HORNER METHOD

APPLIED TO BUILDUP TESTS ON TRAVALE 22 WELL

A. B a r e l l i , R. C e l a t i , G. M a n e t t i , and G . N e r i 2

Over a p e r i o d o f two years s e v e r a l Horner curves w i t h d i f f e r e n t product i o n times o b t a i n e d from T r a v a l e 22 w e l l were s t u d i e d w i t h a view t o i n v e s t i g a t i n g t h e k i n d of boundary c o n d i t i o n s e x i s t i n g i n t h e r e s e r v o i r .
Due t o t e c h n i c a l problems p r o d u c t i o n h i s t o r y has o f t e n been v e r y f a r
from i d e a l , t h u s r e s u l t i n g i n d i f f i c u l t i e s i n a n a l y s i s .

nt

a, we

A t fixed 1 +
, pD increases w i t h an increase i n t D A , as expected f o r
near imeermea6le boundaries, b u t a l l PD approach zero when At- .

A c o n t r i b u t i o n t o p r e s s u r e b u i l d u p from t h e b o i l i n g o f a l i q u i d phase
cannot be excluded.

T r a v a l e 22 w e l l was d r i l l e d i n 1972 i n T r a v a l e area, Tuscany, I t a l y ,

a few k i l o m e t e r s away from an area where some non-commercial w e l l s had
a l r e a d y been i n e x i s t e n c e f o r s e v e r a l years (Burgassi e t -.a l . , 1975).

T h i s t h e r e f o r e was t h e f i r s t w e l l t o be d r i l l e d i n t h e new area.

During

1972 and 1973 t h e r e were s e v e r a l a l t e r n a t i n g p e r i o d s o f p r o d u c t i o n and s h u t i n . Changes i n p r o d u c t i o n were o f t e n t h e r e s u l t o f t e c h n i c a l problems and

i n s t a l l a t i o n and maintenance o p e r a t i o n s so t h a t t h e b u i l d u p (data had t o be
gathered i n n o n - i d e a l c o n d i t i o n s .
Application o f superposition p r i n c i p l e
Several b u i l d u p s a r e a v a i l a b l e from t h i s p e r i o d , w i t h d i f f e r e n t product i o n times, so t h a t Horner p l o t s
t+A t

w i t h d i f f e r e n t t can be drawrr.
A comparison between these curves and those taken from t h e a v a i l a b l e
l i t e r a t u r e for many t h e o r e t i c a l models ( F i g s . 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5) can h e l p towards
an understanding o f t h e n a t u r e , geometry and boundary conditiions o f t h e
actual reservoir.
There i s one d i f f i c u l t y when drawing these Horner p l o t s f o r T22 w e l l :
p i i s n o t c l e a r l y determined i n a l l t h e b u i l d u p s , except f o r t h e f i r s t one.
Every p r o d u c t i o n p e r i o d a f t e r t h i s one began b e f o r e s h u t - i n p r e s s u r e had
s t a b i l i z e d so t h a t t h e s u p e r p o s i t i o n p r i n c i p l e must be a p p l i e d .

;A. B a r e l l i and G. M a n e t t i , ENEL, Centro d i R i c e r c a Geotermica, P i s a , I t a l y .

R. C e l a t i , C.N.R.,
l s t i t u t o l n t e r n a z i o n a l e p e r l e Ricerche Geotermiche, P i s a .
G. Neri,.ENEL, Gruppo M i n e r a r i o L a r d e r e l l o , I t a l y .
-101-

L e t us assume the e x i s t e n c e o f a f u n c t i o n P D ( t ) t h a t remains unchanged

So we can w r i t e ( F i g . 8)
throughout e x p l o i t a t i o n .

(4
where A q l = 41, A42 = 92-41,

.... , A q j

= qj-qj-l,

i s t h e moment when t h e f l o w r a t e changes t o q

and IC

j*

I f a l o g a r i t h m i c approximation f o r P D is adequate,

( 1 ) becomes

and a c l a s s i c a l s e m i l o g a r i t h m i c graph i s o b t a i n e d by p l o t t i n g

F o r o u r system t h e v a l i d i t y of t h e l o g a r i t h m i c approximation was d o u b t f u l

f o r t h e whole s h u t - i n p e r i o d (Figs. 6 & 7).
As we wanted t o compare our T.22 Horner graphs w i t h those a v a i l a b l e f o r
t h e o r e t i c a l cases, we t r i e d a d i f f e r e n t approach.
L e t us c o n s i d e r , as i n F i g . 8, two consecutive s h u t - i n s and l e t Pext(T)
be t h e value assumed by t h e p r e s s u r e i f t h e f i r s t s h u t - i n were t o c o n t i n u e
t o t i m e T.
I n t h i s case we have

and

C o m b i n i n g these two equations we obtain

j =h-t
or, i f

i s the l a s t f l o w r a t e

w i t h t and A t defined i n F i g . 8.

For gas w e l l s , eq

The t h e o r e t i c a l Horner p l o t gives P D ( t

At)-PD(At)

5 becomes

v s log(-t+At
At

I f we a r e able t o e x t r a p o l a t e the previous b u i l d u p curve so t h a t a s u f f i c i e n t l y approximate value is obtained f o r p e x t ( T ) , w e can use t h e l e f t h a n d

side o f eq. (6) t o construct Horner p l o t s from f i e l d data. These can then
b e compared w i t h the a v a i l a b l e Horner p l o t s o f t h e o r e t i c a l cases t o obtain
information on t h e most s u i t a b l e model f o r t h e real s i t u a t i o n .

Horner Plots f o r Travale 22 Well

The curves shown i n F i g . 9 were p l o t t e d according t o the above procedure. Some b u i l d u p curves were excluded t h e r e being no p o s s i b i l i t y o f obtaini n g r e l i a b l e values f o r P e x t ( T ) ; f o r t h i s same reason some other curves were
shortened i n t h e i r f i n a l p a r t although f u r t h e r shut- in pressure data were
avai lable.
Production time t is reported as a parameter instead of t D Aas the
hydraulic d i f f u s i v i t y and reservoir area a r e not known.

- 103-

Tt-IKMW
2
The kh v a l u e used t o c a l c u l a t e G ~ Z R T(Pext

2
pws

was o b t a i n e d by c o n v e n t i o n a l Horner p l o t s and type- curve matching (Bare1 1 i

e t a l . , 1975).

--

Some v e r y s h o r t d e l i v e r y d u r i n g l o n g s h u t - i n s and very s h o r t s h u t - i n s

d u r i n g long p r o d u c t i o n p e r i o d s have been ignored.

9 we can observe t h a t :

From F i g .

--

t h e r e i s a r e g u l a r displacement of t h e curves changing t;

t h i s displacement i s such thtt,t&
dimensionless Ap2 i s an i n c r e a s i n g
f u n c t i o n o f t f o r any g i v e n
at

--

(Pext

PWS)

-f

0 when t

+-.

T h i s is n o t so c l e a r i n F i g . 9 as some curves a r e n o t complete, due t o t h e

d i f f i c u l t y i n e x t r a p o l a t i n g t h e p r e v i o u s curve.
The t r e n d t o recovery o f i n i t i a l p r e s s u r e i s e v i d e n t i n F i g . 7 which
r e p r e s e n t s a v e r y long b u i ldup o c c u r r i n g about n i n e months a f t e r we1 1 blow- out.
S i m i l a r r e s u l t s were found by C e l a t i and G a l a r d i (1975) w i t h a s i m p l i f i e d a n a l y s i s , assuming f o r p i a constant v a l u e o r t h e maximum v a l u e reached
i n t h e l a s t long b u i l d u p .
From a comparison o f T 22 curves w i t h t h e t h e o r e t i c a l cases g i v e n i n
F i g s . 1 t o 5, we see t h a t downward displacement i s g e n e r a l l y o b t a i n e d as t h e
e f f e c t o f impermeable boundaries as i n F i g . 1 and+ f o r a l i m i t e d range of t D A
i n F i g . 3. The same k i n d o f t-dependence o f t h e curve p o s i t i o n i s o b t a i n e d
f o r an i n f i n i t e r e s e r v o i r w i t h l i n e a r o r r a d i a l d i s c o n t i n u i t y when the w e l l
i s p l a c e d i n t h e h i g h e r m o b i l i t y zone. The l i m i t i n g h y p o t h e s i s o f c o n s t a n t
d i f f u s i v i t Y . t h r o u g h o u t t h e reSerV0i r-was formed f o r these cases,
The curves
i n F i g s . 4 and 4 a r e t h e most s i m i l a r t o those o f T 22, as they a l s o have
s i m i l a r t r e n d s f o r At-.
I n the case o f a c l o s e d r e s e r v o i r t h e a s y m p t o t i c
values f o r A t a r e p o s i t i v e , i n c r e a s i n g w i t h an i n c r e a s e i n t and, i n t h e
case o f recharge through a l i m i t e d s e c t i o n i n t h e boundary, t h e curves i n t e r s e c t one another i n t h e f i n a l p a r t o f t h e b u i l d u p .
However, t h e l a t t e r e f f e c t i s much l e s s e v i d e n t f o r s m a l l e r values o f t ,
and i n o u r case i t c o u l d be masked by e x p e r i m e n t a l e r r o r s and t h e f a c t t h a t
the curves a r e n o t g e n e r a l l y extended t o very long A t values.
D i s c s s i o n and Conclusion
Some hypotheses can be drawn from these o b s e r v a t i o n s , a l t h o u g h t h e
res u t s a r e i n s u f f i c i e n t t o draw d e f i n i t e c o n c l u s i o n s .
From t h e g e o l o g i c a l p o i n t o f view, T r a v a l e 22 i s l o c a t e d i n a s t r u c t u r a l
h i g h o f t h e r e s e r v o i r f o r m a t i o n connected w i t h the recharge area t o the west
and bounded on i t s N , E, S s i d e s by f a u l t s ; the l a t t e r lower than the r e s e r v o i r f o r m a t i o n and p u t t i n g t h e upper p a r t o f t h e s t r u c t u r e i n l a t e r a l c o n t a c t
w i t h impermeable f o r m a t i o n s .

- 104-

G e o l o g i c a l h y d r o l o g i c a l and chemical data, o b t a i n e d from o t h e r w e l l s i n

t h e zone, have shown:

--

an i n t e r f e r e n c e between t h e vapor-dominated system f e e d i n g T 22 and

t h e water- dominated system i n t h e o l d w e l l s area,

---

sudden decreases i n permeabi 1 i t y o u t s i d e T 22 area,

a l i m i t e d connection between t h e s t r u c t u r a l h i g h and t h e deeper
surrounding r e s e r v o i r (Burgassi e t a l . , 1975).

--

The hypothesis o f a h i g h p e r m e a b i l i t y zone surrounded by lower permeabili t ' y zones agrees b o t h w i t h t h e g e o l o g i c a l i n f o r m a t i o n a v a i l a b l e and t h e s i m i l a r i t y between t h e curves o f T 22 w e l l and those o f F i g s . 4 and 5. The
t h e o r e t i c a l case considers a 1 i n e a r o r r a d i a l d i s c o n t i n u i t y , i n mobi 1 i t y and
a u n i f o r m d i f f u s i v i t y , whereas t h e a c t u a l s i t u a t i o n , a l t h o u g h n o t completely
known, may c e r t a i n l y be considered r a t h e r more complex. The. complex geometry
may be r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e shape o f t h e b u i l d u p curves. However, we consider
i t v e r y l i k e l y t h a t a c o n t r i b u t i o n t o t h e pressure b u i l d u p comes from t h e b o i l i n g of l i q u i d w a t e r b o t h on t h e boundary o f , and i n s i d e , t h e vapor dominated
zone.
The r e d u c t i o n i n pressure can f a v o r t h e i n f i l t r a t i o n o f l i q u i d water
from t h e r e l a t i v e l y c o l d boundaries toward t h e warmer p a r t s o f t h e r e s e r v o i r .
These o b s e r v a t i o n s a r e based on two- dimensional models. As t h e r e a r e
doubts as t o t h e v a l i d i t y o f p u r e l y r a d i a l f l o w models, a three- dimensional
model i s now b e i n g c o n s t r u c t e d .
For a
we a r e g o i n g
A match o b t a
s u i t a b l e fam

u a n t i t a t i v e comparison of t h e v a r i o u s models w i t h t h e f i e l d d a t a
t o use l o g - l o g i n s t e a d o f conventional semi l o g Horner graphs.
ned w i t h v e r t i c a l displacement o n l y w i l l l e t us choose t h e most
l y o f curves and determine kh and tDA.

-105-

Nmencl ature
a = distance from we 1 to the linear discontinuity
A

= reservoir area

c = compressibi 1 ity

Fs

storage capacity rat io

mass production rate

reservoir thickness

permeabi 1 ity

mobility ratio

Mw = molecular weight
p

pressure

PD

dimensionless pressure

Pex t

extrapolated shut-in pressure

p i = initial pressure

pws = shut-in pressure

q

volume production rate (reservoir condition)

gas low constant

production time

t ~ 't~~

= dimensionless time

absolute temperature

compressibility factor

*P = Pi'P,
At

= shut-in time

= porosity

1-I

= time

viscosity

- 106-

Ref e r e n ce s
Bare1 1 i, A., R. C e l a t i , G. M a n e t t i , G. N e r i , "Bui ld- up and back- pressure
Second Symposium on Development
t e s t s on 1 t a l i a n geothermal wells."
and U t i l i z a t i o n o f Geothermal Resources, San Francisco, CA., May 1975.
B i x e l , H. C . , B. K. L a r k i n , and H. K. van P o o l l e n , " E f f e c t o f L i n e a r
D i s c o n t i n u i t i e s on Pressure Bui ld- up and Drawdown Behavior.''
J. Pet. Tech. (Aug., 1963)- 885-895.
B i x e l , H. C. and H. K. van P o o l l e n , " Pressure Drawdown and b u i l d u p i n t h e
Presence o f R a d i a l D i s c o n t i n u i t i e s . " Paper SPE 1516 presented a t 41st
Annual SPE F a l l Meeting, D a l l a s , Texas (Oct. 2- 5, 1966).
Burgassi, P. D., R. C a t a l d i , A. Rossi, P. S q u a r c i , G. S t e f a n i , and L. T a f f i ,
"Recent developments o f geothermal e x p l o r a t i o n i n Travale-Radicondol i
a r e a . ' ' Second Syinposium on Development and U t i 1 i z a t i o n o f Geothermal
Resources, San Francisco, CA., May 1975.
C e l a t i , R . , and L. G a l a r d i , "Applicazione d e l metodo d i Horrier a l l e curve
Unpublished r e p o r t , l s t i t u t o
d i r i s a l i t a d e l pozzo T r a v a l e 22."
l n t e r n a z i o n a l e p e r l e Ricerche Geotermiche, P i s a , 1975.
Ramey, H. J.,,Jr.,
and W. M. Cobb, " A g e n e r a l p r e s s u r e b u i l d u p t h e o r y f o r a
w e l l i n a square drainage area.''
J. Pet. Tech. (Dic. 1971), 1493-1505.
Ramey, H. J., J r . , A. Kumar, M. S . G u l a t i , "Gas w e l l t e s t a n a l y s i s under
w a t e r - d r i v e c o n d i t i o n s . " American Gas A s s o c i a t i o n , A r l i n g t o n , Va.
(1973), 312 pp.

-107-

10

- H o r n e r plot

Fig. 1

lo3

104

r+Ar

for a x e l l i n the centre of a closed square.

Kt

. ( R a m e y e t al., 1 9 7 1 ) .

= GxcA
* /
0

61t
Q

3 I-

I
_
1

.
1

lo4

lo2

10

At

Fig.

2 - Horner plot f o r

square

wei! i n t h e zei-itre of a constant p r e s s u r e

tPp,=
- Kt
d si;?
L I

-108-

(Raniey e t al., 1973).

t,,=

1
I

0.01

GI3

r\c

IO

-ctosed
- _ _ _constarit
_
pressure

-.5

12

lo2

10

IO3

t+dt
--

io4

dt

Fig. 3

- FIorner

plot for a were in

I? : 1 rectangle with one short side

at constant p r e s s u r e (well position: see f i g . , \,-=

Yt
1
+y=A

(Ramey et al,a 1973!.

0
a = 3048 cm
rw= 7.62 crn

7, = q 2 = 1000

15

10

Icgs,l

lo2

lo3

t+nt

lo4

At

Fig. 4

- Homer
-

(bd

plot i'or l i n e a r 6iscc)ntinuity

case (Bixel et a l . , 19F3)
\

K-I t
6
' ! i LLi,3,2
1

( Kf;4
12
).
( i i / L1 L f i

- 1 og-

- 110-

_-

10

I
I

I
I

I
I

I
I

I
I
I

I
I

Pc x t

r3

--T--

-r-------

1-----r---r---i
in

-112-

\3