Well Performance Concept

Inflow Performance: Absolute Permeability

• The rate of fluid flow through rock depends
on the following variables:
1. pressure gradients,
2. fluid saturation,
3. fluid viscosities,
4. and rock properties,
5. the most important of which is permeability
• Absolute permeability :measure of the ease
with which a fluid is able to flow through a
reservoir rock when there is only one fluid
present.
• The higher the value, easier fluid to flow.
• Because of the way in which a formation is
deposited, permeability can vary markedly in
rocks only a few feet apart.
• It may even have different values for different
directions of flow through the same rock
section.
• Darcy’s equation:

the rate of liquid flow per cross-sectional area

in a given direction (q/A) is equal to the
permeability in that direction (k), the pressure
gradient (dp/dl), and the inverse of the liquid
viscosity (m)
• The negative sign is included because flow
takes place in the negative pressure gradient
direction.
Inflow Performance: Productivity Index
• During production, pressure decreases
continuously with time.
• Under these transient or infinite-acting
conditions, the pressure at any given radius
drops rapidly at first and then stabilizes with
time.
• The pressure at the wellbore, pwf, follows the
same pattern for a constant production rate.
• In the case of a closed, no-flow-boundary
reservoir under pseudosteady state
conditions, the average reservoir pressure, R,
normally decreases with time as the reservoir
is depleted of its fluids.
• Where the pressure drops below the bubble
point of the oil, gas begins to form.
• We realize that the presence of gas inhibits
the flow of oil.
• The difference between the average reservoir
pressure and the stable bottomhole flowing
pressure at the wellbore, is called the pressure
drawdown.
• The drawdown causes a flow rate, q, and
defines the productivity index, J, for the well.

• Productivity Index = J =
• The productivity index represents the dynamic
response of the reservoir and its fluid properties
within the drainage area of a specific well.
• The productivity index is constant when flow
parameters like permeability are constant.
• When bottomhole flowing pressure is above the
bubble point the productivity index will be
constant.
• As the pressure drops below the bubble point,
however, the productivity index will decrease as
gas comes out of solution, changes permeability
values, and inhibits flow.
 Inflow Performance Relationship (IPR)

• Gilbert (1954), is the founder of IPR.

• He plotted the bottomhole flowing pressure,
pwf, versus the flow rate, q, and referred to this
curve as the inflow performance relationship
or IPR .
• The endpoints of the IPR curve are the
average reservoir pressure, R at a flow rate of
zero and the maximum potential flow rate, q’,
at a bottomhole flowing pressure of zero.
• In practice, it is not possible to achieve this
rate because the bottomhole flowing pressure
must always have some finite value.
• Above the bubble point the IPR curve is a
straight line because only one phase is
flowing, and permeability is a constant equal
to the absolute permeability.
• This particular shape of the IPR curve is
characteristic of reservoirs with a solution gas
drive.
• Reservoirs with other drive mechanisms such
as water drive, gas cap expansion, or a
combination of mechanisms will have IPR
curves of a different shape or perhaps a
straight line.
 Flow Regimes
• A number of different flow regimes may occur
during natural flow in vertical tubing.
• In order to describe each, let us assume that
the pressure at the base of the tubing is above
the bubble point.
• In such a case the flow regime at that point
will consist of liquid flow .
 Bubble Flow
• Upward movement of the liquid is
accompanied by reduced pressures and, as
the pressure drops below the bubble point,
gas bubbles begin to form.
• These bubbles slip upward through the rising
column of liquid, with the larger ones rising
more rapidly than the smaller.
 Plug or Slug Flow
• Further up the tubing, as pressure continues
to drop, more gas is released from solution
and the larger bubbles grow steadily by
overtaking and coalescing with the smaller
ones.
• Larger gas bubbles fill almost the entire cross
section of the tubing and, as they move
upward, carry between them slugs of oil
containing small gas bubbles.
 Annular Flow
• Higher in the tubing, at even lower pressures,
the gas may break through and form a
continuous channel in the center of the string,
with oil moving slowly upward in an annular
ring on the inside wall of the tubing.
 Mist Flow
• Finally, if the tubing is of considerable length
so that a large pressure drop exists from the
bottom to top, the annulus of liquid may
almost disappear, leaving only the flow of gas
carrying a mist of liquid droplets.
• Characteristic of many wet gas wells or
condensate producers.
• In practice not all of these flow regimes are
present simultaneously in a single tubing
string.
• On the other hand, two, three or even more
may occur at the same time.