Build-up test

Build-up test:
describes the increase in bottomhole flowing pressure (pwf) with time after a well has been
shut in
the pressure is measured immediately before shut-in and during the shut-in period
procedure
=> first, the well producing at a constant flow rate is shut in
=> this causes the pressure to increase (build-up)
=> finally, the pressure approaches a constant value
objectives
=> obtaining the average permeability k of the reservoir rock within the drainage area of
the well
=> monitoring the hydraulic transmissibility T
=> obtaining the static reservoir pressure without waiting weeks or months for the reservoir
pressure to stabilize
=> assessing the skin factor s (damage/stimulation) in the near-wellbore region
=> monitoring the depletion state of the drainage area of the well

Falloff test:
identical to the build-up test, except after fluid injection into the well
(Pressure) build-up:
a rise in well pressure as a function of time observed after a well is shut in or after the
production rate is reduced
After-flow effect:
when a well is shut in for a build-up test, the well is usually closed at the surface rather than
at the bottomhole
even though the well is shut in, the reservoir fluids continue to flow into the wellbore for a
while
Point of shut-in:
tp = Np/q

Np = cumulative oil production before shut-in

q = stabilized well flow rate

Horner analysis:
Horner equation
=> only valid for small t (thus during the transient period)
=> only valid for radial infinite acting flow behaviour
m = - 0,1833((q)/(hk)) = slope
pi = y-axis intercept
Horner time function
=> (t + t)/t

t = flow period
t = shut-in period

Horner plot

=> when extrapolating the straight line with the slope m (Horner equation) until
log ((t + t)/t) = 0 we obtain the initial reservoir pressure pi
=> t => (t + t)/t 1
=> the after-flow effect disappears
after approximately 1 hour
=> t => log ((t + t)/t) 0 [log 1 = 0] => pws pi
skin effect

Miller-Dyes-Hutchinson (MDH) analysis:

MDH equation
=> also valid outside the transient period
=> also valid for closed reservoirs
=> alternative to the Horner equation
=> does not include superposition and is therefore correct only when superposition
effects are negligible
=> drawdown is within the semi-steady state flow in a large reservoir or well
drainage area (t << t)
=> pwf = const at the instant of the shut-in in a reservoir with a constant
pressure boundary

m = - 0,1833((q)/(kh)) = slope
p = y-axis intercept
therefore

MDH plot

skin effect

Matthews-Brons-Hazebroek (MBH) analysis:

MBH equation
=> only valid for small t (thus during the transient period)
=> only valid for small closed reservoirs
=> alternative to the Horner equation
=> does include superposition
=> should be used when the well is shut in at the late transient period or during the
transition between the late transient and the semi-steady state period
=> should be used when the outer boundary effect strongly influences the pressure
build-up
=> valid when the build-up time is much smaller than the shut-in time (t << t)
=> nearly stabilized drawdown flow conditions
m = - 0,1833((q)/(hk)) = slope
p = y-axis intercept
=> fundamental solution

MBH plot

skin effect