Petroleum Production Engineering II

Year 4 – Department of Petroleum Engineering

University of Baghdad

2.2.2.1 Radial Flow of an Incompressible Fluid – Steady State

Here, we consider an incompressible fluid, i.e., one in which the density is of pressure and
hence of position.

The geometrical model assumed for derivation of the flow equations is given in Figure
(2.3) and the terminology shown in Figure (2.4).

At a radius r the cross-sectional area available for flow in 2πrh and the velocity u for a flow
rate q is given by:
𝑞
𝑢= (2.5)
2𝜋𝑟ℎ

Using Darcy’s Law expressed in radial coordinates:

𝑘 𝑑𝑝
𝑢= (2.6)
µ 𝑑𝑟
Combining (2.5) and (2.6):

𝑞 𝑘 𝑑𝑝
= (2.7)
2𝜋𝑟ℎ µ 𝑑𝑟
Or

𝑞µ 𝑑𝑝
𝑑𝑃 = 2𝜋𝑘ℎ . 𝑑𝑟 (2.8)

Dr. Dhifaf Jaafar Sadeq 1

Petroleum Production Engineering II
Year 4 – Department of Petroleum Engineering
University of Baghdad

Dr. Dhifaf Jaafar Sadeq 2

Petroleum Production Engineering II
Year 4 – Department of Petroleum Engineering
University of Baghdad

Equation (2.8) cab be integrated between the limits:

At r=rw , P=Pw

And at r= re , P= Pe
𝑃𝑒 𝑟𝑒
𝑞µ 𝑑𝑟
∫ 𝑑𝑃 = ∫
𝑃𝑤 2𝜋𝑘ℎ 𝑟𝑤 𝑟

i.e.:
𝑞µ 𝑟
[𝑃𝑒 − 𝑃𝑤 ] = ln 𝑟𝑒 (2.9)
2𝜋𝑘ℎ 𝑤

Where:

1- 𝑃𝑒 − 𝑃𝑤 is the total pressure drop across the reservoir and is called the drawdown.
2- 𝑞 is the fluid flowrate at reservoir conditions.

If the production rate measured at standard conditions at surface is qs then equation (2.9)
becomes:
𝑞𝑠 µ𝐵𝑜 𝑟
[𝑃𝑒 − 𝑃𝑤 ] = ln 𝑟𝑒 (2.10)
2𝜋𝑘ℎ 𝑤

In field units (mD, ft, Psi, stb/day):

1 𝑞𝑠 µ𝐵𝑜 𝑟
[𝑃𝑒 − 𝑃𝑤 ] = ln 𝑟𝑒 (2.11)
7.082×10−3 2𝜋𝑘ℎ 𝑤

Where P and qs versus r indicate how the pressure declines as oil or water converges towards
the wellbore (Figure (2.5)).

The steady state radial flow equation for an incompressible fluid applies when the reservoir is
in contact with an infinite aquifer. It can also apply approximately for the following types of
depletion provided little drop in reservoir pressure experienced and assuming no matked
changes occurs in the properties of the following phases:

1- Highly supportive reservoir pressure maintenance with water injection or gas re-
injection.

2- Reservoir production associated with a substantial expanding gas cap.

Dr. Dhifaf Jaafar Sadeq 3

Petroleum Production Engineering II
Year 4 – Department of Petroleum Engineering
University of Baghdad
2.2.2.2 Semi Steady State Radial Flow of Slightly Compressible Fluid
(Liquid)
Under these conditions, flow occurs solely as a result of the expansion of fluid remaining
within the reservoir. The reservoir is frequently defined as being bounded since it is assumed
that no flow occurs across the outer boundary.

Hence,

𝑑𝑃
( ) =0
𝑑𝑟 𝑟=𝑟𝑒

i.e., no pressure gradient exists across the outer boundary (Figure (2.5)). Since the production
is due to fluid expansion in the reservoir (Figure (2.6)). The pressure in the reservoir will be a
function of time and the rate of pressure decline dp/dt will be constant and uniform through
the system.

The pressure profile with radius for the system will be constant but the absolute values of
pressure will be time dependent.

Dr. Dhifaf Jaafar Sadeq 4

Petroleum Production Engineering II
Year 4 – Department of Petroleum Engineering
University of Baghdad
Production, since it is based upon the volumetric expansion of fluids in the reservoir, will
depend upon the fluid compressibility which is defined as “ the change in volume per unit
volume per unit drop in pressure”, i.e.:
1 𝜕𝑉
𝐶 = − 𝑉 . 𝜕𝑃 (2.12)

Where C is the isothermal coefficient of compressibility. For a reservoir production system, a

reduction in pressure within the reservoir will cause an expansion in all of the fluid phases
present, i.e., potentially oil, gas and water s well as the reduction in the pore space due to
rock expansion. The isothermal compressibility should, for realistic evaluation, be the total
system compressibility Ct.

For more reservoirs, Ct is usually small hence large change in pressure will generate only
limited fluid expansion and corresponding production.

The application of Darcy’s law with the system compressibility equation applied to cylindrical
reservoir volume, results in an equation which needs to be solved analytically to give:
2𝜋𝑘ℎ(𝑃𝑒 −𝑃𝑤 )
𝑞= 𝑟 1 𝑟 2 (2.13)
µ[𝑙𝑛 𝑒 − + 2𝑒 ]
𝑟𝑤 2 𝑟𝑤

𝑟
𝑟𝑤 << 𝑟𝑒 hence ( 𝑒 )2 → 0, giving
𝑟𝑤

𝑞µ 𝑟 1
[𝑃𝑒 − 𝑃𝑤 ] = [𝑙𝑛 𝑟𝑒 − 2] (2.14)
2𝜋𝑘ℎ 𝑤

Which, when expressed in field units, becomes:

1 𝑞µ 𝑟 1
[𝑃𝑒 − 𝑃𝑤 ] = [𝑙𝑛 𝑟𝑒 − 2] (2.15)
7.082×10−3 𝑘ℎ 𝑤

Dr. Dhifaf Jaafar Sadeq 5

Petroleum Production Engineering II
Year 4 – Department of Petroleum Engineering
University of Baghdad
SS

in addition, Since, for a bounded reservoir, Pe has no physical significant, once the reservoir
starts to deplete, ability of the reservoir at any point in time is best defined by a
volumetrically averaged reservoir pressure P. this pressure would only be realized if the well
were closed in and pressure equilibrated throughout the drainage volume and the average
reservoir pressure is thus defined by:
𝑟
∫𝑟 𝑒 𝑃.𝑑𝑉
𝑤
𝑃= 𝑟 (2.16)
∫𝑟 𝑒 𝑑𝑉
𝑤

Where:

dV = 2 πr. h. dr

in addition, since the reservoir is bounded, with continuous production the average reservoir
pressure will continuously decline.

After evaluating P from equation (2.16), it can be substituted into the previous semi-steady
state radial flow derivation to obtain after integration:
1 𝑞𝑠 µ𝐵𝑜 𝑟 3
[𝑃 − 𝑃𝑤 ] = [𝑙𝑛 𝑟𝑒 − 4] (2.17)
7.082×10−3 𝑘ℎ 𝑤

Dr. Dhifaf Jaafar Sadeq 6

Petroleum Production Engineering II
Year 4 – Department of Petroleum Engineering
University of Baghdad
The basic assumption in the above derivation is that the reservoir is circular and penetrated
by a central well. In reality, even a very large reservoir penetration by a number of wells will
behave as if each well drains a portion of the reservoir. Each of these drainage volumes will
be noncircular (Figure (2. 7)). Dietz developed shape factors to account for depletion in wells
located in other drainage shapes or where the well is located off center. The shape of
drainage area will be dictated by the no flow boundaries.
1 𝑞𝑠 µ𝐵𝑜 1 4𝐴
[𝑃 − 𝑃𝑤 ] = [2 𝑙𝑛 𝛾.𝐶 2 ] (2.18)
7.082×10−3 𝑘ℎ 𝐴. .𝑟𝑤

Where, γ =exponential of Euler’s constant (=1.81) and for any specific drainage shape, CA can
be substituted by a number obtained from the tabulation of factors prepared by Dietz Table
(2.2).

Dr. Dhifaf Jaafar Sadeq 7

Petroleum Production Engineering II
Year 4 – Department of Petroleum Engineering
University of Baghdad

Dr. Dhifaf Jaafar Sadeq 8