Prosper® Tutorial 04:

Modelling an
horizontal oil well
 Objectives
The main objectives of this example are to show:

 How to set up a PROSPER model for a horizontal oil well.

 How to enter basic black oil PVT data.

 How to enter the IPR data.

 How to describe the down hole equipment.

 How to perform a system calculation (VLP + IPR) to estimate the well flow rate for a
given WHFP of 250 psig.

 How to generate a well performance curve.

 How to generate and export lift curves to GAP/MBAL/REVEAL or any third party software
(Eclipse, VIP, an so on)
 Statement Of The Problem

A horizontal well is to be drilled to produce oil.

Fluid data (PVT), reservoir data (IPR) and down hole equipment description (VLP) are provided.

It is required to:

- Estimate the initial oil rate against a well head flowing pressure of 250 psig

- Perform sensitivity runs on the horizontal well length for 500 ft, 1000 ft, 1500 ft, 2000 ft, 2500 ft
and 3000 ft.

- Sensitize simultaneously on water cut of 0 %. 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%.
 PVT Input Data

The basic available PVT data are:

Parameter Value
Solution GOR: 400 scf/stb
Oil Gravity: 30 API
Gas gravity: 0.75 (Air =1)
Water salinity: 80000 ppm
Impurities
2 2 (CO
2 , N , H S): None
Bubble point pressure: 2500 psig at 200 degF
 PVT Input Data
Further PVT data are given in tabular form below at 200 degF:

Gas Oil Ratio in scf/ Oil Viscosity in

Pressure in psig stb Oil FVF in rb/stb centipoises
1500 237 1.138 1.34
2000 324 1.178 1.15
2500 400 1.214 1.01
3000 400 1.207 1.05
4000 400 1.198 1.11
 System Equipment Input Data

The system equipment input section is sub-divided into 5 sub-sections:

- Deviation survey.

- Surface equipment.

- Down hole equipment.

- Geothermal gradient.

- Average heat capacities.

 System Equipment Input Data
Deviation survey.

In PROSPER, the deviation survey can have its origin anywhere: well head,
sea-bed, platform, RKB and so on.

The key thing is to describe all the equipment in the well in a manner consistent
with the origin selected.

The well head depth does not have to coincide with the origin of the deviation
survey.

Measured Depth in ft True Vertical Depth in ft

0 0
8050 8050
10050 8050
 System Equipment Input Data

Surface Equipment.

All equipment located downstream of the well head are part of the surface
equipment. The surface equipment can include: well head chokes, risers, flow
lines, fittings, and so on.

In this example the surface equipment will not be modelled.

 System Equipment Input Data
Down hole Equipment.

The down hole equipment include the tubings, casings, nipples, Sub-
surface Safety valves, and so on.

Equipment Measured Internal

type depth in ft diameter in Roughness
inches
in Rate
(down to) inches multiplier

Xmas Tree
(Well Head) 0 N/A N/A N/A

Tubing 7800 3.992 0.0018 1

Casing 8050 8.3 0.0018 1
 System Equipment Input Data
Static Geothermal Gradient.

The geothermal gradient expresses the rate of increase in temperature per unit depth. The
geothermal gradient is independent of the well flow rate.
When using the rough approximation temperature prediction method, the geothermal
gradient is entered versus measured depth. PROSPER internally converts the
measured depth into true vertical depth. It is the temperature gradient based upon the true
vertical depth that is used during the calculation.

Measured Depth in ft Static temperature in deg F

0 70 Note: The overall heat transfer (also
called U value) is a composite number
8050 200 that captures the different heat
10050 200 transfer mechanisms taking place:
conduction, convection and radiation.
It can be thought of as the inverse
of the thermal resistance in the
The overall heat transfer coefficient is 8 btu/h/ft2/F. surroundings of the wellbore.
 System Equipment Input Data
Average Heat Capacities.

Here are the default average heat capacities that will be used:

Phase Heat Capacity in btu/lb/F

Oil: 0.53
Gas: 0.51
Water: 1
 System Equipment Input Data
Reservoir Input Data.

Here are the data describing the inflow performance relationship for the well:
IPR model: Horizontal Well - No Flow Boundary
Static Reservoir Pressure: 4000 psig
Reservoir Temperature: 200 degF
Water Cut: 0%
Total GOR: 400 scf/stb
Compaction Permeability Reduction model: No
Skin model: Enter skin by hand
Relative Permeability correction: No
Permeability: 150 mD
Reservoir Thickness (True stratigraphic
thickness): 100 ft
Well bore radius: 0.354 ft
Horizontal Anisotropy: 1 (fraction)
Vertical anisotropy: 0.1 (fraction)
Producing length: 2000 ft
Reservoir Length: 5000 ft
Reservoir width: 5000 ft
Distance along length edge to centre of well: 2500 ft
Distance along length edge to centre of well: 2500 ft
Distance from bottom to centre of well: 50 ft
Mechanical skin: +5
 Step by Step
The following pages provide a step-by-step procedure that will lead to the solution of the
problem:

- Construct a PROSPER model for a horizontal oil well.

- Use the PROSPER well model to estimate the flow rate against a WHFP of 250 psig.

- Perform sensitivity on well producing length and water cut.

System Options:

Here, one simply select | File | New if a PROSPER file is already open. Afterwards, select |
Options | Options and make the following choices.

Fluid: Oil and Water. All other settings can be left to their defaults values.
 Step by Step

Select | Done to complete this step.

 Step by Step
PVT data Input.

In order to enter the PVT data, simply select | PVT | Input Data and populate the screen as
shown below:

Parameter Value
Solution GOR: 400 scf/stb
Oil Gravity: 30 API
Gas gravity: 0.75 (Air =1)
Water salinity: 80000 ppm
Impurities (CO2 , N2 , H2S): None
Bubble point pressure: 2500 psig at 200 degF
 Step by Step

Now select | Match Data to enter the lab data given in the table next:
 Step by Step

Reference temperature: 200 degF

Gas Oil Ratio in Oil Viscosity in

Pressure in psig scf/ stb Oil FVF in rb/stb centipoises

1500 237 1.138 1.34

2000 324 1.178 1.15
2500 400 1.214 1.01
3000 400 1.207 1.05
4000 400 1.198 1.11

In order to enter the PVT lab data, select | Match Data and populate the screen as follows:
Step by Step
 Step by Step
PVT regression

Afterwards, select | Done and then | Regression | Match All.

This will start the non-linear regression algorithm. The following screen will confirm when the
regression is completed.
 Step by Step
In order to quality-check the regression, select | OK | Parameters and this is what can be
seen:
 Step by Step

In essence the regression algorithm uses a multiplier (Parameter 1) and a shift

(Parameter 2).

Ideally, Parameter 1 should be close to unity whereas the shift (Parameter 2) is

expected to be around nil.

On the basis of the results obtained here, we will proceed with the combination Glaso /
Petrosky.

For this, select | Done | Done and choose the appropriate black oil correlations as per screen-
shot next:
 Step by Step

Select | Done and this completes this step.

 Step by Step
Saving the file.

Like working with any other computer program, it is good practice to save the file
frequently in order to avoid data loss in case the computer crashes.

To save a file, simply select | File | Save as.

Afterwards, simply browse to the place where the file is to be saved. It is suggested to save
the file as *.OUT file.

System Equipment Description.

In order to describe the system equipment (i.e the hardware in and around the well
bore), simply select | System | Equipment (Tubing etc) | All
 Step by Step

Now by selecting | Edit, the software will take the user through all the screens necessary to
input the equipment data starting with the deviation survey.
 Step by Step

Deviation Survey.

Here are the data:

Measured Depth in ft True Vertical Depth in ft

0 0

8050 8050

10050 8050
 Step by Step

Note: It is possible to input or import a large deviation

survey table into PROSPER. A filtering algorithm is
implemented that will select up to 20 of the most
relevant data points describing the well trajectory.

For this, use the | Filter button located on the top right of
this screen.

Select | Done and the screen labelled Surface Equipment

will follow.
 Step by Step
Surface Equipment.

This model will not include any surface equipment.

 Step by Step

Make sure that the Choke Method is set to ELF (see bottom left corner of screen). The
selected choke model is used to compute pressure across surface chokes and eventual down
hole restrictions.

For validation purposes only, one should enter a temperature of surroundings of 70 degF
and an overall heat transfer coefficient of 8 Btu/h/ft2/F. Note that in this example, the
temperature of surroundings and the overall heat transfer coefficient entered will not affect the
results because there is no pipeline in the model.

Selecting the "Cancel" button located on the top left of the screen will take the user to the next
screen: the down hole equipment description screen.
 Step by Step
Down Hole Equipment.

The down hole equipment includes the tubings, casings, nipples, Sub-surface Safety valves
and so on.

Equipment Measured Internal

type depth in ft diameter in Roughness
in inches
Rate
(down to) inches multiplier

Xmas Tree
0 N/A N/A N/A
(Well
Head)
Tubing 7800 3.992 0.0018 1
Casing 8050 8.3 0.0018 1
 Step by Step
The deepest entry in the down hole equipment
section is the datum depth for the static
reservoir pressure that will be entered in the
IPR section.

It is recommended to take the top

perforation as the reference depth for the
static reservoir pressure. This implies that the
down hole equipment description will stop at the
top of the perforation. This is also true for
multiple-zone completion because the
pressure drop between the zones will be taken
into account by the appropriate inflow model
(multi-layer IPR model with dP or multilateral
IPR model).

Select | Done to proceed to the next screen: the geothermal gradient.

 Step by Step
Geothermal gradient.

The data available are:

Measured Depth in ft Static temperature in deg F

0 70
8050 200

The overall heat transfer coefficient is 8 btu/h/ft2/F.

 Step by Step

The overall heat transfer coefficient is 8 btu/h/ft2/F.

Select | Done to proceed to the average heat capacity screen.

 Step by Step
Average Heat Capacities.

The default average heat capacity values will be used for this example.

Note: The | Default button will reset any user-entered values.

 Step by Step
With | Done the entry screen of the Equipment data section will be accessed:
 Step by Step
Equipment Summary.

From the Equipment Data screen, one can generate a sketch of the well bore with |
Summary and this is what would appear:

If one then selects | Draw Down hole this is the sketch of the well bore that appears:
 Step by Step

Select | Main to exit the screen.

 Step by Step

Saving the PROSPER file.

It is recommended to save / overwrite the file at this stage.

To save the file, simply select | File | Save and then simply answer YES to overwriting the file.

Inflow Performance Relation (IPR).

To select the IPR model, simply select | System | Inflow Performance and make the
appropriate choices as follows:
 Step by Step

IPR model selection:

IPR model: Horizontal Well - No Flow

Boundary
Static Reservoir Pressure: 4000 psig
Reservoir Temperature: 200 degF
Water Cut: 0%
Total GOR: 400 scf/stb
Compaction Permeability Reduction No
model:
Relative Permeability correction: No
Skin model: Enter skin by hand
 Step by Step

To proceed, simply select the Input Data button in the top right corner of the screen above:
 Step by Step

IPR data entry:

Permeability: 150 mD
Reservoir Thickness (True stratigraphic
thickness): 100 ft
Well bore radius: 0.354 ft
Horizontal Anisotropy: 1 (fraction)
Vertical anisotropy: 0.1 (fraction)
Producing length: 2000 ft
Reservoir Length: 5000 ft
Reservoir width: 5000 ft
Distance along length edge to centre of well: 2500 ft
Distance along length edge to centre of well: 2500 ft
Distance from bottom to centre of well: 50 ft
 Step by Step

From the screen above, select the the tab "Mech/Geom Skin" at the bottom left corner of the
screen to enter the mechanical skin.
 Step by Step

IPR Skin value entry. Mechanical skin: +5

 Step by Step
IPR : Generating an IPR plot
Once the IPR data input is completed, it is a good practice to create an IPR plot to verify that
everything makes sense. For this, simply select | Calculate and the software will create and
display the following plot:

lease select | Main and then save the PROSPER file with | File | Save to secure all changes
made.
 Step by Step

Sensitivity on well length and water cut.

The response of a well bore combines fluid properties (PVT), reservoir data (IPR) and tubing
response (VLP).

The fluid properties are used to compute the reservoir response (IPR) and the tubing
response (VLP).

For a given set of boundary conditions (given reservoir pressure and well head flowing
pressure), the well flow rate is the intersection between the IPR curve and the VLP curve.

In order to compute this intersection point with PROSPER, simply select | Calculation |
System (Ipr + Vlp) | 3 Variables as per screen-shot next.
 Step by Step

After selecting the system calculation, one needs to enter the well head flowing pressure as
per screen-shot next.
Step by Step
 Step by Step

The top node pressure is the pressure downstream of the system. Since here there is no
pipeline in this PROSPER model, the top node pressure is the well head flow
pressure.

The parameters Water Cut and GOR were entered earlier on the IPR screen. For the fluid
description, there was also a need to enter the GOR on the PVT screen.

However, during the life of a well any of these either parameter may change. Therefore, this
screen allow the user to sensitize with the GOR and water cut.

When sensitizing on the water cut and / or the GOR, PROSPER will use the new
sensitivity values for the calculations It will no longer use the GOR and the water cut values
entered on the IPR screen or the GOR from the PVT screen. The same principle applies to all
sensitivity variables specified elsewhere.
 Step by Step

Surface Equipment Correlation: This applies to any pipeline in the model. Since this model
does not include any pipeline, the choice of a pipeline correlation is irrelevant.

Vertical Lift Correlation: Petroleum Experts 2.

Solution Node: Bottom Node.

Rate Method: Automatic - Linear.

Left-Hand Intersection: Disallow.

One can proceed with | Continue and then select the sensitivity variables well length and
water cut as follow:
Step by Step
 Step by Step
After entering the values for well length and water cut, select | Continue | Calculate and | Plot |
System Plot to visualise the IPR + VLP plots:

Select | Main to get back to the main PROSPER screen . This completes this exercise.