Derivation of The Basic Radial Differential Equation: Course Teacher

PME 311 | Reservoir Engineering
Derivation of the Basic Radial Differential Equation
The radial cell geometry is shown in Fig. 1 and initially the

following simplifying assumptions will be made.
1) The reservoir is considered homogeneous in all rock

properties and isotropic with respect to permeability.
2) The producing well is completed across the entire

formation thickness thus ensuring fully radial flow.
3) The formation is completely saturated with a single fluid.
Course Teacher : MD. ZAYED BIN SULTAN

Derivation

Fig. 1 Radial flow of a single phase fluid in the vicinity of a
producing well.

Derivation

Fig. 2 Volume element used in the development of the radial
differential equation
Derivation

Let us consider the flow through a volume element of thickness
𝒅𝒓 situated at a distance 𝒓 from the canter of the radial cell.
Then applying the principle of mass conservation
… … (1)
where 𝟐𝝅𝒓𝒉φ𝒅𝒓 is the volume of the small element of thickness

𝒅𝒓.

Derivation

The left hand side of Eq. (1) can be expanded as
𝜕 𝑞𝜌 𝜕𝜌
𝑞𝜌 + 𝑑𝑟 − 𝑞𝜌 = 2𝜋𝑟𝑕φ𝑑𝑟
𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝑟 𝜕𝑡
𝜕 𝑞𝜌 𝜕𝜌
⇒ = 2𝜋𝑟𝑕φ … … … (2)
𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑡
By applying Darcy's Law for radial, horizontal flow it is

possible to substitute for the flow rate 𝒒 in Eq. (2) since
2𝜋𝑘𝑕𝑟 𝜕𝑃
𝑞=
𝜇 𝜕𝑟

Derivation

Giving
𝜕 2𝜋𝑘𝑕𝑟 𝜕𝑃 𝜕𝜌
𝜌 = 2𝜋𝑕𝑟φ
𝜕𝑟 𝜇 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑡
1 𝜕 𝑘𝜌 𝜕𝑃 𝜕𝜌
⇒ 𝑟 =φ … … … (3)
𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜇 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑡
The time derivative of the density appearing on the right hand

side of Eq. (3) can be expressed in terms of a time derivative of
the pressure by using the basic thermodynamic definition of
isothermal compressibility

Derivation

1 𝜕𝑉
𝑐=−
𝑉 𝜕𝑃
and since
𝑚
𝜌=
𝑉
then the compressibility can be expressed as

1
𝜌 𝜕
𝑚 𝜌
𝜕 − ×𝑚×
𝜌 𝜌 1 𝜕𝜌 𝑚 𝜕𝑃
𝑐= − = … … … (4)
𝑚 𝜕𝑃 𝜌 𝜕𝑃 1 𝜕𝜌
= (−𝜌) (− 𝜌2 ) 𝜕𝑃

Derivation

and differentiating with respect to time gives
𝜕𝑃 𝜕𝜌
𝑐𝜌 = … … … (5)
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑡
Finally, substituting Eq. (5) in Eq. (3)
1 𝜕 𝑘𝜌 𝜕𝑃 𝜕𝑃
𝑟 = φc𝜌 … … … (6)
𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜇 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑡
This is the basic, partial differential equation for the radial flow
of any single phase fluid in a porous medium.

Derivation

The equation is referred to as non-linear because of the implicit
pressure dependence of the density, compressibility and
𝑘𝜌
viscosity appearing in the coefficients and φc𝜌. Because of
𝜇
this, it is not possible to find simple analytical solutions of the

equation without first linearizing it so that the coefficients
somehow lose their pressure dependence.

Linearization

A simple linearization of Eq. (6) can be obtained by deletion of
some of the terms, dependent upon making various
assumptions concerning the nature of fluid for which solutions
are being sought.
Here the fluid considered will be a liquid which, in a practical

sense, will apply to the flow of undersaturated oil. Expanding
the left hand side of Eq. (6), using the chain rule for
differentiation gives
1 𝜕 𝑘 𝜕𝑃 𝑘 𝜕𝜌 𝜕𝑃 𝑘𝜌 𝜕𝑃 𝑘𝜌 𝜕 2 𝑃 𝜕𝑃
𝜌𝑟 + 𝑟 + + 𝑟 = φc𝜌 … (7)
𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜇 𝜕𝑟 𝜇 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜇 𝜕𝑟 𝜇 𝜕𝑟 2 𝜕𝑡

Linearization

and differentiating Eq. (4) with respect to 𝒓 gives
𝜕𝑃 𝜕𝜌
𝑐𝜌 = … … … (8)
𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑟
Substituting Eq. (8) into Eq. (7) ⇒
2
1 𝜕 𝑘 𝜕𝑃 𝑘 𝜕𝑃 𝑘𝜌 𝜕𝑃 𝑘𝜌 𝜕 2 𝑃 𝜕𝑃
𝜌𝑟 + 𝑐𝜌𝑟 + + 𝑟 2 = φc𝜌 … . . (9)
𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜇 𝜕𝑟 𝜇 𝜕𝑟 𝜇 𝜕𝑟 𝜇 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑡

Linearization

For liquid flow, the following assumptions are conventionally
made –
– the viscosity, 𝝁 is practically independent of pressure and

may be regarded as a constant
𝝏𝑷
– the pressure gradient is small and therefore, terms of
𝝏𝒓
𝝏𝑷 𝟐
the order can be neglected.
𝝏𝒓
These two assumptions eliminate the first two terms in the left
hand side of Eq. (9), reducing the latter to

Linearization

𝜕2𝑃 1 𝜕𝑃 φ𝜇𝑐 𝜕𝑃
+ = … … … (10)
𝜕𝑟 2 𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝑘 𝜕𝑡
which can be more conveniently expressed as
1 𝜕 𝜕𝑃 φ𝜇𝑐 𝜕𝑃
𝑟 = … … … (11)
𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝑟 𝑘 𝜕𝑡
Making one final assumption, that the compressibility is

constant, means that the coefficient φ𝝁𝒄/𝒌 is also constant and
therefore, the basic equation has been effectively linearized.

Diffusivity Equation

The group of terms φ𝝁𝒄/𝒌 is defined to be equal to 𝟏/𝜼, where
𝜼 is called the diffusivity constant.
The Eq. (11) is well known as the radial diffusivity equation.

The Eq. (10) is also being used as the radial diffusivity equation
and even in the following form
𝜕2𝑃 1 𝜕𝑃 φ𝜇𝑐𝑡 𝜕𝑃
+ = … … … (12)
𝜕𝑟 2 𝑟 𝜕𝑟 0.002637 𝑘 𝜕𝑡

Diffusivity Constant

𝑘 md
𝜂= ≡
φ𝜇𝑐 cp psi−1
1Darcy = 0.9869 × 10−8 cm2
1 D ≈ 10−8 cm2 ≈ 10−12 m2
1 md ≈ 10−11 cm2
1 cp = 0.01 dyne. s. cm−2
1 psi = 68947.57 dyne. cm−2
md cm2 cm2
−1
= =
cp psi dyne. s. cm−2 dyne. cm−2 −1 s

Conditions of Solutions

In principle, an infinite number of solutions of Eq. (6) can be
obtained depending on the initial and boundary conditions
imposed. The most common and useful of these is called the
constant terminal rate solution for which the initial condition is
that at some fixed time, at which the reservoir is at equilibrium
pressure 𝑷𝒊 , the well is produced at a constant rate 𝒒 at the
wellbore, 𝒓 = 𝒓𝒘 .
These conditions are called transient, semi-steady state and

steady state and are each applicable at different times after the
start of production and for different, assumed boundary
conditions.

Transient Condition

This condition is only applicable for a relatively short time just
after pressure disturbance has been created in the reservoir.
In terms of the radial flow model this disturbance would be

typically caused by altering the well's production rate at 𝒓 = 𝒓𝒘 .
In the time for which the transient condition is applicable it is

assumed that the pressure response in the reservoir is not
affected by the presence of the outer boundary, thus the
reservoir appears infinite in extent.

Transient Condition

The condition is mainly applied to the analysis of well tests in which
the well's production rate is deliberately changed and the resulting
pressure response in the wellbore is measured and analyzed during a
brief period of a few hours after the rate change has occurred. Then,
unless the reservoir is extremely small, the boundary effects will not be
felt and the reservoir is, mathematically, infinite. i.e. 𝒓𝒆 → ∞
Both the pressure and pressure derivative, with respect to time,

are themselves functions of both position and time, thus
𝑃 = 𝑔 𝑟, 𝑡
and
𝜕𝑃
= 𝑓 𝑟, 𝑡
𝜕𝑡
Semi Steady State Condition

This condition is applicable to a reservoir which has been
producing for a sufficient period of time so that the effect of the
outer boundary has been felt. In terms of the radial flow model,
the situation is depicted in Fig. 3. It is considered that the well is
surrounded, at its outer boundary, by a solid "brick wall" which
prevents the flow of fluids into the radial cell.


Fig. 3 Radial flow under semi steady state conditions


Thus at the outer boundary, in accordance with Darcy's law
at 𝑟 = 𝑟𝑒 , 𝑞 = 0
2𝜋𝑘𝑕𝑟 𝜕𝑃
𝑞=
𝜕𝑃 𝜇 𝜕𝑟
⇒ =0
𝜕𝑟
Furthermore, if the well is producing at a constant flow rate
then the cell pressure will decline in such a way that
𝜕𝑃
≈ constant, for all 𝒓 and 𝒕
𝜕𝑡


By definition the compressibility is given by
1 𝜕𝑉
𝑐=−
𝑉 𝜕𝑃
⇒ 𝑐𝑉𝜕𝑃 = −𝜕𝑉
and differentiating with respect to time gives
𝜕𝑃 𝜕𝑉
⇒ 𝑐𝑉 = −
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑡
𝜕𝑃
⇒ 𝑐𝑉 = −𝑞
𝜕𝑡
𝜕𝑃 𝑞
⇒ =−
𝜕𝑡 𝑐𝑉
𝑉 = 𝜋𝑟𝑒 2 𝑕φ
𝜕𝑃 𝑞
⇒ =−
𝜕𝑡 𝑐𝜋𝑟𝑒 2 𝑕φ
Steady State Condition

Fig. 4 Radial flow under steady state conditions

Steady State Condition

The steady state condition applies, after the transient period, to
a well draining a cell which has a completely open outer
boundary. It is assumed that, for a constant rate of production,
fluid withdrawal from the cell will be exactly balanced by fluid
entry across the open boundary and therefore,
𝑃 = 𝑃𝑒 = constant, at 𝒓 = 𝒓𝒆
𝜕𝑃
= 0 for all 𝒓 and 𝒕
𝜕𝑡
This condition is appropriate when pressure is being

maintained in the reservoir due to either natural water influx or
the injection of some displacing fluid.
Reference
Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering
L.P. Dake
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PME 311 | Reservoir Engineering