ACTIVITE EXPLORATION-PRODUCTION

DIVISION PED

DIRECTION GISEMENTS EST

DEPARTEMENT
POLE HASSI MESSAOUD

SUMMARY OF DE
RESUME THELAFIFTH TRAINING:
FORMATION

FLUID FLOW AND THE

PRODUCTION SYSTEM
 REALISED BY  :

AOUANOUK Amine

June 2021

Contents

First topic.............................................................................................................................2
I. Petroleum System :.................................................................................................2
II. Poductivity index :...............................................................................................3
III. Inflow Performance Relationship (IPR) :............................................................3
IV. Production system performance :Adding Surface Control Using Chokes :........4
Second topic .......................................................................................................................5
I. IPR Determination: Vogel Method.........................................................................5
II. Sanding’s Extension of Vogel’s Method:............................................................6
III. Fetkovitch Method :.............................................................................................6
IV. IPR and skin effect :.............................................................................................6
V. IPR and flow efficiency:......................................................................................7
Third topic ..........................................................................................................................7
I. Pipe Pressure Loss Components :...........................................................................7
II. Vertical Flow Correlations :................................................................................8
III. Horizontal Flow Correlations:.............................................................................8
Fourth topic ........................................................................................................................9
I. Defintion of surface choke and its advantages :.....................................................9
II. Choke Performance Relationships:....................................................................10
Fifth topic ..........................................................................................................................11
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 I. Graphing Decline Data :......................................................................................11
II. Decline types :...................................................................................................12
III. Decline Curve Graphical Representation :........................................................13

First topic : Production System

In this topic , we learned about :

• The basic elements of a petroleum production system.

• the productivity index influences on the reservoir inflow performance.
• The reservoir inflow performance relationship.
• The reasons for installing a choke on a flowing well and state the significance of
maintaining critical flow velocity within the choke orifice.

I. Petroleum System :

A petroleum production system is composed of several major elements for the simple
case of a single flowing well .Each element in this system is related to every element ,
the performance of one influences that of the others. .This figure illustrates the

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production elements system.

II. Poductivity index :

It is the ratio of the flow rate to the pressure drawdown, and depend on permeability,
viscosity and the net reservoir thickness. The productivity index equals to :
q
j=
Pr − pwf

It is important to note that J:

• Represents the dynamic response of the reservoir and its fluid properties within the
drainage area of a specific well. Each well has its own value of J.

• Defines the relationship that exists between flow rate, q, and bottom hole flowing
pressure (Pwr) for a given average reservoir pressure (PR). As the average reservoir
pressure decreases, the productivity index will change.

• Is constant when flow parameters like permeability and viscosity are constant. When
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Pwf is above the bubble point, flow is single-phase and J is a constant. Below the bubble
point, J decreases as gas comes out of solution and the effective permeability to oil
decreases.

III. Inflow Performance Relationship (IPR) :

When a well's flowing bottomhole pressure (Pwf) is above the bubble point, the
productivity index J is a constant. Below the bubble point, J decreases as Pwf
decreases.

As the pressure drawdown (PR-Pwf) increases, the production rate increases.

Above the bubble point, the IPR curve is a straight line, with a slope equal to the
inverse of J. Below the bubble point, as gas comes out of solution and begins to
interfere with flow, the IPR curve trends downward and J continues to decrease.This
figure illustrates an IPR curve example for a solution gas drive reservoir with average
reservoir pressure of 2500 psi.

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 IV. Production system performance :Adding Surface Control Using
Chokes :

Most flowing wells have a choke ,it consists of an adjustable or fixed diameter
orifice.The advantages of this choke are many :

 Prevention of drawdown-sensitive problems (water coning ,gas

coning,and sand production) to safety.
 Control flow rate .
 It ensures that variations in wellhead pressure do not affect the pressure
of separators, lines and other surface equipment

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 Second topic: Inflow performance relationship
In this topic, we learned about:

 IPR determination using Vogel’s method.

 Recognize the influence of reservoir characteristics on IPR.
 Use Standing’s extension of the Vogel method to predict well’s future IPR.
 Identify the Skin Effect in IPR and flow efficiency determinations.

I. IPR Determination: Vogel Method

Vogel (1968) established an empirical relationship between pressure and flow rate for
solution gas drive reservoirs at pressures below the bubble point. His analysis was based
on the following assumptions:

• Circular, completely bounded reservoir with a fully penetrating well at its center
. Uniform, isotropic formation with a constant water saturation
• Negligible gravity and compressibility effects
• Semi-steady-state flow

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The plot of the IPR curve was shown in this figure :

t
This equation was used to plot the curve of the IPR when the reservoir pressure
was bellow bubble pressure:
q Pwf Pwf 2
qmax
=1−0.2 ( )
Pr
−0.8(
Pr
)

When the reservoir pressure was above the bubble point a generalized equation can be
written:

q=q b +¿

II. Sanding’s Extension of Vogel’s Method:

Standing (1971) addressed the question of how to develop an IPR curve for some future,
lower reservoir pressure by examining the Productivity Index (J). His extension involves
eight steps.

III. Fetkovitch Method :

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Fetkovich (1973) proposed an alternative method for calculating IPR curves for solution
gas drive reservoirs based on the following equation. His method involves three steps.
q=C ¿
This equation needs at least two flow test points available to determine these unknowns.

V. IPR and skin effect :

The skin effect is a near-wellbore phenomenon. In an ideal flowing well-one that fully
penetrates the formation, where the full formation is open to flow, and where no
formation damage or stimulation exists the pressure profile during flow.The skin causes
additional pressure drop near the wellbore it is referred to as ∆ P skin .Therefore the
expression of the productivity index was given :

kh h
j=
ℜ
141.2 Bμ (ln( )
rw
−0.75+ S)

V. IPR and flow efficiency:

Standing (1970) prepared a series of curves for the use of calculating IPRS for wells that
have flow efficiencies less than or greater than an idealized value of 1 . The vertical axis
is the dimensionless pressure of the flowing well and the horizontal axis is a
dimensionless flow rate-specifically, the flow rate of the well divided by its theoretical
maximum flow rate without damage or fracturing. The curves are drawn for flow
efficiencies from 0.4 to 1.2.
For the same flow rate from a damaged and undamaged well, the relationship between
the pressure drops needed to deliver the rate and the Flow Efficiency (FE) is given by
these two equations:
PWF
( ) =1−FE+ FE ¿
PR FE=1

Third topic : Lift Performance

In this topic , we learned about :

 The principal components of pressure loss in pipe.

 The variables that affect pressure loss in pipe.
 Vertical and horizontal flow correlations.

I. Pipe Pressure Loss Components :

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 Potential Energy Pressure Loss  :

It is a function of the fluid density and the vertical height of the fluid column .It may
be expressed in units of lbf/¿2 (psi) as :
ρgLsinθ
∆ P=
144 gc

Friction Pressure Loss:

Friction pressure loss (AP) occurs when fluid loses energy due to its resistance to flow
along the walls of the pipe.It is a function of :
 Fluid viscosity
 Flow velocity
 Fluid density
 Internal diameter of the pipe
 Internal roughness of the pipe

Friction pressure loss increases with increasing fluid viscosity, density, flow velocity,
and pipe roughness. It decreases with increasing pipe diameter.
It may be expressed :
fρ v 2 L
∆ P=
2 gcD144

Kinetic Energy Pressure Loss :

It occurs because of changes in fluid velocity between two flow points :

ρ ∆ v2 1
∆ P=
144 gc 2

VI. Vertical Flow Correlations :

For the single-phase flow of oil, water, or oil-water mixtures, where fluid properties are
not strong functions of pressure, the pressure drop as a function of flow rate can be
calculated by combining the potential and friction pressure loss relationships and using
average fluid properties.

Assuming a constant pipe diameter along the length of a well, the total pressure drop
from the bottom of the tubing to the surface is:

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 fρ v 2 L ρgLsinθ
∆ P= +
2 gcD144 144 gc

VII. Horizontal Flow Correlations:

The total pressure drop along a horizontal section of tubing or pipe is described by the
same equations that characterize vertical or inclined flow. The difference is that if the
flow is truly horizontal, there is no change in potential energy. Assuming
incompressible flow and a constant pipe diameter, there is also no change in kinetic
energy.The total pressure drop is:

fρ v 2 L
∆ P=
2 gcD144

Fourth topic : Flowing Well Performance

In this topic , we learned about :

 The types of surface choke and the reasons for installing a choke.
 Choke performance relationships.

I. Defintion of surface choke and its advantages :

It’s considered as an adjustable or fixed-diameter orifice, through which produced
fluid flows from the well.we use the choke for many reasons such as:

 To reduce the pressure and improve safety.

 To maintain a fixed allowable production limit To prevent drawdown-sensitive
problems such as sand entry, water coning and gas coning.
 To produce the well and reservoir at the most efficient rate
 To match a well's surface pressure with that of a multi-well gathering line and
to prevent back flow

There is two type of chokes ,we have:

 Positive or fixed orifice chokes.

 Variable or adjustable chokes.

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 VIII. Choke Performance Relationships:
The pressure versus flow rate performance of a choke has a good consideration in
designing production system. Good correlations for single–phase flow of either gas or
liquid through a choke are available but not used in multiphase flow .In this case most
of correlations are used and derived empirically to describe choke performance .

Single –phase Liquid flow:

It s rarely occurs ,but if it s occurs ,the following equation was used :

2 × gc × ( P¿ −POUT )
q=C × A ×
√ ρ

The empirically derived flow coefficient (C) is function of the rynolds Number (NRe)
and the ratio of the choke orifice diameter to the pipe diameter.

Single –phase Gas flow:

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The isentropic flow of an ideal gas through a choke can be expressed in oilfield units

as follows :

This equation holds true for pressures below critical flow,but for pressure drops above
critical flow ( P¿ >2 Pout ) the gas flow rate remains constant.

Two –phase Liquid-gas flow:

Gilbert and Ros made an empirical equation describing the pressure flow rate
relationship :

C1,C2,C3 are constants assigned different values:

Fifth topic : Production Rate Decline Curves

In this topic , we learned  :

 How to explore production rate decline curves.

 Decline types.
 How to determine decline curve graphical representation.
 How to evaluate constant percentage decline curve applications.
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 I. Graphing Decline Data :
The production rate is constant during the early life of the well .As the reservoir pressure
decline ,the rate begins to decline.There are many ways that production decline data can
be graphically displayed.we can plot Q=fct(Time) ,Q=fct(Np), percentage oil production
=fct(Np),Gp=fct(Np)

IX. Decline types :

There are four main decline types include:

 Normal production
 Hyperbolic
 Harmonic
 Hyperbolic and harmonic integration

Normal production:

The nominal production decline rate equation gives the change in production rate per
unit of times as a function of production rate

To obtain the rate-cumulative production relationship, the flow rate (qt) over the time
period (t ) must be integrated :

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Hyberbolic:

For hyperbolic decline ,the decline rate is proportional to a fractional power of q.This
may be expressed as : D=K q n and n lies between zero and one (o<n<1).

To obtain the rate-cumulative production relationship, the flow rate (qt) over the time
period (t ) must be integrated :

Harmonic:

For harmonic decline ,the decline rate is proportional to q.This may be expressed as:

D=Kq

To find the rate-cumulative production relationship we integrated Qt over the time t :

X. Decline Curve Graphical Representation :

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Using mathematical equations which apply to the three types of decline curves,we may
look at how each one plots in different types of coordinates and then see what
conclusions we can draw.The two types of relationships to consider are rate–time and
rate-cumulative production expressions.

These plots differ when plotted on natural log/linear scales.

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