PRINCIPLE OF SUPERPOSITION

The principle states that: adding solutions to a

linear differential equation results in a new solution
to that differential equation, but for different
boundary conditions.

SUPERPOSITION IN SPACE

Consider the two-well infinite system sketched in

Fig. To estimate the pressure change at the
observation point N (or shut-in wells) caused by well
1 and well 2, we can write:
Point N

r2
90°
Well 1, q
1
1
r

Well 2, q2

PN  P on N caused by well 1  P on N caused by well 2  PN ,1  PN , 2

141.2qB
At any point, P 
kh
PD ( rD , t D )

141.2qB
At a well, P   PD (rD , t D )  s 
kh
Thus:

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PN 
141.2
kh

 qB  PD (rD N ,1 , t D )   qB  PD (rD N , 2 , t D ) 

Extending to a large number of wells, the pressure

change at any point is:
141.2  n
P  r , t    qi Bi PD (rDi , tD )
kh i 1

At the well

141.2 n
141.2qB
P ( rw1 , t ) 
kh
q B P
i 1
i i D (rDi , t D ) 
kh
s

EXAMPLE
If point N in Figure 1 is a well producing an oil
rate of 150 BPD, compute its flowing pressure
at 300 hours. The following information is
available for the reservoir and the wells:

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 Point N

r2
90°
Well 1, q
1
1
r

Well 2, q2
Figure: 1. Superposition in space
Pi = 2785 psia h = 50 ft k = 123 md
 = 20 %  = 5 cp ct = 5x10-5 /psi
B = 1.3 bbl/STB r1 = 500 ft r2 = 550 ft
q1 = 100 STB/D q2 = 180 BPD
s well at point N = 1 rw well at point N = 0.3 ft rw
well 1 = 0.4 ft s well 2 = 2
rw well 2 = 0.4 ft s well 1 = -1
SOLUTION
Superposition equation applied to this example is:

141.2qN B 141.2 q1B

PN 
kh
 
PD (rD @ r  0.3 ft , t D )  s N 
kh
PD (rD @ r  500 ft , t D ) 

141.2 q2 B
PD (rD @ r  550 ft , t D )
kh

Notice that only pressure drop due to well damage takes place in
well at point N.

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PN 
70.6(5)(150)(1.3)
(123)(50)
 
Ei ( x ) r  0.3 ft )  2 s N 
70.6(5)(100)(1.3)
(123)(50)
Ei (  x ) r  500 ft 

70.6(5)(180)(1.3)
Ei ( x ) r  550 ft
(123)(50)

948(0.2)(5)(1.5  10 5 )(0.3) 2
xwell N   8.67 x10 8
123(24)

948(0.2)(5)(1.5  10 5 )(500) 2
xwell N 1   0.2409
123(24)
948(0.2)(5)(1.5  105 )(550) 2
xwell N  2   0.2914
123( 24)
70.6(5)(150)(1.3)
PN  15.396  2  70.6(5)(100)(1.3) 0.856  70.6(5)(180)(1.3) 0.722
(123)(50) (123)(50) (123)(50)
PN  172.32  22.385  6.385  9.696  210.8 psia

Pwf = Pi – PN

Flowing pressure = 2785-210.8 = 2574.2 psia

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SUPERPOSITION IN TIME

Superposition in time applies for single-well systems

with varying flow rates. Consider a single well with a
production rate schedule as shown in Fig.

q
Flow Rate

q2 - q1
q
1

t1
Producing Time

Figure: Variable rate – Superposition in time

Well 1 Well 2
s=-1 s=2
rw= 0.5 ft rw= 0.5 ft
250 ft

120 70

q 60 q
20

15 10
t t

Figure 1. Example of superposition in time

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 To perform superposition calculations the single-
well may be visualized as two wells located at the
same point, with one producing at rate q 1 from t = 0
to t and the second (imaginary) well, producing at
rate (q2-q1) starting at time t, and continuing for a
time period (t-t1).

Thus, the pressure drop at the single well is:

P 
141.2B
kh

q1 PD (rD 1 , t D )   q2  q1  PD ( rD 1 ,  t  t1  D )  s 

The general form of this equation is:

P 
141.2 n

  (qB)i  (qB)i 1 PD (rD1 ,  t  ti 1  D )  s
kh i 1


EXAMPLE

Refer to the information for an infinite two-well

reservoir system given in Figure 1. Additional
relevant parameters are provided below:

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k = 100 md  = 10 % B = 1.2 bbl/STB
Pi = 2500 psi  = 2 cp ct = 2x10-5/psi
h = 50 ft

a) Estimate the pressure in well 1 after it has produced

for 10 hours.
b)What is the flowing pressure in well 2 after 15
hours of production?

SOLUTION

a) The pressure drop in well 1 after producing for 10

hours is determined as follows:
141.2  q120 B 141.2  q20 B
P10 hrs , well 1 
kh

PD (rD  1, t D @ t 10 hrs )  s1  kh

PD ( rD @ r 250 ft , t D @ t 10 hrs ) 

948(0.1)( 2)(2  10 5 )(0.5) 2

xwell 1   9.48  10 7
(100)(10)

Ei (-X) = Ln (1.781 x)
Ei = 13.29
948(0.1)(2)(2  105 )(250) 2
xwell 2   0.237
(100)(10)

From Table

Ei = 1.086

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 The pressure drop at well 1 after 10 hours of
production is:
70.6( 2)(1.2)
P10 hrs , rD 1   (120)(13.29  1)  20(1.086)
100(50)

P10 hrs , rD 1  (54.05  8.133)  0.736  46.65 psi

Pwf = Pi - dP = 2500 - 46.65 =2453.4 psi

b)To estimate the pressure drop in well 2 after 15

hours, consider two flow rates in well 2, as follows:
141.2  q120 B 141.2  q7020 B
p15 hrs , well 2 
kh
 
PD ( rD @ r 250 ft , t D @ t 15 hrs ) 
kh

PD (rD  1, t D @ t 1510 hrs 

948(0.1)(2)(2  10 5 )( 250) 2
xwell 1   0.158
(100)(15)

Ei well 1= 1.42
948(0.1)(2)(2  105 )(0.5) 2
xwell 2   6.32  10  7
(100)(15  10)

Ei well 2= 13.697

The pressure drop at well 2 after 15 hours of

production is:
70.6( 2)(1.2)
p15 hrs , well 2   (120)(1.42)  50(13.697  2)
100(50)
p15 hrs , well 2  5.77   23.16  3.89  32.32 psi

Pwf = Pi – dP = 2500-32.32 = 2467.68 psi

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PROBLEMS (Home Work)
1. An oil well is producing at a constant flow rate of 250
STB/D from a very large reservoir. An observation
shut-in well is located 300 ft away.
Rock and fluid properties are listed below. Estimate
the sandface pressure at both the producing well
and the observation well at the end of two days of
production. The initial reservoir pressure is 3600
psia. Other relevant data are:

B = 1.32 rb/STB rw = 3 in  = 1.2 cp

 = 14 % k = 80 md h = 11 ft
ct = 16x10-6 /psi t = 48 hrs

02. A well is producing at a rate of 400 STB/D from a

reservoir that has the following rock and fluid
characteristics:
B = 1.25 rb/STB rw = 6 in  = 3 cp
 = 30 % k = 50 md h = 30 ft
co = 8x10-6 /psi cf = 2x10-6 /psi
After what value of the flowing time is the
approximation Ei(-x)  ln(1.78 X) valid for this
well/reservoir?
a) What is the pressure drop at the well after flowing
for 3 hours?
b)Calculate the pressure gradient at a point 150 ft
away from the well after 3 hrs of production.

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03. Two oil wells are producing at constant flow rates of
q1 = 250 BPD and q2 = 300 BPD, respectively, from a
very large reservoir. Well 2 is located at 400 ft East
away from well 1, as shown in Fig. An observation
shut-in well is located 300 ft North away from well 1.
Rock and fluid properties are listed below.

B = 1.34 rb/STB rw = 0.33 ft  = 1.1 cp

 = 13 % k = 40 md h = 40 ft
ct = 26x10-6 /psi t = 2 days Pi = 3600 psi

Estimate the sandface pressure at the producing

wells and the pressure drop at the observation well
(shut-in well) at the end of two days of production.

Observation well

300 ft

Well 1 Well 2

400 ft

Fig. Wells location for problem 03

04. An oil well is producing at a constant rate of 300
BPD during 5 days. An observation shut-in well is

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 located 500 ft away from the producing well. Rock
and fluid properties are listed below.

B = 1.32 rb/STB rw = 3 in  = 0.44 cp

 = 16 % k = 25 md h = 43 ft
ct = 18x10-6 /psi Pi = 2500 ft

Estimate the pressure drop at the observation well

when the producing well has been shut-in for one day,
after the five days of production.

NOMENCLATURE

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B oil volumetric factor, rb/STB
Bg gas volumetric factor, bbl/SCF
bx shortest distance in the x-direction from well to boundary
by shortest distance in the y-direction from well to boundary
c compressibility, 1/psi
C wellbore storage, bbl/psi
CA shape factor, dimensionless
CfD dimensionless fracture conductivity
d distance between wells, ft
Ei exponential-integral function
k reservoir permeability, md
h reservoir thickness, ft
m semilog slope
N reference point
P pressure, psi
P’ pressure derivative, psi/hr
P Average pressure, psi
Pwf well flowing well pressure, psi
PD dimensionless pressure
P’D dimensionless pressure derivative
Pint intercepting pressure at zero time (Cartesian plot), psi
q Oil flow rate, BPD
qg gas flow rate, SCF/D
r radius, ft
rD dimensionless radius
rDR dimensionless distance of the real well
rDI dimensionless distance of the image well
rw wellbore radius, ft
s skin factor

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 T reservoir temperature, °R
t time, hrs
tD dimensionless time
x rD2/4tD
xf half-fracture length, ft
YD by/bx
z Average gas compressibility factor

GREEK SYMBOLS

 change, drop
P pressure difference, psi
Pc pressure correction at the beginning of the test, psi

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 P’ Change of rate of pressure with time (pressure derivative),
psi
tc time correction at the beginning of the test, psi
 Porosity
 Density
 Viscosity, cp

SUBSCRIPTS

0 reference
D dimensionless
f formation
g gas
o oil
w wellbore, well
t total

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