Chapter 3

Skin ,Wellbore Storage , and

Transient Concepts

Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 1

 SKIN
The skin is a dimensionless
factor calculated to
determine the production
efficiency of a well by
comparing actual
conditions with ideal
conditions .
Skin due to
formation damage
• Drilling fluid damage
• Production damage
• Injection damage Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa
Geometric skin
• Converging flow to perforations
• Partial penetration
• Incompletely perforated interval
• Deviated wellbore
• Hydraulic fractures
• Completion skin
•Gravel pack skin
2
 Damage Skin

zone of altered permeability (ka) with radius ra

wellbore with
radius rw

original (unaffected) permeability: ke

Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 3
 Drilling Fluid Damage

Fines may plug pore

throats, reducing
effective permeability

Mud filtrate
invasion

Filtrate may cause

clays to swell,
causing damage
 Production Damage

p > pd P< pd p < pb p > pb

Gas Condensate Oil Reservoir

Reservoir Free gas reduces
effective permeability
Immobile condensate
ring reduces
effective permeability
 Injection Damage

‘dirty’ incompatible
water water
 Reservoir Model

Skin Effect Ka < K

Bulk
formation
Altered
zone

ka h k
rw

ra
 Reservoir Pressure Profile
2,000
Pressure, psi

1,500

1,000
∆ps

500
1 10 100 1,000 10,000
Distance from center of wellbore, ft
 Damaged & undamaged zones

Undamaged Damaged
well

Pressure drop due

to damage skin
9
Skin and Pressure Drop

0.00708 k h
s= ∆ps
qBµ

141.2qBµ
∆ ps = s
kh
Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 10
 Example
A well is producing oil at a rate of 100 STB/D with a
drawdown of 500 psi . If a PBU test shows a ( ∆Ps )
of 250 psi , this means that if the damage is removed

The well may produce

100 STB/D with a
drawdown of 250 psi

The well may produce

OR
200 STB/D with a
drawdown of 500 psi11
 Skin Factor and Properties
of the Altered Zone

If K>Ka , S is positive ,
⎛ k ⎞ ⎛ ra ⎞ case of damage .
s = ⎜⎜ − 1 ⎟⎟ ln ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ ka ⎠ ⎝ rw ⎠
If K<Ka , S is negative ,
case of stimulation

rw rds
h

r
Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 12
 Algebraic sign of skin factor
⎛ k ⎞ ⎛ ra ⎞
s = ⎜⎜ − 1 ⎟⎟ ln⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ ka ⎠ ⎝ rw ⎠
(ka<k) The greater the difference
between ka and k, the larger s is
S

-∞ 0 ∞
• If a well is:
ƒ Damaged, s will be positive

Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 13

 Algebraic sign of skin factor
⎛ k ⎞ ⎛ ra ⎞
s = ⎜⎜ − 1 ⎟⎟ ln⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ ka ⎠ ⎝ rw ⎠
(ka>k) The deeper the stimulation treatment, the
larger |s| is
S

-∞ 0 ∞
• If a well is:
–Damaged, s will be positive
ƒ Stimulated, s will be negative
Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 14
 Algebraic sign of skin factor

⎛ k ⎞ ⎛ ra ⎞
s = ⎜⎜ − 1 ⎟⎟ ln⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ ka ⎠ ⎝ rw ⎠
(ka=k) S

-∞ 0 ∞
• If a well is:
–Damaged, s will be positive
–Stimulated, s will be negative
ƒ Neither damaged nor
Dr. Hesham stimulated, s = 0
A. Bahaa 15
Effective Wellbore Radius

−s
rwa ≡ rw e
⎛ rwa ⎞
s = − ln⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ rw ⎠
Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 16
 Example
For a well having a radius of 0.198 ft , the analysis of a
PBU survey showed a positive skin of 6.37 . Calculate
the effective wellbore radius . What is the meaning of
the result ?
Solution

rwa = rw e −s

0.00034
By substituting , rwa = 0.00034 ft

Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 17

0.198
Geometric Skin

Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 18

Converging Flow to Perforations
 Partial Penetration

hp

h
 Incompletely Perforated Interval

h1 ht
ht
s= sd + s p
hp hp
 Deviated Wellbore

s = sd + sθ

h
θ h sec θ
 Deviated Wellbore
Apparent Skin Factor

−1 ⎛
kv
⎜
⎞
θ w' = tan ⎜ tanθ w ⎟⎟
⎝ kh ⎠
2.06 1.865
⎛ θ w' ⎞ ⎛ θ w' ⎞ ⎛ hD ⎞
sθ = − ⎜ ⎟ −⎜ ⎟ log⎜ ⎟
⎜ 41 ⎟ ⎜ 56 ⎟ ⎝ 100 ⎠
⎝ ⎠ ⎝ ⎠
h kh
hD =
rw kv
Well With Hydraulic Fracture

L f = 2rwa

Lf
rwe
Lf
rwa =
2
 Completion Skin
rw

s = s p + sd + sdp
kdp rdp
rp
kR

Lp ⎛ h ⎞⎛ rdp ⎞⎛ kR kR ⎞
sdp =⎜ ⎟⎜ ln ⎟⎜ − ⎟
⎜ Lp n ⎟⎜ rp ⎟⎜ kdp kd ⎟
kd ⎝ ⎠⎝ ⎠⎝ ⎠

rd
Gravel Pack Skin

Cement

kR hLg
sgp = 2
2nk gp rp

Lg
Productivity Index

q
J≡
p − pwf
Flow Efficiency

J actual p − pwf − ∆ps

Ef ≡ =
J ideal p − pwf
Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 27
 Flow Efficiency and Rate

E fnew
qnew = qold
E fold

Production rate Production rate

after stimulation before stimulation

Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 28

Wellbore Storage

Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 29

 WELLBORE STORAGE
The producing rate is controlled at the surface , not
at the sand face . So , and because of the wellbore
volume , a constant surface flow rate does not
ensure that the entire rate is being produced from
the formation .
qsurface = qf + qwb

Surface flow formation flow wellbore flow

rate , bbl/day rate , bbl/day rate , bbl/day
Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 30
Fluid-Filled Wellbore - Unloading

Ei-function solution
assumes constant
Rate
Surface Rate reservoir rate

Bottomhole
Rate Mass balance
0 equation resolves
Time
problems

dpw
=
(
q − qsf B )
dt 24Vwbcwb
Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 31
Fluid-Filled Wellbore - Afterflow

Bottomhole flow
Rate
Surface Rate continues after
shut-in
Bottomhole
Rate
Time

dpw
=
(
q − qsf B )
dt 24Vwbcwb
Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 32
Rising Liquid Level

Rate Surface Rate

Bottomhole
Rate

Time

Liquid rises until

hydrostatic head in
wellbore matches
pressure in formation

dpw (
=
)
q − qsf B ⎛ 5.615 ρ wb ⎞⎛ g ⎞
⎜⎜ ⎟⎟⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
dt 24
Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa ⎝ 144 Awb ⎠ ⎝
33
g c⎠
• Caused by fluid expansion .

• Caused by changing fluid level in the

casing – tubing annulus .

Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 34

 Fluid Expansion Effect Changing Fluid Level Effect

144 Aa
C FE = V wb cwb C FL =
5.615 ρ

C : wellbore storage volume , =

[
π (I Dc ) − (O DT )
2 2
]
bbl/psi
A a
4(144 )
Vwb : wellbore fluid volume , bbl
C : wellbore storage coefficient ,
Cwb : wellbor fluid compressibility , bbl/psi
psi Aa : annulus cross sectional area ,
ft2
C = CFE + CFL ρ : wellbor fluid density , Ib/ft3
D : diameters , inch
Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 35
 End of Wellbore Storage Effect
( start of transient )

(200 ,000 + 12 ,000 s )C

t=
⎛ Kh ⎞
t = time , hours ⎜ ⎟
S = skin factor ⎝ µ ⎠
C = wellbore storage coefficient ,
bbl/psi
K = permeability , md

The test period should be higher than t to

ensure a valid transient pressure data
Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 36
 Example
The following data is given for an oil well that is
scheduled for a drawdown test :
• Volume of fluid in the wellbore = 180 bbls
• Tubing outside diameter = 2 inches
• Production casing inside diameter = 7.675 inches
• Oil density in the wellbore = 45 Ib/ft3
• h = 50 ft Ø = 15% rw = 0.25 ft
• µo = 2 cp k= 30 md s=0
• Ct = 20x10-6 psi-1 Co = 10x10-6 psi-1

Calculate the time required for the wellbore storage

effect to end . Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 37
 Solution
• The cross sectional area of the annulus
Aa = 0.2995 ft2
• The wellbore storage caused by fluid expansion
CFE = 0.0018 bbl/psi
• The wellbore storage caused by falling fluid level
CFL = 0.1707 bbl/psi
• The total wellbore storage coefficient
0.1725 bbl/psi
• The time required for wellbore storage effect to end
46 hours
Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 38
The Concept Of Pressure
Transient

Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 39

 PRESSURE TRANSIENT CONCEPT
• When a well status is changed ( from production
to shut-in or from shut-in to production ) , a
pressure transient is created .
• This transient wave moves out into the
formation at a speed controlled by diffusivity
constant and the flow regime is unsteady state .
• When the transient wave reaches a flow
boundary , the unsteady state flow ends and
pseudo steady flow starts .
Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 40
 Tested well

No- flow
boundary
Reservoir

Pressure
Transient

Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 41

PRESSURE TRANSIENT CONCEPT

Diffusivity Constant

NO – FLOW BOUNDARY
0.00633 K
WELL η=
φµ C t
Ft2 / day

Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 42

 TIME REGIONS OF PRESSURE DATA
Well

ETR MTR LTR

No – flow boundary
Near wellbore

ACTUAL RESERVOIR

re
rw Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 43
 TIME REGIONS OF PRESSURE DATA

• ETR ( Near Wellbore )

Steady – State Flow
• MTR ( Actual Reservoir )
Unsteady – State Flow (Transient)
• LTR ( Boundary Effect )
Pseudo – Steady Flow

Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 44

 Travel of Pressure Transient
Into The Formation

• The distance traveled by a transient r = 2 ηt

• The time to end the unsteady –

2
r
ts =
e
state flow and start the pseudo –
steady state 4η

Note : distance in feet , and time in days

Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 45
The End Of
Chapter 3

Dr. Hesham A. Bahaa 46