Well Testing Analysis

(Flow Regimes)
2022

Hesham Mokhtar Ali

Senior Reservoir Engineer
in/heshammokhtarali/
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 Fundamentals of PTA (Flow Regimes)
• Transient (Unsteady-state or IARF) flow: P=f(r,t)
• Initially we have a general unsteady state, or transient, flow situation where pressure change
differently with time dependent on position.

pr , t   f (r , t )
t
• Pseudo-steady state (PSS): P=f(r,t) but, ΔP/dt= Constant
• The pressure profile is constant and pressure changes at the same rate everywhere.
• Analysis of the time to reach PSS and the rate of pressure change in this period give information
about the reservoir shape, area, and volume.
• Closed no flow outer boundary. 
pr , t   C
t
• Steady-state flow: P=f(r)
• The reservoir pressure is supported by a strong aquifer, or by pressure maintenance operations
(water or gas injection).
• No change in pressure with time. 
pr , t   0
t
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 Unsteady-state Flow
 A shut-in well that is centered in a homogeneous
circular reservoir of radius re with a uniform
pressure pi throughout the reservoir.
 If the well is allowed to flow at a constant flow rw re
rate of q, a pressure disturbance will be created
at the sandface.
 The pressure at the wellbore (Pwf) will drop
instantaneously as the well is opened.
 The pressure disturbance will move away
from the wellbore at a rate that is determined
by (kϕµCt):
 Permeability

 Porosity

 Fluid viscosity

 Total compressibilities

(C) Hesham Mokhtar 2022

 Unsteady-state Flow
 At time t1, the pressure disturbance has moved a
distance r1 (the radius of investigation) into the
reservoir.
rw re
 Notice that the pressure disturbance radius is
continuously increasing with time.
 As long as the radius of investigation has
NOT reached the reservoir boundary (re), the
reservoir will be acting as it's INFINITE in size
(the outer drainage radius re, can be
MATHEMATICALLY infinite, i.e., re =∞).
 A well that is producing at a constant Pwf.
 The propagation of the radius of investigation
with respect to time.
 At time t4, the pressure disturbance reaches the
boundary, i.e., ri = re. This causes the pressure
behavior to change.

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 Reservoir Pressure Distribution
• Transient or Infinite Acting Radial Flow (IARF)
 Once the wellbore storage effects are over, and before outer boundary effects are detected,
the reservoir acts as if it was infinite in size.

rw re
• Velocity of pressure
disturbance is
determined by (kϕµCt).
• At time t1, the pressure
disturbance has moved a • As the disturbance
distance r1 (the radius of NOT reached the
investigation) into the reservoir boundary (re),
reservoir. the reservoir will be
acting as it's INFINITE
in size (re =∞).

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 Reservoir Pressure Distribution
 Pseudo-steady state (PSS) or Boundary-dominated flow (BDF) flow condition: The pressure at all
points in the reservoir changes at the same rate.
Transient (IARF) vs. Pseudo-steady state (BDF)

 IARF: the boundary has

NO effect on pressure
disturbance (re=∞).

 PSS/BDF: the pressure

declines at a CONSTANT
rate throughout the
entire reservoir (ri=re).
r1 r2 r3 re

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 Diffusivity Equation
• Fluid flow in a porous medium is governed by Diffusivity Equation (DE).
• Assumptions: DE Components:
• Homogeneous reservoir
Darcy’s Law for radial flow:
• Darcy’s law valid
• Single-phase flow
• Slightly compressible fluid
• Constant viscosity
Continuity equation:
• Small pressure gradients
• General DE for radial flow:

Equations of State (single phase

The diffusivity constant: liquid flow):

For a steady-state flow condition, ∂p/∂t = 0,

(C) Hesham Mokhtar 2022
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