Jawaharlal Nehru Technological

University Kakinada
University College of Engineering (A) Kakinada
Dept. of Petroleum Engineering & Petrochemical Engineering

B. Tech. Petroleum Engineering

Petroleum Reservoir Engineering-II

Well Test Analysis: Interference Test

Prof. K. V. Rao
Academic Advisor
Petroleum Courses
INTERFERENCE TEST
 An interference test involves more than one well.

 It is conducted by producing at least one well and by measuring the pressure

response in at least one observation well.

 The observation well has a pressure gage to record pressure. The flow rate is
zero.

Objectives:
1. Determine whether two or more wells are in pressure communication.
2. When communication exists, provide estimates of the average permeability,
k, and the average storage capacity, ct.
3. Investigate the directional properties of the permeability (anisotropy). In
the latter case more than one observation well is necessary.
For the purpose of this discussion we will use a simplified model. Let us assume
that we have two wells, one observation and one production well in an infinite
reservoir. The observation well does not produce. The two wells are separated
by a distance r.

The effect of the producing well at the observation well is given by the line-
source solution. It is usually assumed that a possible skin around the
production well has no effect on the pressure measured in the observation well.
Hence:

where p(r) denotes the pressure at position r at time t. There is a difference

between the effect of a line-source and cylindrical for small values of time. The
line-source solution is valid when:
Due to the fact that the distance r is large, it may take a long time before the time
criterion for the applicability of the logarithmic approximation to the Ei solution is
valid. It may not be economical to run the test for such a long time period. Hence semi-
log analysis may not be possible.

A convenient way to analyze such tests is type curve analysis. A type curve is a log-log
plot of the mathematical solution of a test in dimensionless form.

In the following we will define three dimensionless groups, dimensionless radius,

time and pressure. The dimensionless groups are defined such that each
dimensionless parameter is proportional to the corresponding real one. Hence
The important consequence of the above equations is that a log pD vs log tD and a
log ∆p vs. log t plot are exactly identical in shape, but shifted with respect to each
other when plotted on the same log-log scale.

The translation factors,  and β, are proportional to the well and reservoir
parameters. These can be determined by the type curve matching for a given
reservoir. With known  and β, their defining equations provide two equations
that can be used to compute two unknowns.

The line-source solution may be written in dimensionless form as follows:

The conventional definitions of dimensionless variables are:

Dimensionless variables, however, are not unique. One may have several
definitions
for a group. Let us define a new dimensionless time as follows:
Multiplication and division with rw on the right hand side yields.

Hence the group tD / r2D may be regarded as a dimensionless time with basis in r.

The type curve for the Ei-solution is usually presented as a log pD vs. log tD / r2D
graph.

Then the line-source solution (for any distance) will show up as a single curve.

A schematic of the matched curves is shown below.

Procedure:
a) Locate a log-log plot of the line source-solution. The dimensionless graph is
referred to as the type curve.
b) Plot the field curve, ∆p = pi – p(r) vs. t, on log-log transparent paper. Use
the same scale as for the type curve.
c) Slide the field curve horizontally and vertically on top of the type curve
until a match is found. The grid axes must be parallel while sliding.
d) Pick a convenient match point. Mark both graphs, use a needle.
e) Calculate the permeability from the pressure match:

f) Calculate the storage capacity, c, from the time match:

Index m denotes match-point. The variables denoted by index m are known
quantities. Hence one unknown may be determined from each of the above
equations.

Note that the above equations derive from the definitions of the dimensionless
variables. This is because these define the translation factors,  and β.

There is a difference between the response of a cylindrical and a line-source

well for small values of time.

Hence it may not be possible to match the field curve to the entire field curve. In
such cases, disregard the few earliest points.
Example - 1
During an interference test, water was injected in the active well for 22 days. The
distance to the observation well is 112.4 m [368.8 ft]. The measured pressure changes
are given in the following table:

The permeability and the product ct of the

reservoir are to be determined.
Solution:
The measured p-values are drawn on a transparent sheet vs. t (hour), and matched by
parallel shifting in Figure 1 with the type curve in Figure 2. In the match point:

From Equation 1 and Equation 2,

2
Figure - 1: Illustration of type curve matching for an interference test (after EARLOUGHER)
Figure - 2: Dimensionless pressure for a single well in an
infinite radial system. (no skin, no wellbore storage).
Thank You