Gas Well Testing Techniques

Gas Well Testing
(Transient tests)
Outlines
• Introduction
• Pressure Build Up Test
• Infinite Reservoirs Behavior
• Finite Reservoir Behavior
• Average Reservoir Pressure Estimating Techniques (Horner-MBH Method)
• Pressure Drawdown Test

• Pressure-Time History for Constant-Rate Drawdown Test
• Uses of Pressure Drawdown Tests
• Characteristics of Various Flow Regimes
• Analysis of Early-Time Flow Data
• Estimating Formation Characteristics from Transient Flow Test Data
• Analysis of Pseudo-Steady-State Flow Data
• References
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Introduction
Introduction
• Information derived from flow and pressure transient tests about in-situ reservoir
conditions is important in many phases of petroleum engineering
• Gas well test analysis is conducted to meet the following objectives:
• To obtain reservoir parameters
• To determine whether all the drilled length of gas well is also a producing zone
• To estimate skin factor or drilling and completion related damage to a gas well
• The concept of pseudo-pressure or real gas potential is used commonly in gas well
deliverability and transient well tests

Build Up Test
• It is the simplest test that can be run on a gas well
• If the effects of wellbore storage can be determined, much
useful information can be obtained
• This information includes permeability k, apparent skin factor
and average reservoir pressure pR
• The test consists of:
• Flowing the well at a constant rate qsc for a period of time tp,
• Shutting the well in (at ∆t = 0)
• Measuring wellbore pressure increase with shut-in time ∆t.

• Horner developed the test, and this method of analysis is
generally considered the best. Other conventional methods of
analysis include the Horner plot, the Miller-Dyes-Hutchinson plot
(often abbreviated as the MDH plot), and the Muskat plot.
• Horner showed that a plot of the shut-in pressure pws versus log
should result in a straight line for an infinite-acting
reservoir
• Matthews, Brons, and Hazebroek abbreviated as MBH, extended

the application of the Horner plot to finite reservoirs

Fig 1-1

Infinite-Acting Reservoir Behavior
• The most useful solution for transient flow is the so-called
line source solution
Equation 1-1
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• In terms of real variables and common log:
Equation 1-2
• If the well is shut in at time tP and allowed to build up for a time

∆t, the effect of the shut-in may be obtained by the superposition
of two effects.

• During the shut-in period, the static bottom hole pressure is given
by the sum of the continuing effect of the drawdown rate qsc and
the superposed effect of the change in rate (0 — qsc) and is
represented by
Equation 1-3
• The first term on the right-hand side of Eq.1-3 represents the

effect due to the drawdown at a rate qsc for a time (tp + ∆t).
• The second term is the effect of the change in rate from qsc to 0
for a time ∆t.

• Combining these terms and simplifying Eq. 1-3 gives
Equation 1-4
• It is obtained from this equation that plot of Δ(p2) versus

log(tp + Δt)/ Δt on semilog coordinates will give a straight line
of slope m, from which
Equation 1-5
• Defining pwf0 as the pressure just before shut-in, Eq. 1-2 may
be written as
Equation 1-6

• Subtracting Eq. 1-4 from Eq. 1-6 gives
Equation 1-7
• Defining Pihr as the pressure at ∆t = 1, and assuming

, Eq. 1-7 may be simplified to give
Equation 1-8
where P21hr is obtained from an extrapolation of the linear

segment of the plot at ∆t = 1 hr (log 1 = 0).

Equation 1-8 a
Equation 1-8 b
Equation 1-8 c
Equation 1-8 d

• Pressure buildup in term of the pseudopressure Ψ(Pws) approach
is
Equation 1-9
• From this form of equation it can be seen that a plot of Ψ(Pws)

versus log(tp + Δt)/ Δt gives a straight line of slope m, from which
flow capacity kh may be calculated by using Eq. 1-10
Equation 1-10
Equation 1-11

• Equations 1-12 and 1-13 may be used to calculate pressure
drop due to apparent skin and flow efficiency.
Equation 1-12
Equation 1-13

Fig 1-2

Fig 1-3

Finite Reservoir Behavior
• Flow from a finite reservoir can be represented in terms of
pseudopressure by:
Equation 1-14
• Equation 1-4, for then simplifies as:
Equation 1-15

• A plot of versus gives, initially, a straight
line of slope m.
• Extrapolation of the line to an infinite shut-in time ∆t or,
= 1 does not result in a value for ; the extrapolated value is
called and can be used to obtain .
• Figure 1-4 illustrates a typical buildup plot for a finite reservoir.
• tp is a pseudoproduction time in hours and is calculated by:
Equation 1-16
• tDA is a dimensionless time given by
Equation 1-17

Fig 1-4

• If real gas potential is replaced by bottom-hole
pressure squared p2, Eq. 1-14 and 1-15 become
Equation 1-18
Equation 1-19

• A plot of versus gives a straight line of
slope m
• Extrapolation of the line to an infinite shut-in time , or
, does not result in a value for . The
extrapolated value is called and can be used to obtain .

Estimating Average Reservoir Pressure
(Horner-MBH Method)
• The average reservoir pressure for a finite or bounded reservoir
may be estimated using the values of m and obtained from
the Horner plot and the MBH curves
• For =1
Equation 1-20
Equation 1-21
• The material balance equation may be written in terms of

pseudopressure with substitution for dimensionless quantities as
Equation 1-22

• Subtracting Eq. 1-20 from Eq. 1 -22 gives
Equation 1-23
• Or
Equation 1-24
• m is the absolute value of the slope of the straight-line section of

the Homer plot:
Equation 1-25
• F is the MBH dimensionless pressure at tDA

Fig 1-5

Fig 1-6

Fig 1-7

• tDA is the dimensionless time
Equation 1-26
• tp is a pseudoproduction time in hours
• If the MBH Figures B-I through B-5 do not provide a

particular configuration, F may be calculated from
Equation 1-27

Table 1-1

Drawdown Test
• Important reservoir parameters can be determined by flowing a well at a constant
rate and measuring flowing wellbore pressure as a function of time. This is called
drawdown testing and it can utilize information obtained in both the transient and
pseudo-steady-state flow regimes.
• If the flow extends to the pseudo-steady state, the test is referred to as a reservoir
limit test and can be used to estimate in-place gas and shape of the reservoir. Both
single-rate and two-rate tests are utilized depending on the information required.
• The purpose of the drawdown testing is to determine the reservoir characteristics

that will affect flow performance. Some of the important characteristics are the flow
capacity kh, skin factor s, and turbulence coefficient D.

Pressure-Time History for Constant-Rate Drawdown Test
• Figure 1 shows the flow history of an unfractured well and can be divided into three
periods for analysis:
The transient or early flow period is usually used to analyze flow characteristics.
The late transient period is more complete.
The semi steady-state flow period is used in reservoir limit tests.
• As shown in Figure 1, radial flow is preceded by a period of linear flow when wells
contain fractures. If the pay interval is partly penetrated or perforated, a spherical-
flow-dominated period should be expected between the linear and radial flow times.
Also, the first flow unloads the well while accepting a contribution from the
reservoir. Thus, a group of curves must be constructed to analyze well tests properly.
Flow tests may better represent well performance than buildup tests since particle
movement, turbulence, and capillary constrictions are then included.

• Schematic pressure-time histories for a constant-rate drawdown test

Uses of Pressure Drawdown Tests
• Producing the well at a constant flow rate while continuously recording bottom-hole
pressure runs the drawdown test. In this type of test, well completion data details
must be known so the effect and duration of wellbore storage may be estimated.
• While most reservoir information obtained from a drawdown test also can be
obtained from a pressure buildup test, there is an economic advantage to drawdown
testing since the well is produced during the test.
• Properly run drawdown tests may provide information about formation permeability
k, skin factor s, and the reservoir volume communicating with the well.
• The main technical advantage of drawdown testing is the possibility for estimating
reservoir volume. The major disadvantage is the difficulty of maintaining a constant
production rate.

Characteristics of Various Flow Regimes
• The different flow regimes are depicted in Figure 1. It

is convenient to treat each one separately:
1- Early-Time Flow Regime.
2- Transient Flow Regime.
3- Pseudo-Steady-State Flow Regime.

1- Early-Time Flow Regime
• Initially during early-time flow, wellbore storage and skin effects dominate the flow.
When the well is opened at the surface for flow at a constant rate, the initial flow
comes primarily from the wellbore itself, rather than from the formation. In fact,
flow from the reservoir increases gradually from zero until the specified wellhead
flow rate q is reached in a length of time, twb, given by:
Equation 2-1
• where const = a constant = 36,177

• when Vwb is in ft3, and is 203,413 when Vwb is in bbl, field units,
• kh is formation flow capacity, mD-ft.
• Cs is the wellbore constant, is defined as the rate unloading of, or storage in, the wellbore per
unit pressure difference, and is given by:

Equation 2-2
• where Vwb = volume of wellbore tubing (well with bottom-hole packer) or volume of
wellbore annulus (well without bottom-hole packer);
• Cs = compressibility of the wellbore fluid evaluated at the mean wellbore pressure
and temperature, and not at reservoir conditions as is usually the case.
• Equation 1 applies to wells with zero skin effects. Agarwal, Al-Hussainy, and Ramey
presented the combined effects of wellbore storage and skin in the form of the type
curves of Figures 2 through 7. These type curves can be used quite effectively to
define the time of start of transient flow and its use. Although early-time data are
not analyzed in this section, it is of interest to note that in the presence of wellbore
storage effects, a plot of ΔpD versus tD on logarithmic coordinates will give a straight
line of slope 1.0 for the initial data.

• These are the dimensionless pressure PD versus dimensionless time tD (figure 2
to 7), including wellbore storage and skin effects (after Agarwal, Al-Hussainy,
and Ramey).
2- Transient Flow Regime
• In this flow regime the pressure is the same as that created by a line-
source well with a constant skin. Since a plot of dPD versus to tD on semi
logarithmic coordinates will yield a straight line, the analysis of transient
flow data is often referred to as a semi log analysis. The semi log
analysis of drawdown data yields consistent values of reservoir
parameters.
• Only the permeability thickness kh the skin factor s, and the inertial-
turbulence factor D may be determined from such an analysis. This semi
log straight line continues as long as the reservoir is infinite-acting. If a
fault is encountered in the reservoir, the slope of the line will double,
and a new straight line will be established. The effects of a fault/barrier
are discussed further in this chapter. When the reservoir boundary
begins to have a significant effect on well drawdown, the transient
region ends; the pseudo-steady-state or depletion phase directly
follows the transient period.
3- Pseudo-Steady-State Flow Regime
• When a constant-rate drawdown test is run for a long period of
time, the boundary effects eventually dominate the pressure
behavior at the well. The pressure starts declining at the same
rate at all points in the reservoir; hence the name pseudo-
steady-state. In effect, then, the total drainage area is being
depleted at a constant rate.
• A plot of dPD versus tD to on arithmetic coordinates will yield a
straight line from which the reservoir pore volume occupied by
gas and the reservoir limits can be calculated. Tests utilizing this
regime of the drawdown history are often known as reservoir
limit tests.

Analysis of Early-Time Flow Data
• In this region a pressure transient is moving through the
formation nearest the well bore. Early-time data may be used to
determine the time of start of transient flow. In some instances,
however, the available data are not amenable to a transient
analysis, in which case it becomes necessary to analyze early-time
data. Type-curve matching techniques are suited to this purpose.
• In unfractured wells, the early-time data are controlled by

wellbore storage and skin effect. Figures 2 through 7 are
particularly useful for analyzing wellbore storage controlled early-
time data. The theory of Ramey's type curves leads to the
following procedure for using the curves for test analysis:

• Step 1. Plot pressure change versus time on log-log paper the
same size as Ramey's type curve on tracing paper. This plot is
referred to as the data plot.
• Step 2. If the test has a uniform slope region (45° line at earliest
times), choose any point t (change in time) on the unit-slope
line and calculate the wellbore storage constant C8: For p <
3000 psia:
Equation 2-3

Where: Equation 2-4
For p > 2000 psia:
Equation 2-5
Then calculate the dimensionless wellbore storage constant:
Equation 2-6
If a unit-slope line is not present, Cs and CSD must be calculated from wellbore
properties, and inaccuracy may result if these properties do not describe
actual test behavior.

• Step 3. Using type curves with CSD as calculated in step 2, find
the curve that most nearly fits all the plotted data. This curve
will be characterized by some skin factor s; record its value.
Interpolation between curves should improve the precision of
the analysis, but may prove difficult.

• Step 4. With the actual test data plot placed in the position of best fit,
record corresponding values from any convenient match point. To show
this, we note that dimensionless quantities are:
Equation 2-7
Equation 2-8
Equation 2-9
Equation 2- 10

• Where
Equation 2-11
• Step 5. Calculate k and from match point, MP, using the

following equations:
Equation 2-12
Equation 2-13
Equation 2-14

• Step 6. Compare those with values used to determine CSD
from Cs
• In summary, the procedure outlined in steps 1 through
6 provides estimation of k, s, and Cs in terms of pressure,
pressure squared, and pseudo pressure cases.

Estimating Formation Characteristics from
Transient Flow Test Data
• Early-time data may be used to determine when transient
flow theory becomes applicable, with well-bore storage
effects. Data should be in the transient flow regime since
reservoir parameters calculated by transient flow analysis are
far more reliable than those calculated by an early-time flow
analysis.
1- Single-Rate Drawdown Test.

2- Two-Rate Drawdown Test.

1- Single-Rate Drawdown Test
• This test consists of flowing the well at a constant rate and
continuously recording the flowing bottom-hole pressure pwf as a
function of time of flow, t. Flow starts from stabilized shut-in
conditions. The data obtained from a single rate test may be
analyzed as described below to give values of kh and apparent skin
factor, s`. S` is composed of two parts: s due to the well completion,
and D qsc due to turbulence effects. The values of s and D may be
obtained separately from two-rate tests, discussed in next section.
• For analyzing pressure drawdown tests, we plotted (pi — pWf)
versus log t on semi logarithmic coordinates, and log(pi — pwf)
versus log t using the log-log plot to identify the beginning of
transient flow period. To analyze pressure drawdown tests in gas
reservoirs, the ordinates of the plots mentioned above may be
pi — pwf, or pseudo pressure .

• Now the question arises as when to use which pressure. The
rule of thumb is to use:
1- pi — pwf if reservoir pressures are greater than 3000 psi.

2- if reservoir pressures are less than 2000 psi.
3- if 1 and 2 are not valid or may be used in all cases.

• Drawdown Test Analysis Using pwf Approach
• After the transient flow region is identified, the following
equations are used when the use of pw/ is appropriate to analyze a
gas well drawdown test. Equation 15 models transient flow at
constant rate from an infinite-acting gas reservoir.
Equation 2-15

Equation 2-16
Equation 2-17
Equation 2-18
Equation 2-19

• where qsc is conveniently expressed in mmscfd,
• Bgi the gas formation volume factor, is then expressed in
reservoir barrels per mmscf, so that the product qsc*Bgi is in
reservoir barrels per day (rb/d).
• All gas properties (Bgi, Mgi, and Cg) are evaluated at original
reservoir pressure, pi.

• In Eq. 15, The factor D is a measure of non-Darcy or turbulent
pressure loss (i.e., a pressure drop in addition to that predicted
by Darcy's law).
• A plot of ∆p = (pt — pwf) versus t on semi logarithmic

coordinates should give a straight line of slope m, from which
formation permeability can be calculated. The apparent skin
factor s' can then be calculated using Eq. 17, where the value of
p1hr must be obtained from the straight-line portion of the
semi log plot (extrapolated, if necessary). The pressure drop
due to skin effects may be obtained from
Equation 2-20

• Similarly, the pressure drop due to IT flow effects may be
obtained from
Equation 2-21
• The total pressure drop may then be obtained from

Equation 2-22
• The well flow efficiency, FE, is defined as the ratio of the

drawdown at the well, without skin or IT flow effects, to the
actual drawdown and may be calculated from
Equation 2-23

Drawdown Test Analysis Using P2wf Approach
• The most useful solution for transient flow is the so-called line source
solution. The solution is
Equation 2-24
• Equation 24 may be written including formation damage and turbulence

effects as
Equation 2-25
• In terms of real variables and common logs, Eq. 25 becomes
Equation 2-26
• A plot of versus t on semi logarithmic
Equation 2-27
• From this, kh can be calculated. To obtain s`, let t = 1 hr (log 1 =

0 ) . Then
Equation 2-28
• where p1hr is obtained from an extrapolation of the linear

segment of the plot. Solving for s` in Eq. 28 gives
Equation 2-29

• Since s` is rate dependent, two single-rate drawdown tests
may be conducted to determine s and D. The removable
pressure drop due to actual damage can be calculated from
Equation 2-30
• and the rate dependent pressure drop from

Equation 2-31

2- Two-Rate Drawdown Test
• Two-rate test consists of flowing the well at a constant rate qsc1 for a period of time t, and then
changing the flow rate to qsc2. The first rate is usually the actual production rate of the well.
Before the flow rate is changed, the flowing bottom hole pressure is measured with a
bottom-hole pressure gauge and flowing bottom-hole pressure after the rate change is
recorded continuously. Such data may be analyzed by the methods of the single-rate test
analysis to obtain kh and s'. It should be noted that the duration t of the first flow must be long
enough to ensure that it is in the transient flow regime. Two single-rate tests are necessary to
determine the IT flow factor using the following equations:
Equation 2-32
Equation 2-33

• Solving the simultaneous equations:
Equation 2-34
Equation 2-35
• where s may be positive (well damage) or negative (well improvement); D must always
be positive. Zero replaces it, and s becomes the average of s’1 and s'2. When wellbore
storage effects are significant, a two-rate test has a definite advantage: a two-rate
test eliminates the problems caused by redistribution of the gas and liquid phases,
and in fact it has become the standard test in some instances.
• The analysis of such a test will give kh, s, and D if pi is available. If pi is not available,
the analysis will yield kh, s, and pi. Pressure response obtained by changing the flow
rate from qsc1 to qsc2 may be analyzed by applying the principle of superposition in
time.

• For the second flow period of a two-rate test, the pseudo
pressure drawdown is given by
Equation 2-36
• A plot of versus on arithmetic

Equation 2-37

• The apparent skin factor, s’ associated with the flow rate, qsc2, may then be
calculated from
Equation 2-38
• where s’1 = apparent skin factor associated with the flow rate qsc1 ;
=flowing bottom hole pseudo pressure at = 1, obtained from the straight
line (extrapolated, if necessary); and = flowing bottom-hole pseudo
pressure at the time of changing the flow rate from qsc1 to qsc2. To utilize Eq.
38, we need some additional information. Two alternative approaches may be
considered.
• Case 1: Is Known
• Since the single-rate analysis applies to the first flow period
of a two-rate test, the apparent factor s’ related to the flow
rate qsc1 may be obtained from Eq. 39:
Equation 2-39
• where t1 = time of changing the flow rate from qsc1 to qsc2, i.e.,
time corresponding to the pseudo pressure .

• The apparent skin factor s’2 related to the flow rate qsc2 may be
calculated as
Equation 2-40
• The skin factor s and the IT flow factor D may then be

calculated using the above values of s’1, s'2, and Eqs. 32
through 35.

• Case 2: Is Not Known
• In this case, the skin and IT flow effects cannot be separated.
However, may be estimated by assuming s’1 and s'2 to be
equal to an average s’ calculated from Eq. 38, which may be
written as
Equation 2-41

• and using the calculated value of s’ becomes the following
equation, which is a form of Eq. 39:
Equation 2-42
• may then be converted back to pi.

Analysis of Pseudo-Steady-State Flow Data
• If the drawdown were continued, the pseudo-steady-
state would be indicated by a deviation from the semi
log straight line.
1- Reservoir Limits Test.
2- Defining a Minimum In-Place Gas Volume.
3- Effect of Reservoir and Well Geometry.

1- Reservoir Limits Test
• If a single-rate drawdown test is allowed to flow until the reservoir
boundary is felt (pseudo-steady-state), the pressure behavior is
governed by equation given below for a circular reservoir.
Equation 2-43

• By rearranging Eq. 43, with appropriate substitution for the
dimensionless terms, real variables and common log may be written as
Equation 2-44

• A plot of versus t on arithmetic coordinates
will give a straight line of slope m''. Therefore,
Equation 2-45
• Also, Vp is equal to and reservoir limits
Equation 2-46

2- Defining a Minimum In-Place Gas Volume
• The radius of investigation rinv is, for rinv < re,
Equation 2-47
• Define a minimum in-place gas volume, Vpm (in MMscf), as

Equation 2-48

• Equation 47 may be substituted in Eq. 46 to give
Equation 2-49
• where t = duration of flow period required to conduct an

economic limits test.

3- Effect of Reservoir and Well Geometry
• The pseudo-steady-state will start at a time given by the
value of tDA corresponding to the particular well and reservoir
geometry:
Equation 2-50
• Or Equation 2-51
Equation 2-52

• where pt is dimensionless pressure drop at the well excluding
skin and inertial turbulent flow effects and is defined by
Ramey and Cobb:
Equation 2-52

• Equation 52, with appropriate substitution for tDA and
dimensionless terms, may be written as
Equation 2-53

Deliverability Testing of Gas
Wells
Narrated by: RS Trijana Kartoatmodjo, PhD
ANTANANARIVO, 24-28 NOVEMBER 2014
78
Testing of gas well
Objectives
•Introduction
•Types and Purposes of Deliverability Tests
•Theory of Deliverability Test Analysis
•Stabilization Time
• Analysis of Deliverability Tests
79 14/12/2016 Testing of gas well

Types and Purposes of Deliverability
Tests
Narrated by: RS Trijana Kartoatmodjo
80
Testing of gas well
Types and Purposes of Deliverability Tests
1. Deliverability testing refers to the testing of a gas well to measure
its production capabilities under specific conditions of reservoir
and bottomhole flowing pressures (BHFPs).
2. A common productivity indicator obtained from these tests is the
absolute open flow (AOF) potential. The AOF is the maximum rate
at which a well could flow against a theoretical atmospheric
backpressure at the sandface.
3. Although in practice the well cannot produce at this rate,
regulatory agencies sometimes use the AOF to allocate allowable
production among wells or to set maximum production rates for
individual wells.
Theoretical Deliverability Equations
• The early-time transient solution to the diffusivity equation for gases for constant-rate
production from a well in a reservoir with closed outer boundaries, written in terms of
pseudopressure, pp,[47] is
• where ps is the stabilized shut-in BHP measured before the deliverability test. In new
reservoirs with little or no pressure depletion, this shut-in pressure equals the initial
reservoir pressure, ps = pi, while in developed reservoirs, ps < pi.

• and the pseudosteady-state flow equation as
• where

• The coefficients of q (at for transient flow and a for pseudosteady-state flow) include the
Darcy flow and skin effects and are measured in (psia2/cp)/(MMscf/D) when q is in
MMscf/D. The coefficient of q2 represents the inertial and turbulent flow effects and is
measured in (psia2/cp)/(MMscf/D)2 when q is in MMscf/D.
• The Houpeurt equations also can be assuming that μgz is constant over the pressure
range considered. For transient flow,
• and for pseudosteady-state flow,

• The flow coefficients are
• When the Houpeurt equation is presented in terms of pressure squared, the coefficients
of q are measured in psia2/(MMscf/D) when q is in MMscf/D, while the coefficient of q2 is
measured in units of psia2/(MMscf/D)2 when q is in MMscf/D

Empirical Deliverability Equations.
• In 1935, Rawlins and Schellhardt[46] presented an empirical relationship that is used
frequently in deliverability test analysis. The original form of their relation, given in terms
of pressure squared, is applicable only at low pressures:
• and in terms of pseudo pressures
• C is the stabilized performance coefficient and n is the inverse slope of the line on a log-
log plot.The theoretical value of n ranges from 0.5, indicating turbulent flow throughout a
well’s drainage area, to 1.0, indicating laminar flow behavior modeled by Darcy’s law.
Flow Equation (Darcy’s Law)
• The late-time or pseudosteady-state solution is
• where p is current drainage-area pressure. Gas wells cannot reach true pseudosteady
state because μg(p)ct(p) changes as p decreases. Note that, unlike p , which decreases
during pseudosteady-state flow, ps is a constant.
• For convenience, Houpeurt[44] wrote the transient flow equation as

Analysis of Deliverability Tests
• Flow-After-Flow Tests. Flow-after-flow tests, sometimes called gas
backpressure or four-point tests, are conducted by producing the well at a series
of different stabilized flow rates and measuring the stabilized BHFP at the
sandface.
• Each different flow rate is established in succession either with or without a very
short intermediate shut-in period.
• Conventional flow-after-flow tests often are conducted with a sequence of
increasing flow rates; however, if stabilized flow rates are attained, the rate
sequence does not affect the test. [46]
• The requirement that the flowing periods be continued until stabilization is a
major limitation of the flow-after-flow test, especially in low-permeability
formations that take long times to reach stabilized flowing conditions.

Pressure and flow rate history of
a typical flow-after-flow test.

• Rawlins-Schellhardt Analysis Technique. Recall the empirical equation that forms the basis
for the Rawlins-Schellhardt analysis technique:
• Taking the logarithm of both sides of equation yields the equation that forms the basis
for the Rawlins-Schellhardt analysis technique:
• The form suggests that a plot of log (Δpp) vs. log (q) will yield a straight line of slope
1/n and an intercept of {–1/n[log(C)]}.

RATE SEQUENCE TEST (BACK PRESSURE TEST)
Back pressure test
Gas Rate,
Pr, psia FBHP, psia Pr^2-FBHP^2
MMscd/d
2.515 2.507 7 42.181

2.515 2.490 17 123.606
2.514 2.467 26 230.122
2.515 2.436 36 380.052
2.515 14,7 6.325.009

Plot of Q vs Dp2
at log Log paper
Back Pressure Test
1.E+07
6,32E+06
y = 2,651.08960x1.38001
R² = 0.99829
Pr^2-FBHP^2
1.E+06
1.E+05
280,2
1.E+04
1 10 100 1,000
Gas Rate, MMscf/d
93 14/12/2016
Testing of gas well
Calculation of Back pressure test
=SLOPE(LOG10(D9:D12);LOG10(C9:C12))
1,380015
n =1/SLOPE(LOG10(D9:D12);LOG10(C9:C12))
n 0,72463
Calculation
6.325.009 6,801061
2651,09 3,423424
3,377637 2,447536
280,244
Plot
6.325.009 280,244
6.325.009 280,244
10000 1

ISOCHRONAL TEST
Pr, psia FBHP, psia Gas Rate, MMscd/d
1.933 1.769 5
1.933 1.665 6
1.933 1.531 7
1.933 1.340 8

Isochronal test data
Gas Rate,
Pr, psia FBHP, psia Pr^2-FBHP^2
MMscd/d
1.933 1.769 5 607.226
1.933 1.665 6 964.425
1.933 1.531 7 1.392.769
1.933 1.340 8 1.941.245

Plot of Q vs Dp2
at log Log paper
Isochronal Test
1.E+07
3,73E+06
y = 31122x1.9813
Pr^2-FBHP^2
R² = 1
1.E+06
1.E+05
11
1.E+04
1 10 100
Gas Rate, MMscf/d

Isochronal calculation
Pr, psia FBHP, psia Gas Rate, MMscd/d Pr^2-FBHP^2 log(q) log(DP^2)
1.933 1.769 5 607.226 0,65321 5,78335

1.933 1.665 6 964.425 0,74819 5,98427
1.933 1.531 7 1.392.769 0,83569 6,14388
1.933 1.340 8 1.941.245 0,91645 6,28808
=INTERCEPT(E9:E11;F9:F11)
Intercept = -2,2678E+00
C=10^intercept
C= 5,3982E-03MMscf/d/psi^(2n)
n=SLOPE(E9:E11;F9:F11)
n= 5,0472E-01
To calculate AOF, input FBHP at atmospheric pressure

Pr, psia FBHP, psia Pr^2-BHP^2
1.933 14,7 3.737.433
AOF = C*(Pr^2-14,7^2)^n
AOF = 11 MMscf/d @ Pr, psia = 1933
Testing of gas well

99 14/12/2016
Modified Isochronal Multiple Rate Test
Pr, psia FBHP, psia Gas Rate, MMscd/d Pr^2-FBHP^2
1.933 1.769 5 607.226
1.912 1.665 6 883.667
1.896 1.531 7 1.251.453
1.872 1.340 8 1.709.103
1.933 1.218 8 2.254.125

PLOT OF Q VS DP2
AT LOG LOG PAPER
Modified Isochronal
(Data measured at gauge depth)
1.E+07
y = 64506x1.709
R² = 1
y = 46472x1.7095
R² = 1
1.E+06
Pr^2-FBHP^2
mod_isochronal
1.E+05
1 10 100
Gas Rate, MMscf/d

10 14/12/2016
Testing of gas well
Pr, psia FBHP, psia Gas Rate, MMscd/d Pr^2-FBHP^2 log(q) log(DP^2)
1.933 1.769 5 607.226 0,65321 5,78335

1.912 1.665 6 883.667 0,74819 5,94629
1.896 1.531 7 1.251.453 0,83569 6,09741
1.872 1.340 8 1.709.103 0,91645 6,23277
1.933 1.218 8 2.254.125 0,90309 6,35298
Intercept = -2,7071E+00
C= 1,9630E-03MMscf/d/psi^(2n)
n= 5,8105E-01
To calculate AOF, input FBHP at atmospheric pressure
Pr, psia FBHP, psia Pr^2-BHP^2

1.933 14,7 3.737.433
AOF = 13 MMscf/d @ Pr, psia = 1933

References
References
• Gas Well Testing Handbook, Amanat U. Chaudhry, Houston,
Texas
• Gas Reservoir Engineering, John Lee & Robert A.
Wattenbarger, Texas A&M, 1996
Hint
• All equations and figures had been copied from “ Gas Well
testing Handbook, Ch 1, 5 & 6”

THANK YOU

Gas Well Testing Techniques

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Gas Well Testing

• Pressure Drawdown Test

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• Matthews, Brons, and Hazebroek abbreviated as MBH, extended

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• If the well is shut in at time tP and allowed to build up for a time

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• The first term on the right-hand side of Eq.1-3 represents the

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• It is obtained from this equation that plot of Δ(p2) versus

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• Defining Pihr as the pressure at ∆t = 1, and assuming

where P21hr is obtained from an extrapolation of the linear

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• From this form of equation it can be seen that a plot of Ψ(Pws)

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• Equation 1-4, for then simplifies as:

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• tDA is a dimensionless time given by

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• The material balance equation may be written in terms of

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• m is the absolute value of the slope of the straight-line section of

• F is the MBH dimensionless pressure at tDA

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• tp is a pseudoproduction time in hours

• If the MBH Figures B-I through B-5 do not provide a

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• The purpose of the drawdown testing is to determine the reservoir characteristics

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• The different flow regimes are depicted in Figure 1. It

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• where const = a constant = 36,177

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• In unfractured wells, the early-time data are controlled by

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For p > 2000 psia:

Then calculate the dimensionless wellbore storage constant:

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• Step 5. Calculate k and from match point, MP, using the

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