PAB 3013

Well Test Analysis

Introduction to Well Testing

Prof. Dr. Birol M.R. Demiral

Schlumberger Chair

Well Test Analysis, © UTP 2009-2010

 Introduction to Well Testing
• Description of a Well Test
• Well Test objectives
• Information obtained from well testing

Well Test Analysis, © UTP 2009-2010

 Description of a Well Test

During a well test, a transient pressure response is

created by a temporary change in production rate(1).
Rate, q

drawdown build-up

Pi
Pressure, P

Time, t

Well Test Analysis, © UTP 2009-2010

 Well Test objectives
Well test analysis provides information on the reservoir and on the well.
Generally the test objectives are as follows (1):

• Exploration well: to confirm the exploration hypothesis and to establish

a first production forecast: nature and the rate of produced fluids, initial
pressure and well and reservoir properties (DST – Drill Stem Testing)
• Appraisal well: to confirm the well productivity, reservoir heterogeneities
and boundaries, and drive mechanisms. Bottom hole fluid samples are
also taken for PVT analysis.
• Development well: periodic tests to adjust the reservoir description and
to evaluate the need for well treatment, to maximize the well’s
production life. Communication between the wells, monitoring the
average reservoir pressure are other objectives of development wells.

Well Test Analysis, © UTP 2009-2010

 Information Obtained from Well
Testing
Well test responses characterize the ability of the fluid flow through
the reservoir and to the well. Test provide a description of the
reservoir in dynamic conditions, as opposed to geological and log
data. As the investigated reservoir volume is relatively large, the
estimated parameters are average values. From pressure curve
analysis, it is possible to determine the following properties(1):
• Reservoir description
– Permeability
– Reservoir heterogeneities
– Boundaries
– Pressures
• Well description
– Production potential (PI and s)
– Well Geometry

Well Test Analysis, © UTP 2009-2010

 References
1. Dominique Bourdet, “Well Test Analysis: The Use of Advanced
Interpretation Models”, Handbook of Petroleum Exploration and
Production, 3. Elsevier, 2002 (Chapter 1)
2. Tarek Ahmed, and Paul D. McKinney, “Advanced Reservoir
Engineering”, Elsevier, 2005 (Chapter 1)

Well Test Analysis, © UTP 2009-2010

Question and Suggestions

Questions?

Well Test Analysis, © UTP 2009-2010

 Flow Regimes

There are basically three types of flow regimes that must be

recognized in order to describe fluid flow behavior and reservoir
pressure distribution as a function of time (1,2).

1. Steady-state flow
2. Unsteady-state flow
3. Pseudosteady-state flow

Well Test Analysis, © UTP 2009-2010

 Steady-state Flow
The flow regime is identified as a steady-state flow if the
pressure at every location in the reservoir remains constant. In
other words, during steady-state flow, pressure does not change
with time. Mathematically this condition is expressed as:

P
0
t i

This equation states that the rate of change of pressure P with

respect to time t at any location i is zero. In reservoir this
condition can only be achieved when the reservoir is supported
by a strong aquifer, gas cap or pressure maintaining operations.

Well Test Analysis, © UTP 2009-2010

 Pseudosteady-state Flow
When the pressure at different locations of the reservoir is
declining at a constant rate the flow regime is called
pseudosteady-state flow. Mathematically this condition is
expressed as:

P
constant
t i

This equation states that the rate of change of pressure P with

respect to time t at any location i is constant. The pseudosteady-
state regime characterizes a closed system response.

Well Test Analysis, © UTP 2009-2010

 Unsteady-state Flow
(Transient Flow)
Unsteady-state flow, also known as transient flow, is observed
before constant pressure or closed boundary effects are
reached. The pressure variation with time is a function of the
well geometry and the reservoir properties like permeability and
heterogeneity. Mathematically this condition is expressed as:

P
f i, t
t i
Well test interpretation focuses on the transient pressure
response. Near wellbore conditions are seen first and later,
when the drainage area expands, the pressure response is the
characteristics of the reservoir properties until boundary effects
are seen at later time (at which flow regime changes to
pseudosteady-state or steady state).
Well Test Analysis, © UTP 2009-2010
 Flow Regimes
P
0
Pressure at location” i” in the reservoir

t i
Steady-state flow

Pseudosteady-state flow
P
constant
t i

P
f i, t
t i Unsteady-state flow

Time
Well Test Analysis, © UTP 2009-2010