1987-2005 - 050118

The Reservoir Diagnosis

The Reservoir Diagnosis

via
Well Testing

1987-2005 - 050118

Reservoir Complexity

? ? ?
?
?

The reservoir is a complex

unknown system to be explored
and described
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 1987-2005 - 050118

Reservoir Knowledge

Knowledge of the reservoir is required to:

Understand the present production
performance
Optimise the production potential

1987-2005 - 050118

Reservoir Knowledge

In addition to the reservoir complexity, there are more

phenomena in the reservoir which can have an impact on
the production potential.
For example, changing reservoir pressures can have an impact
on:
fluid properties
downhole gas-oil ratios
water flow from the aquifer
breakthrough of previously sealing faults
This requires Reservoir Monitoring.
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Possible Production Problems

The liberated gas can create secondary gas caps
The migrating gas can
reach the production well

Gas

Oil

The well test can help to forecast the effect (k, PVT)
Monitoring shows the current status
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1987-2005 - 050118

Possible Production Problems

A gas cap extension or
gas coning can be observed

Gas

Oil

The well test can help to forecast the effect (kv)

Monitoring specifies production policies
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 1987-2005 - 050118

Possible Production Problems

Source of water can be:
Aquifer water moving laterally to the well
A water cone is drawn up (bottom water)

w
r flo
e
t
Wa

The well test can help to forecast the effect (kv, krw )
Monitoring specifies production policies
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1987-2005 - 050118

Contact with the Reservoir

The well is the only direct link

between the reservoir and
surface, separated by several
thousand feet.

 1987-2005 - 050118

Reservoir Surveillance and Monitoring

The well is:

A communication tool:
- The reservoir can be evaluated by testing the well
- The reservoir is monitored through the well

A production tool:
The reservoir production capacity depends on the quality of the
well/reservoir communication

1987-2005 - 050118

The Well Test Concept

During a well test, we send a

signal into the reservoir by
changing the rate...

and we receive its response:

the bottom hole pressure
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 1987-2005 - 050118

The Well Test Concept

The longer we observe the response, the further we look into the
system: well / formation / limits
First we receive the response
from the wellbore

From its behaviour we evaluate the

(near) wellbore properties
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1987-2005 - 050118

The Well Test Concept

Secondly we receive the response
from the formation

From its pressure behaviour we get the

permeability value
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 1987-2005 - 050118

The Well Test Concept

Thirdly we receive the
response from a boundary

From the time delay we get the distance

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1987-2005 - 050118

The Well Test Concept

From the fluid samples...

we get information on
the hydrocarbons properties
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 1987-2005 - 050118

Standard Well Test Set-up

Surface rates
Surface samples
WHP
Acquisition
Interpretation

BHP & BHT

Downhole rates
Bottom hole samples
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1987-2005 - 050118

Reservoir Evaluation by WT

The well testing objectives.

There are numerous WT objectives, depending on the
specific problems/questions related with the
well/reservoir system.
Following are some typical objectives:
The well/reservoir production capacity
Reservoir boundaries / size (STOIIP)
Hydrocarbon properties (PVT samples)
Reservoir properties (dual porosity systems)
etc.
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Data to Be Acquired

Well Testing Interpretation

Required input data for analysis:

Pressure data

Production rate history

Basic fluid parameters

Bo, , (cfluids)

Reservoir data

h, , ct, model parameters..

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1987-2005 - 050118

Reservoir Evaluation

The Well Testing Interpretation

results are :

Well production capacity (well damage)

Reservoir production capacity (transmissibility)

Reservoir porous volume (reservoir limits)

Reservoir specific behaviours

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 1987-2005 - 050118

Reservoir Evaluation

The Well Testing Interpretation results are the

input for the reservoir models like numerical
simulators.

These models are used for studies to optimise the

production and ultimate recovery of the reservoir.
E.g. maximise the return on investment.

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1987-2005 - 050118

Reservoir Evaluation
The final result must be the acquisition of knowledge and
understanding of a very complex system from remote
observation.
Our most commonly used tools are:

seismic
geology
drilling
mud-logging
open hole logs
PVT analysis
core analysis
well testing, the only direct measurement of the
dynamic flow properties.
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