NTNU
Department of Petroleum Engineering
and Applied Geophysics
Drawdown
During radial flow the following equation applies:
p wf =
q B
kt
ln
+ 0.809 + 2 S
2
4kh ct rw
The above equation will show up as a straight line on a p wf versus ln t plot. This
implies that the logarithmic pressure derivative will be constant.
dp wf
qB
4kh
d ln t
The above equation will show up as a horizontal line in any coordinate system. By use
of the chain rule the logarithmic derivative may be expressed in terms of the time
derivative:
dp wf
d ln t
dp wf
=t
dt
During the wellbore storage period storage period the following equation applies:
p wf =
qBt
Cs
qBt
Cs
which is the same right hand side as for the pressure difference, p.
Flow period diagnostics is best done in a log-log coordinate system. Taking the
logarithm on both sides of the above equation yields:
qB
+ log t
Cs
The above equation will show up as a straight line with slope one.
Wellbore storage followed by radial flow has a characteristic shape on diagnostic (log
log) plot which is shown below.
This example illustrates the diagnostic properties of the pressure derivative. The
wellbore storage may be recognized as a straight line with unit slope and the radial
flow period will show up as a horizontal line.
Buildup
The dimensionless pressure change for build up is:
pDBU = pD (t D ) pD (t D + t D ) + pD (t D )
Suppose there are two simultaneous radial flow periods. Then the buildup may be
described by the modified Horner equation
p BU =
kt p t
q B
(ln
+ 0.809 + 2 S )
4kh ct rw2 (t p + t )
t p t
t p + t
kt e
qB
(ln
+ 0.809 + 2 S )
4kh
ct rw2
Observe that the above equation has the same appearance as the corresponding
drawdown equation. The pressure derivative becomes:
dp w
q B
=
d ln t e 4kh
Suppose the well was closed during a radial flow period. Then the dimensionless
buildup equation during afterflow will simplify to:
pDBU =
t D 1 t pD + t D
ln
CsD 2
t pD
Note that the latter term is essentially be zero for small values of t. Hence the
buildup equation during afterflow is the same as for wellbore storage during a
drawdown test.
pDBU =
t D
CSD
The diagnostic plot for a transition from afterflow to radial flow is shown below.
Figure 3: The buildup diagnostic plot has the same appearance as for drawdown.
For an old well, the condition that shutin time is small in comparison with the
production time is valid during the entire test, then the buildup equation will simplify
to:
p BU =
qB
kt
ln
0
.
809
2
+
+
s
2
4kh ct rw
The transition between wellbore storage and radial flow will show up as the previous
curves when plotted against the shutin time t.
Figure 4: Pressure and pressure derivative for buildup in an old well, t>> t
Derivation algorithm
A derivative is usually approximated by a finite difference quotient. As such it is
sensitive to noise. Some smoothing may be necessary to filter out high frequency
noise.
Most numerical filters depend on an even sampling rate. This is rarely the case in well
testing. For a non-even spacing between sampled the points, the derivative may be
approximated by the slope of a least square line through neigbouring points. All
points in the interval contribute to the computed derivative.
An alternative algorithm uses three points only, the point of interest, one to the left
and one to the right.
The derivative is approximated as the weighted average between the left and right
hand slopes.
p1
p
x 2 + 2 x1
x 2
x1
dp
dx =
x1 + x 2
i
If x = ln te , then
ln
t2
L.
ti
ln
ti
L
t1
and
L has been called the smoothing parameter. The degree of smoothing will increase
with increasing smoothing parameter. On the other hand, the accuracy of the
derivative approximation will decrease. Hence L should be kept as small as possible.
Experience has shown that L 0.2 is often a natural choice.
Any derivation algorithm has a problem near the ends of the interval. The calculation
scheme is then running out of points. This phenomenon has been called the end effect
of the pressure derivative. These regions have to be treated separately. One solution is
to reduce the smoothing parameter close to the ends of the intervals.