Chapter 5

The Basic Differential Equation for Radial Flow

in a Porous Medium
5.1 Introduction

To derive and to solve the radial fluid flow in porous

medium 1 k p p
r c (5.1)
r r r t

2 p 1 p c p
2 (5.19)
r r r k t
1 p c p
or r (5.20)
r r r k t
 5.2 Derivation of the Basic radial differential equation

Assumptions:
-- The reservoir is homogenous in all rock
properties and isotropic with respect to permeability
-- h=const. and hperf=h
-- Single phase fluid

C.V.
Why not Cartesian geometry?
 C.V.
Conservation of mass:

Mass flow rate (in) mass flow rate (out)

Rate of change of mass in the volume element

q r dr q r

2 r h dr 2 r h dr
t t
( q )
or 2 r h (5.2)
r t

Using Darcys law for a radial flow

( 2rh ) k p
q
r
2rhk p
2rh
r r t
1 k p
r (5.3)
r r r t
 1 k p
r (5.3)
r r r t

Since
1 V m
c and
V p V
m

1 1 t
c
m p p t p
p
c
t t

1 k p p
r c (5.1)
r r r t
 5.3 Conditions of Solution
Radial flow equation 1 k p p
r c (5.1)
r r r t

The most common and useful analytical solution is for the

initial condition : p pi for all r

boundary conditions : q const . at r rw
p pi at r

constant terminal rate solution (Chapter 7&8)

 Radial flow equation 1 k p p
r c (5.1)
r r r t
The three most common conditions
p g (r , t )
(1) Transient --- Early time; no boundary effect
(Infinite acting reservoir) p
f (r , t )
r
(2) Semi steady state --- The effect of the outer boundary has been felt.

p
0 at r re dp

q
r or
dt cV
and dp q
(5.10)
p dt c re2 h
const. for all r and t (5.7)
t
where p p average pressure

1 dV
c p p i Vi vol. avg.
V dp
Vi
cVdp dV
p p i qi rate avg.
cV
dp
dt

dV
dt
q (5.8) qi
(3)Steady state

p pe const. at r re
due to natural water influx or the injection of some fluid and

p
0 for all r and t
t
 5.4 The Linearization of Equation 5.1 for Fluids of small
and constant compressibility
1 k p p
r c (5.1)
r r r t

1 k p k p p k p k 2 p p
r r r c
r r r r r r r 2 t

From Eq.(5.4) 1 p
c cp c
p r r

1 k p k p p k p k 2 p p
r c r r 2 c
r r r r r r r t

k p p
Note: 0 sin ce k , f (r ) ; 0 sin ce small
r r r
 2 p 1 p c p
2 (5.19)
r r r k t
1 p c p
or r (5.20)
r r r k t

It is for the flow of liquids or for cp<<1

c in equation(5.20) is the total ,or saturation weighted compressibility

c ct c o s o c w s w c f
c abs co S o c w S wc c f (5.23)
c S c w S wc c f
abs 1 S wc
o o

(1 S wc )
abs 1 S wc Effective H .C. porosity

c S c w S wc c f
Effective Saturation weighted
o o
compressib ility
1 S wc
k
diffusivity cons tan t
c
 Chapter 6 Well Inflow Equations for
Stabilized Flow Conditions
6.1 Introduction
--- Solutions of the radial diffusivity equation for liquid flow
-- Semi-steady state
p
const.
t

-- Steady state

p
0
t
 6.2 Semi-Steady state solution
From Eq.(5.8), Such as

p
cV q (5.8)
t
-
cV(Pi - P) qt (6.1)

p q
From Eq(5.10), such as (5.10)
t c re h
2

1 p c p
From Eq(5.20), such as (r ) (5.20)
r r r k t

1 p q
Eq(5.10)&(5.20) (r ) (6.2)
r r r re kh
2

p q r 2
Integration r C1 (6.3)
r 2 re2 kh
 p q r 2
r C1 (6.3)
r 2 re kh
2

p q
At r re , 0 C1
r 2kh
p q 1 r
( 2 ) (6.4)
r 2kh r re
Pr q r 1 r
Integration Pwf p 2kh rw r re2 r
q r r 2 rw2
p r p wf ln 2 2 (6.6)
2kh rw 2re re

rw2
Note : 2
0
re
 q r r 2 rw2
p r p wf ln 2 2 (6.6)
2kh rw 2re re
at r re and near well bore with skin
q re 1
pe pwf ln( ) S (6.7)
2kh rw 2
q 2kh
PI (6.8)
pe p wf re 1
ln S
rw 2
Since pe & re can not be measured directly,
pe by p (avg. p within the drainage volume)
 re re

p
pdV p 2rhdr

rw rw

r r h
re 2 2
dV
rw
e w

2 re 2 re
or p 2
re rw2 rw
prdr 2
re
rw
prdr (6.10)

q r r2
Since p r p wf ln 2
(6.6)
2kh rw 2re

2 q re r r2
p p wf 2 r ln 2 dr (6.11)
re 2kh w rw 2re
r

re r re2 re re2
Since r ln dr ln
rw rw 2 rw 4
r3re re2
& dr
rw 2r 2 8
e

q re 3
p p wf
ln S (6.12)
2kh rw 4
 1 p
$6.3 Steady state solution - - - r 0
r r r
 6.4 Example of the Application of the Stabilized
Inflow Equations
Steam injection

Ts Ts
Temperature

Tr Tr
rh rw rh
Under Steady state
q oh r
p r p wf ln for rw r rh
2kh rw
and
q oc r
pr ph ln for rh r re
2kh rh
q o h rh
at r rh , p h p wf ln (6.16)
2kh rw
q oc re
at r re , p e p h ln (6.17)
2kh rh
Eq.(6.16) Eq.(6.17)
q oc oh r r
p e p wf ln h ln e (6.18)
2kh oc rw rh
for a stimulated well
for an unstimulated well
q oc re
pe p wf ln (6.18a)
2kh rw
re
ln
PI stimulated well rw
PI ratio increase
PI unstimulated well oh rh r
ln ln e
oc rw rh
 re
ln
PI stimulated well rw
PI ratio increase
PI unstimulated well oh ln rh ln re
oc rw rh

u sin g typical field data

Tr 113 F oc 980cp
re 382 ft rw 0.23 ft
Ts 525 F oh 3.2cp
rh 65 ft
382
ln
PI ratio increase 0.23 4.14
3.2 65 382
ln ln
980 0.23 65
 Exercise 6.1 Wellbore Damage
(1) show the skin factor maybe expressed as
ke k a ra
S ln
ka rw
assume that for
r ra steady state
r ra semi steady state
(2) rw 0.33 ft ; re 660 ft
During drilling
ra 4 ft ; k a 0.01k e (or k e 100k a )
After completion, the well is stimulated
ra 10 ft ; k a 10k e (or k e 0.1k a )
what will be the PI ratio increase ?
Solution:
(1) steady state flow
q r
pr pwf ln rw r ra
2k a h rw
semi steady state flow
q r r2
pr pa ln ra r re
2k e h rw 2re2
at r ra
q ra
pa pwf ln ( a )
2k a h rw
at r re
q re 1
pe pwf ln (b)
2k e h ra 2
Eq.(a ) Eq.(b)
q k e ra re 1
p e p wf ln ln
2k e h k a rw ra 2
q re 1 re re k e ra
ln ln ln ln
2k e h rw 2 ra rw k a rw
q re 1 ke ra
p e p wf ln ( - 1)ln
2k e h rw 2 k a rw
which must be equivalent to
q re 1
p e p wf ln S
2k e h rw 2
k e k a ra
S ln
ka rw
(2) Before stimulation

k e k a ra 100k a k a 4
S1 ln ln 246.02
ka rw ka 0.333

After stimulation

k e k a ra 0.1k a k a 10
S2 ln ln -3.06
ka rw ka 0.333
2k e h
re 1 r 1
ln S 2 ln e S1 ln 660 1 246.02

( PI ) A.S
rw 2 rw 2 0.333 2
253.11
62.77
( PI ) B.S 2k e h re 1 660 1 4.0312
ln S 2 ln 3.06
r 1 rw 2 0.333 2
ln e S1
rw 2
 6.5 Generalized Form of Inflow Equation Under Semi-steady State
Conditions

Semi-steady state equation in terms of the avg. pressure Eq.(6.12)

q re 3
p p wf ln S (6.12)
2kh rw 4

q r
3
q re
ln e ln e 4 ln e S ln
2kh rw 2kh 3

rw e e 4
S

q 1 4re2 q 1 4A
ln ln

2kh 2 4 rw e S 2 e 3 / 2 2kh 2 56.32 rw e S
2

q 1 4A
ln

2kh 2 r 31.6 rw e S
2

where r 1.781 31.6 Dietz Shape factor C A