.6723117×10−3

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 Basic transient flow equation
The dimensionless pressure drop pD solution
Finite radial reservoir For a finite radial system, the
solution to is a function of both the dimensionless time tD
and dimensionless time radius reD, or:
pD = f (tD, reD) r  r / r
eD e wf
 qB   948ct rw 
2
p (r , t )  pi   70.6  Ei  

 kh   kt 
 
 
pi  p( r ,t ) 1  (r / rw ) 2 
  Ei  
141.2 Bo  oQo 2   0.0002637kt  
4 
kh   c r 2  
  t w 
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 Basic transient flow equation
The dimensionless pressure drop pD solution
Finite radial reservoir
1  rD 
2
p D   Ei  

2  4t D 
Chatas (1953) proposed the following mathematical
formfor calculated pD when 25<tD and 0.25r2eD < tD:

0.5  2t D reD [3  4 ln(reD )]  2reD  1

4 2
pD  
reD  1 4( reD  1) 2
2 2

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 Basic transient flow equation
The dimensionless pressure drop pD solution
Finite radial reservoir

There are two special cases of the above equation which

arise when r2eD >>1 or when tD/ r2eD >25
If r2eD >>1
2t D
pD  2
 ln(reD )  0.75
reD

If tD/ r2eD >25

1 tD
pD   [ln 2  0.80907]
2 rD
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 Basic transient flow equation
The dimensionless pressure drop pD solution
Example 4: An oil well is producing at a constant
flow rate of 500 STB/day under unsteady-state flow
conditions. The reservoir has the following rock and fluid
properties:
Bo = 1.25bbl/STB, μo = 1.5 cp, ct = 12 × 10−6 psi−1
ko = 50 md, h = 25 ft, pi = 4500 psi
φ = 18%, rw = 0.25 ft
Assuming an infinite-acting reservoir, reD = ∞,
calculate the bottom-hole flowing pressure after 2 hour of
production by using the dimensionless pressure approach.

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