Surface Well Testing

HISTORY

FTC
4/28/2003

History
Fossil fuels have been used by man for generations.

The industrial revolution created a large demand for

fuel to supply the emerging industries, and the
corresponding social changes.
Initially oil was mainly obtained through whaling and

other animal fats however the availability of surface oil

deposits was creating specific excitement among the
scientific community.
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4/28/2003

History
The first commercial oil well was drilled near Oil

Creek, Pennsylvania, by Colonel Edwin L. Drake in

1859 which marked the birth of the modern petroleum
industry.

FTC
4/28/2003

History
Well testing techniques were first applied in the early
1920s. A simple pressure measurement was taken using a
Bourdon tube and stylus arrangement.
Early analysis techniques were presented by Muskat in the
1930s and later in the 1950s with the classical work of Miller,
Dyes, Hutchinson and Horner.
Electronic recording devices in the early 1970s and
computerized systems in the early 1980s set new standards of
data acquisition and interpretation techniques.
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4/28/2003

WHAT IS SURFACE WELL TESTING ?

FTC
4/28/2003

Surface Well Testing

WELL TESTING is the only technique examining a

significant portion of the reservoir under
dynamic conditions to determine its production
capabilities and reservoir properties.

FTC
4/28/2003

Surface Well Testing

Tests on oil or gas wells are performed for different
purposes at various stages of:
- Drilling
- Completion
- Production
It is important to fully understand:
- The reason for each of these tests
- What is expected to be accomplished with the
results.
FTC
4/28/2003

Surface Well Testing

It generally consists of:

- identifying
- measuring
- sampling
and finally disposing of the well effluent produced
during these operations that involve flowing the
test zone(s) from just a few hours to a few days.
FTC
4/28/2003

Surface Well Testing

The Flowing period normally precedes the Shut-In

of the well :
Pressure Build-Up data analysis provides
invaluable information about the producibility of the
well and the extent of the reservoir that is being
drained.

FTC
4/28/2003

AIMS OF WELL TESTING

FTC
4/28/2003

Aims of Well Testing

THE AIM CAN BE SIMPLE:

IDENTIFICATION OF PRODUCED FLUIDS
DETERMINATION OF RESERVOIR
DELIVERABILITY

FTC
4/28/2003

Aims of Well Testing

Well

test results may have far-reaching effects on

future field development planning
Therefore it is most important that:
- Objectives be clearly defined
- Well test programs designed accordingly

FTC
4/28/2003

Aims of Well Testing

Most tests can be classified as:
productivity tests:

- simple identification of produced fluids

- determination of reservoir deliverability
descriptive reservoir tests:

- definition of complex reservoir features

FTC
4/28/2003

Well Testing Sequence

In order to produce oil at surface:

Perforations, TCP

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4/28/2003

Well Testing Sequence

DST to convey flow to surface:

Packer
Tester valve
Tubing / Pipe
Subsurface Safety valve:
Sentree, EZ-Valve
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4/28/2003

Well Testing Sequence

Surface Well Testing to

handle flow at surface:
Flowhead
Choke manifold
Burners
FTC
4/28/2003

Well Testing Sequence

Three Phase
Test Separator

Surface
Read - out

Surface
Sampling

Gauge Tank
Gas Flare

Oil Burner

PT

DST

Test string

Bottom Hole Sampling

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4/28/2003

Surface
Data Acquisition

Downhole Data Acquisition

Real time (DGA,
Datalatch)
UPP
PMS

PTQ

- Sampling
- Data acquisition

Surface Well Testing

The required measurements from Well Testing
are:
- Rates of each fluids produced.
- The bottom hole conditions behaviour.
- PVT study of representative reservoir samples.

FTC
4/28/2003

The main purpose of a DST or production test (1/2)

Determine the nature of fluids produced.

- PVT analysis performed at bottom-hole

conditions or from Surface recombined samples.
Define the well productivity.

- Productivity index and IPR plot for oil wells.

- Deliverability curve and absolute open flow for
gas wells.
FTC
4/28/2003

The main purpose of a DST or production test (2/2)

Evaluate the characteristics of the producing
formation.
Static pressure (Pi)
Formation flow capacity (Kh), reservoir heterogeneity,
limits.
Evaluate any formation damage (Skin factor, S).
Determine if acidising or other treatment is required.
Control the results of the stimulation or treatment.
FTC
4/28/2003

Surface Well Testing

The End

FTC
4/28/2003