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jpt forum

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A Simple Method for Determining

Closed Rectangular Reservoirs

In 1968, Earlougher et al, introduced a builciingblock concept, using a constart-rate well producing
from the center of a closed square, to generate solutions for pressure behavior in several rectangular
systems, Tables of the dimensionless pressure drop
function for the square system are presented in Ref.
1, along with illustratiGns of the technique. Their
procedure, while a step toward reducing laborious
computations, can sometimes be quite tedious. This
note describes a further simplification for obtaining
dimensionless pressures for these other rectangular
systems at the producing well; other points within
these systems are not considered,
Conveniently, Earlougher et al. have tabulated
the Matthews-Brons-Hazebroekz
pressure correction
function, Pl,linl{, for 16 closed rectangular systems.
These correction functions provide the basis from
which the dimensionless wellbore pressure drop functions can easily be obtained, h a recent comprehensive review of pressure buildup analysis,? it was
shown that
Plnllm

47ftDA

2PD

(tDA)

+ 0.80907,,

tll.1 =

p,, = 2T2D,+ !4 In(lI,.,) + In

[
(+)+0.80907]
.

1/2

pl)lllm

(5)

It is clear from Eq. 5 that PIJ is a fUnctiOn of PDMIIH,

and A /r,c:. Thus, given pi,~tr~lfand A /r,i.: for a
t,),,,
particular system, p,, as a function of t{,.~can be calculated directly.
Columns 2 and 3 of Table 1 present the PIJ and
PDNIIH
data
of Ref. 1 for the case Of a well in the
center of a square with a value fc. VA /r,c of 2,000.
The p,, data tabulated in Column 4 are obtained by
direct substitution of r,,,., and P,,MBH of Columns 1
and 3, respectively, into Eq. 5. As can be seen, the
solutions in Columns 2 and 4 are identical. For
dimensionless times less than those given in Table 1,
p can be obtained from
=

~2 h(tD.4) + h
[

(4)

Solvirg Eq. 1 for PI, yields

PD

0.0002637kt
$fICpl

()

...

(1)

(+)+0800710
. . . . .

(6)

For times greater than those given in Table 1, P,)

can be obtained by

where
kh
D = 141.2qBP (Pi Pwf) 3 .
h
(P*;),
i = 70.6qBP

Well Pressure in

(2)

(3)

PD

=%()._.!A._.

In yC.ir,oz + 2?rtDA, .

(7)

where CA is the reservoir shape factor,l and y is the

Euler constant approximately 1.7811.

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NOVEMBER,

1973

1305

TABLE 1-COMPARISON OF pII VS t., FOR A WELL

IN THE CENTER OF A CLOSED SQUARE
(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

TABLE 2-COMPARISON
OF p. VS t.. FOR A WELL
IN THE CENTER OF A CLOSED 21 RECTANGLE
FOR +~lr. = ~~ x 10

(1)

(2)

(3)

pDMBH

tDA
0.0010
0.0015
0.0020
0.0025
0.0030
0.0040
0,0050
0.0060
0.0070
0.0080
0.0090
0.0100
0.0150
0.0200
0.0250
0.0300
0.0400
0.0500
0.0600
0.0700
0,080[>
0.0900
0.1000
0.1500
0.2000
0.2500
0.3000
0.4000
0.5000
0.6000
0.7000
0,8000
0.9000
1.0000
2.0000
4.0000
8.0000
10.0000

(R% 1)

4.5516
4.7543
4.8981
5,0097
5.1009
5.2447
5.3563
5.4474
5.5245
5.5913
5.6502
5,7029
5.9056
6,0494
6.1610
6.2522
6.3965
6,5099
6.6050
6,6888
6.7654
6.8374
6.9063
7.2311
7.5468
7.8611
8,1753
8.8036
9.4320
10.0603
10.6886
11.3169
11.9452
12.5735
18.8567
31.4230
56.5557
69.1222

(Ref. 1)
0.0126
0,0188
0,0251
0.0314
0.0377
0,0503
0.0628
0.0754
0.0880
0.1005
0.1131
0.1257
0,1885
0.2513
0.3141
0.3769
0.5016
0.6237
0.7415
0.8537
0.9597
1.0592
1,1524
1.5364
1.8212
2.0439
2.2262
2.5139
2.7370
2.9193
3.0735
3,2070
3.3249
3.4302
4.1234
4.8166
5.5099
5.7331

(E~5)
4.5515
4.7543
4.8981
5.0097
5.1008
5.2447
5.3663
5.4474
5.5245
5.5913
5.6502
5.7028
5.9056
6.0494
6.1610
6.2522
6.3965
6.5099
6,6050
6.6888
6.7654
6.8373
6.9063
7.2312
7.5468
7.8611
8.1753
8.8036
9,4320
10.0603
10.6886
11.3169
11,9452
12.5735
18.8567
31,4231
56.5558
69,1222

In this example, the pD)llllI data are related to the

PO data for a Vaiue for ~~ /r,c of 2,()()0. If pD data
are desired for other reservoir shapes or sizes, it is
necessary only to choose the appropriate p~~ll~}[for
the system configuration and re-solve Eq. 5 for pD.
As a further illustration, Column 2 of Table 2 presents pD data for }lA /r,C value of (@)(1,000)
for a
centrally located well in a 2:1 rectangle. These solutions were obtained using the p,,~,,,,l of Ref. 1 and
merely solving Eq, 5 at the tabulated ?1),1 vahes.
Obtaining the pressure drop functions by the EarIougher et al. method is complicated by the fact that
an adjustment in ?1,.,,must be made, owing to a change
in the drainage area. Comparison with the Earlougher
solution given in Column 3 of Table 2 shows identical
results. It should be pointed out, as Ramey has called
to our attention, the first and second pD},EHcolumns
from the left on the lower half of Table 2 of Ref. 1
should be interchanged; the same correction is also
required for the fifth and sixth columns on the lower
half of Table 2.
1306

(this%d~)

tDA

0.002
0.003
0.004
0.005
0.006
0.008
0.O1O
0.020
0.030
0.040
0.050
0.060
0.080
0.100
0.200

4.5516
4.7543
4.8982
5.0098
5.1009
5.2448
5,3563
5.7032
5.9087
6.0606
6.1859
6.2958
6.4878
6.6569
7.3615

(R$1)

4.5516
4.7543
4.8981
5.009
5.1009
5.2447
5.3563
5.7032
5.9087
6.0605
6.1859
6.2958
6.4878
6.6563
7.36.4

The usefulness of applying these dimensionless solutions in practical cases cannot be overemphasized.
As an example, they can be used with superposition
to simulate pressure buildup curves, which can then
be studied for revealing characteristic features.

Nomenclature
,4 = drainage

area of well, ft
B = formation volume factor, RB/STB
c = total system isothermal coefficient of
compressibility, psia- ]
h = formation thickness, ft
k = formation permeability, md
pi = initial pressure, psi
P,,J = wellbore flowing pressure, psi
p* = false pressure obtained by extrapolating
Homer plot to a time ratio of unity,
psia
~ = volumetric average pressure in the drainage area, psi
r,. = well~ore radhs, ft
q = flow rate, STB/D
t = time, hours
p = fluid viscosity, cp
# = porosity, fraction

References
1. Earlougher, R. C., Jr., Ramey, H. J., Jr., Miller, F, G. and
Mueller, T. D.: Pressure Distributions in Rectangular
Reservoirs J. Pef. Tech. (Feb. 1968) 199-208; Trans.,
AIME, 243.
2, Matthews, C. S:, Brons, F. and Hazebroek, P.: A Method
for Determination of Average Pressure in a Bounded Reservoir, Trans., AIME ( 1954) 201, 182-191.
3. Ramey, H. J., Jr., and Cobb, W. M.: A General Pressure
Buildup Theory for a Well in a Closed Drainage AreaP
J. Pet. Tech. (Dec. 1971) 1493-1505; Trans., AIME, 251.

William M. Cobb, SPE-AIME

Mississippi State U.
Mississippi State, Miss.
Walter L. Dowdle, SPE-AIME
Chevron Oil Co.
Houston, Tex,
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM

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