Beirut Arab University Fall 2019

Faculty of Engineering
Chemical and Petroleum Eng. Dpt.

Ch. 3
Pressure Drawdown Testing
Techniques for Oil Wells

Dr. Rami HARKOUSS

CPE
 Introduction
A pressure drawdown test is simply a series of
bottom-hole pressure measurements made during
a period of flow at constant production rate.

Usually the well is closed prior to the flow test for

a period of time sufficient to allow the pressure to
stabilize throughout the formation (to reach static
pressure).
As discussed by Odeh and Nabor, transient
flow condition prevails to a value of real time
approximately equal to

Semi-steady-state conditions are established

at a time value of
Pressure-Time History for Constant-Rate
 Transient Analysis - Infinite-Acting
Reservoirs
The ideal model is solved by the logarithmic
approximation to the -function solution:

With dimensionless pressure at initial condition :

After the wellbore storage effects have diminished and

Combining and rearranging all together we obtain:

It describes a straight line with intercept and slope term

together and it may be written as:

A plot of flowing bottom-hole pressure data versus the

logarithm of flowing time should be a straight line with slope
m and intercept p1 hr
Semilog pressure drawdown data plot
The slope of the semilog straight line:

The intercept at log t = 0, which occurs at t = 1

The skin factor is:

 Late Transient Analysis
Pressure behavior at constant rate in a bounded reservoir
can be represented by

From this we see that a plot of log (p -

wf ) versus t
should be linear with:

Usually, the value of is not known: trial and errors method.

Schematic late-transient drawdown analysis plot
 Conductivity Pore Volume (bbl)

The equivalent drainage radius re

The skin factor

The pressure drop across skin zone

 Semi-Steady-State Analysis -
Reservoir Limit Test
• It happens when pressure drawdown test is
run for a long period of time

In general:
 Reservoir drainage volume

A = drainage area, ft2

CA = Dietz's shape factor
m* = negative slope of the linear part of the plot of pwf versus t, in psi/hr
pInt = intercept of the straight line when t = 0
 Brief
The semilog plot is used to determine m and
p1hr, the Cartesian plot is used to get m* and Pint.
The system shape factor is

The dimensionless time used by Dietz to define the

beginning of semi steady state behavior:

the time at the start of the semi-steady-state

period (hours) or the time at the start of the
straight line of the plot of pwf versus t
How to analyze reservoir limit test!
• Plot both pwf versus log t and pwf versus t.

• From semilog plot determine m and p1hr

We may obtain kh/µ and skin factor s

• From the linear plot find slope, m*, pint and tpss
 Estimation of Reservoir Limit
Drainage area A Reservoir size re

Estimation of Reservoir Geometry

Calculate CA using Table B-2 or Figure B-8.

Estimate the drainage shape and well location

 Example
• A constant-rate drawdown test was run in an
oil well with the following characteristics:
Pwf t
3825 1.2
3790 2.8
Pi = 4400 psi, q0 = 350 stb/day, 3772 4.5
µ0 = 0.85 cP, 3763 7.5
3760 10
β0 = 1.15 rb/stb, ϕ = 16.6%, 3755 15
3750 25
pressure drop due to skin = 220 psi, 3745 45
3740 85
c0 = 16x10-6 psi-1, k = 0.115 mD, 3736 105
3732 150
h = 175 ft and rw = 0.175 ft. 3728 210
3725 260
3722 360
a) Plot the proper graph to determine the pressure related to
the end of well bore storage effects

b) Plot the proper graph to estimate accurately tpss.

Determine then Pwf0 and the slope from it
Pwf t Pi - Pwf Log(t) Log(Pi-Pwf)
3825 1.2 575 0.079 2.760
3790 2.8 600 0.447 2.778
3772 4.5 620 0.653 2.792
3763 7.5 630 0.875 2.799
3760 10 640 1.000 2.806
3755 15 645 1.176 2.810
3750 25 650 1.398 2.813
3745 45 655 1.653 2.816
3740 85 660 1.929 2.820
3736 105 664 2.021 2.822
3732 150 668 2.176 2.825
3728 210 672 2.322 2.827
3725 260 675 2.415 2.829
3722 360 678 2.556 2.831
3720 470 680 2.690 2.833
 Pend wellbore storage effect

Pressure corresponding to the fourth point where (0.88, 2.8) is

3763 psi
 Pwf vs t
Cartesian
3840

3820

3800

tpss = 85 hrs
3780

3760

y = -0.049x + 3740
3740 Pwf = -0.049t + 3740

3720

Pwf,0 or Pintercept = 3740

3700
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500
 Two-Rate Flow Test Analysis
Sometimes, there may be a lack of knowledge
regarding the presence of fluids in the well bore
after shut-in.

2-rate flowing test which eliminates concerns

about fluid accumulation in the well bore is
used.
The 2- rate test allows the user to calculate skin
and permeability.
 Procedure
The operator will flow the well at constant
rate for a period long enough to ensure
there are no pressure transients in the
reservoir; then, the rate is simply increased
or decreased an amount sufficient to
change the flowing wellhead pressure by at
least 10%.
The 2-rate test avoids the following problems:
1. Loss of cash flow during a build-up
2. Fluid accumulation during a build-up may require assistance to
unload when the well is reopened
3. After a build-up, some wells have difficulty returning to pre-test
flow rates.
 Pressure drop due to skin:

pi (or, more generally, p*) is obtained by:

or