Layered Systems

1. Horizontal, linear flow parallel to bedding

P1 P2

q q
A
B

C
W

qt = qA + qB + qC

h = hA + hB + hC

let k be "average" permeability,

then

k wh P1 - P2
qt =
µL

and

kA whA kB whB kC whC

qt = P1 - P2 + P1 - P2 + P1 - P2
µL µL µL

then

k h = kA hA + kB hB + kC hC

n kj hj
k = ∑
j=1 h

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2. Horizontal, radial flow parallel to bedding

re re

hA rw qA

hB qB Pe
ht

hC qC

Pw

again

qt = qA + qB + qC

h = hA + hB + hC

qt = 2πk h Pe - Pw
µ ln (re/rw)

and

2 π kA hA 2 π kB hB
qt = Pe - Pw + Pe - Pw
µ ln (re/rw) µ ln (re/rw)

2 π kc hc
+ Pe - Pw
µ ln (re/rw)
then
k h = kA hA + kB hB + kC hC

and again

n kj hj
k = ∑
j=1 h

2
 3. Horizontal, linear flow perpendicular to bedding

A B C

P1 P2

q q
kA kB kC
∆P A ∆P B ∆P C
h
LA LB LC

qt = qA = qB = qC

p1 - p2 = ∆PA + ∆PB + ∆PC

L = LA + LB + LC

k wh P1 - P2
qt =
µL

and since P1 - P2 = ∆ PA + ∆PB + ∆PC

qt µ L q µLA q µLB q µLC

P1 - P2 = = A + B + C
k wh kA wh kB wh kC wh

since qt = qA = qB = qC

L = LA + LB + LC
k kA kB kC

thus
K = L
n Lj
∑
j = 1 kj

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4. Horizontal, radial, flow perpendicular to bedding
q

PA PB PC
Pw

rw
rA
rB
rC

qt = qA = qB = qC

Pe - Pw = ∆PA + ∆PB + ∆PC

2 π k h Pe - Pw
q =
µ ln (re/rw)

qt µ ln (re/rw) qA µ ln (rA/rw)
Pe - Pw = =
2π k h 2 π kAh

qB µ ln (rB/rA) q µ ln (rC/re)
+ + C
2 π kB h 2 π kC h
then

ln re/rw
k =
n ln(rj/rj-1)
∑
j=1 kj

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 Example II-4

Damaged zone near wellbore

k1 = 10 md r1 = 2 ft
k2 = 200 md r2 = 300 ft
rw = 0.25 ft

Solution:

ln (re/rw)
k =
n ln (rj/rj-1 )
∑
j=1 kj

ln 300
k = 0.25
ln 2/0.25 ln 300/2
+
10 200

k = 30.4 md

The permeability of the damaged zone near the wellbore influences the average permeability more
than the permeability of the undamaged formation.