Production Engineering for All

Analisis Nodal - Introduction to Inflow and Outflow

Performance

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Why Nodal?

Pwh

Psep
Fluid flows from the reservoir to the stock tank because of the pressure
gradients within the system. The total pressure drop from the reservoir to the
separator is the sum of the individual pressure drops through four different
segments: in the reservoir, across the completion, up the wellbore, and
through the flowline.
But we do not know the flow rate - that is what we are trying to find. How do
we calculate the flow rate, knowing the reservoir and separator
pressures? This is the central question of Nodal Analysis.
Given the reservoir pressure and the separator pressure, along with the
physical properties of each segment, what is the flow rate at which the well will
produce?

Reservoir
Pwfs
Pwf
Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Pr

As many nodes as you want

The observer can be placed at any node
Normally, the well is observed from bottom
hole, Pwf

The Total Producing System

Gas Sales
Horizontal Flowline

Flowing Wellhead
Pressure

Separator

Stock Tank

Vertical or
Inclined Tubing
Flow through porous
media Pr, K, IPR
Intake

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Pressure Losses in Well System

P4 = (Pwh - Psep)

Gas

Sales line
Pwh

Psep

Liquid

Stock tank

P3 = Pwf - Pwh

Pwf

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

P1 = Pr - Pwfs

= Loss in reservoir

P2 = Pwfs - Pwf

= Loss across completion

P3 = Pwf - Pwh

= Loss in tubing

P4 = Pwh - Psep

= Loss in flowline

PT = Pr - Psep

= Total pressure loss

Pwfs

P1 = (Pr - Pwfs)
P2 = (Pwfs - Pwf)

Pr

Pe

Adapted from Mach et al, SPE 8025, 1979.

Nodal Analysis

How do we determine the right flow rate? We know the separator pressure
and the average reservoir pressure.
We start in the reservoir at the average reservoir pressure, Pr, and assume a flow
rate. This lets us calculate the pressure just beyond the completion, Pwfs. We
can then calculate the pressure drop across the completion, and the bottomhole
pressure Pwf. This pressure is valid only for the assumed flow rate.
Or, we may start at the separator at Psep, and calculate the pressure drop in the
flowline to find the wellhead pressure, Pwh. Then we can calculate the bottomhole
pressure Pwf. Again, this pressure is valid only for the assumed flow rate.

The two calculated bottomhole pressures will probably not be the same. If not,
then the assumed rate is wrong.

Nodal analysis refers to the fact that we have to choose a point or node in
the system at which we evaluate the pressure - in this case, the bottom of the
wellbore. This point is referred to as the solution point or solution node.

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Inflow Performance Curve

3500

Flowing bottomhole pressure, psi

Inflow (Reservoir) Curve

Pr

3000

Performance of an ideal OH
well, no damage, no
completion, no friction
losses from reservoir to
wellhead

2500

2000

1500

1000

AOFP

500

0
0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Production rate, STB/D

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Outflow Performance Curve

Flowing bottomhole pressure, psi

3500

Outflow (Tubing) Curve

3000

2500

2000

Tubing Performance Curve

1500

1000

500

0
0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Production rate, STB/D

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

System Graph

Flowing bottomhole pressure, psi

3500

Inflow (Reservoir) Curve

Outflow (Tubing) Curve

3000

2500

1957.1 psi
2000

1500

1000

500

2111 STB/D

0
0
Copyright 2007,

500

, All rights reserved

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Production rate, STB/D

3500

4000

4500
8

System Graph Wellhead Node

1600

Inflow Curve
Outflow Curve

Flowing wellhead pressure, psi

1400
1200
1000
800

500 psi
600
400
200

2050 STB/D

0
0
Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

500

1000

1500

2000

Production rate, STB/D

2500

3000
9

Nodal Analysis: Uses

Estimation of Reservoir Parameters

Skin
Net Height
Permeability
Reservoir Pressure
Note : Non unique solutions unless only one unknown

Evaluation of Potential Stimulation Treatments

Primarily through reduction in skin
Parameter sensitivity studies are important

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

10

Simulating: What If Scenarios?

 Simulation at :






Reservoir pressure depletion.

Losses in the tubing.
Optimum tubing diameter.
WHP and choke design.
Separator pressure and surface flow lines.

Gravel Pack design and skin damage associated with

completion.

Artificial benefits

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

11

Nodal Analysis
Two Main Components
Inflow Performance Curve/Relationship (IPR)

Oil or Gas Flowrate vs Bottomhole Flowing Pressure

Ordinate Origin = Reservoir Pressure (P = 0
q = 0)
Abscissa Intercept = Absolute Open Flow Potential (P = Pr

q = Max)

Outflow Curve (Tubing Intake)

Function of Hydrostatic, Friction & Acceleration Components

Curves Shifted by Wellhead Pressure & Artificial Lift

Intercept of Curves Gives FBHP (psi) & Flowrate

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

12

Nodal Analysis
Reservoir Pressure

Pressure at Node

Inflow

Operating Point

Pressure PWF

Outflow

Operating Flowrate

Flowrate (stb/d)

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

13

The Inflow Performance Relationship

Dependent On:

Fluid Properties
Oil

Viscosity, Gas oil Ratio, Bubble Point

Formation Volume Factor, Density

Gas

Viscosity, Z Factor, Compressibility

Density

Inflow Correlation Used e.g. Oil - Darcy, Vogel, Gas - Jones, Darcy
Well Geometry i.e. Vertical or Horizontal
Formation Properties

Copyright 2007,

Reservoir Pressure
Permeability
Skin (Includes deviation, perforation, damage etc)
Net Pay Height
, All rights reserved

14

Effect of Skin in IPR

Pressure at Node

qO

1
r

ln e + s
rw

Inflow
(IPR)
Outflow
SKIN
10

-1

-3

Flowrate
Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

15

Effect of Pressure Depletion in IPR

Pressure at Node

Reservoir with no pressure support

Inflow
Outflow

Oil Recovery (% STOIIP)

1
2

Flowrate
Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

16

The Outflow Performance Relationship

Dependent On:
Fluid Properties
Oil

Viscosity, Gas oil Ratio, Bubble Point

Formation Volume Factor, Density

Gas

Viscosity, Z Factor, Compressibility

Density

Outflow Correlation Used e.g. Oil - Duns & Ross, Gas - Gray
Friction
Completion Properties

Copyright 2007,

Tubing Size
Tubing Restrictions
Tubing Roughness

, All rights reserved

17

Effect of Tubing Size in Outflow

For a Tubing Restricted Well

Pressure at Node

Inflow
(IPR)

Outflow
2 3/8
2 7/8

3 1/2

4 1/2

Flowrate (stb/d)
Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

18

Sources of Information
1. k - permeability

well test data, eg., DST or

build-up analysis

2. h - net productive thickness

log evaluation

3. rw - wellbore radius

bit size, caliper log, etc.

4. re - drainage radius

not critical

5. Bo, o, g, Z

from correlations

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Skin Effect

The skin factor is a dimensionless number that quantifies any near

wellbore mechanical or physical phenomenon that restricts flow into the
wellbore.
The skin factor determined from a pressure transient analysis is the
total skin, which consists of:
(i) damage skin - characterized by a damage zone during drilling
and completion operations, and,
(ii) pseudo skin - due to factors such as partial penetration, limited
perforations, turbulence effects and slanted wellbores, etc......

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Candidate Recognition

Candidate Recognition is the process of

Identifying and selecting wells for intervention
Capacity for higher production
Better economic return
Best tools to simulate What If.

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Candidate Selection

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Well Production Enhancement

.
Wellbore clean-up -- Fluids not injected into formation

Chemical treatment

Perf wash
Matrix stimulation -- Injection below frac pressure

Matrix acidizing

Chemical treatment
Hydraulic fracturing -- Injection above frac pressure

Acid frac

Propped frac
Well Perforation options

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Production Gap
Reservoir performance

Objective

Pwf

Transient test
Logs

Actual

Remedial action/solution

Copyright 2007,

Darcys law
PVT
Physical description

Services

Single well IPR = f (Q, Pwf)

Parameters affecting performance

Potential

Stimulation - frac / matrix

Perforate
Laterals
Artificial Lift
Re-Perforation
, All rights reserved

Darcys Equation: Steady State

Oil Well
kh (P e - P Wf )
q=
141.2 (In rrwe - 0.75+ S)

Gas Well
kh ( P e 2 - P wf 2 )
q=
1424 zT (In rrwe - 0.75+ S)

Pwf
Pe

rw
Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

re

Production Gap
Flow conduit performance

Objective

Parameters affecting performance

Tubing & flow lines

Restrictions
Erosional velocity

Actual
Pwf

Services

Plumbing

Calipers
UltraSonic imager
Production logging

Remedial action / solution

Copyright 2007,

Chemical scale removal

Scale removal with coil tubing
New tubing
Tubing coil completion
, All rights reserved

Potential

Reduction in Flow Capacity

Wellbore:

Critical Matrix:

Scale Damage

Drilling Mud Damage

Sand Fill

Cement Damage

Plugged Perforations

Completion Fluids

Paraffin Plugging

Production

Asphalt Deposits

Native Clays/Fines

Etc..

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Production Gap
RESERVOIR
PERFORMANCE

OBJECTIVE
-

12 spf

Services
Need Definition
Transient Test / Data Pump
RST . TDT . MDT
Production Logging . FMI
Dipole Shear Sonic Imager

Remedial Action / Solution

Stimulation - Frac / Acid
Perforate
Laterals
Squeeze Cementing
Gel Plugs

, All rights reserved

Flowrate

Parameters Affecting
Performance
- Perfs
- Sand Control
- Acid
- Skin, incl. turbulence
- Zone Isolation

Services
Need Definition
SPAN
Production Logging
RST . TDT
UltraSonic Imager

Remedial Action / Solution

Re-Perforate
Gravel Pack
Squeeze Cementing
Acidizing
Gel Applications

Actual

Potential

Bottom Hole Flowing Pressure

Bottom Hole Flowing Pressure

Actual

Potential

- Flow Mechanism/Darcys Law

- PVT
- Physical Description
+ Impact

OBJECTIVE
- Pwf Caused By Pumps

- Plumbing

Actual

Parameters Affecting
Performance

ARTIFICIAL LIFT
PERFORMANCE

2spf
P

Flowrate

Copyright 2007,

OBJECTIVE

P = f (q)

Potential

FLOW CONDUIT
PERFORMANCE

Bottom Hole Flowing Pressure

OBJECTIVE
- Single well IPR = f (t, Np)

COMPLETION
PERFORMANCE

Actual

Potential

Flowrate

Flowrate

Parameters Affecting
Performance

Parameters Affecting
Performance

- Tubing & Flow Lines

- Traps
- Restrictions, deposits
- Erosional Velocity
- Roughness

Services

- Lift System Problems (casing

pressure, inj. gas, mech. effic.
ESP, housing, shaft
- Design Problems (valve spacing,
ESP depth, HP, etc)

Services

Need Definition

Need Definition

Calipers - TGS/MFCT
UltraSonic Imager
Production Logging
Collar Locator
- Corrosion Log, CET

Production Logging
Transient Test, Flowing/Static
Gradients, Temp, Data Pump
- Downhole multi-sensors
- Well Watcher

Remedial Action / Soln

Acidizing
Scale Removal with Coil
Tubing
Coil Tubing completion
Early Production Facility
- Jetting applications (scale, etc)
- Velocity Strings

Remedial Action / Solution

- Optimize Lift System
- Re-design

Formation Damage
Damage Definition :

Partial or complete plugging of the near wellbore area which reduces the original
permeability of the formation.

Damage is quantified by the skin ( S ).

rs
rw

vertical wells
k

r
S = 1 ln r s
k
w
s

horizontal wells
S=

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

k k
H V 1 ln rs
rw

k k

HS VS

Skin

ST =

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Sdrill + Scement + Sperfs + Spp

+Sgp +Dq + S(time)

Skin

The total Skin (St) is the value that is obtained directly from a well-test analysis.
Formation Damage Skin:

Mathematically defined as an infinitely thin zone that creates a steady-state pressure

drop at the sand face.

S > 0 Damaged Formation

S = 0 Neither damaged nor stimulated

S < 0 Stimulated formation

Pseudo Skin:

Includes situations such as fractures, partial penetration, turbulence, and fissures.

The Formation Damage Skin is the only type that can be removed by stimulation.

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Major Goal of Matrix Treatment

Restore natural permeability
By treating the critical matrix
5000

1.00
P laminar
% of total

Pressure (psi)

4500

0.90

4000

0.80

3500

0.70

3000

0.60

2500

0.50

2000

0.40

1500

0.30

1000

0.20

500

0.10

0.00
0.1

10

100
Radius (ft)

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

1000

10000

Fraction of Total Pressure Drop

Matrix Productivity Improvement

5
100

rd

Q
x100
Q0

0.25

0.25
0.75

10

2
5

1
1

Damage permeability:
Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

100

10

K
K0

x100

1,000

Effect of Shifting an 80% Damage Collar

Percent of original productivity

100

3-in collar
6-in collar
12-in collar

80

rc-rx = collar thickness

Damage collar

rc

60
rx

40
20
0

Wellbore

re

Inner radius of damage (ft)

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Change in Damage Skin Factor

Matrix acidizing

Sandstone: skin can be reduced to zero at best

Carbonate: can generate a negative skin

Fracturing

A negative skin is possible

Copyright 2007,

Completion

Skin

Fracture
StimPAC
Open hole
OH gravel pack
Cased hole
CH gravel pack

-6 to -2
-2 to +4
0 to +5
+2 to +10
+2 to +15
+5 to +20

, All rights reserved

Applications For Matrix Treatment

High Permeability Formation with Damage
Mechanical Treating Limitations
Water/Gas Cap
Unproppable Formations?
To Supplement Fracturing

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Matrix Acidizing Challenges

Proper diagnosis of the problem
Treatment design
Quality Control
Tubing contamination
Zone converage
Precipitation of reaction products
Damage removal
Fines migration
Harry McLeod JPT (Dec. 1984)

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Summary
Damage in the critical matrix is the target of matrix stimulation.
Wells without a performance gap will not respond well to matrix
treatments.
A successful stimulation treatment is one that yields the
predicted production and ROI/Pay Out.

Damage characterization

Fluid selection

Placement

etc.

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved

Tool Candidate Selection Process

Review numerous wells
Review of well logs/records
Reservoir characteristics and
Information on the completion/previous workovers.
Map the productivity of each well.
Establish reasonable upper production potential for stimulation
Evaluate potential mechanical problems.
Focus on wells with the highest reward and lowest risk.

Copyright 2007,

, All rights reserved