Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Analyzing Well
Performance

IPR and VLP

The Problem

◆ Is the well PRODUCING

ALL the FLUID that it is

CAPABLE of producing without

problems ?

A. L. Podio 1
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

A. L. Podio 2
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Well Flow Mechanism

Lift System Surface Facilities
Flow rate Q
Q= 500 Bbl/Day
Pt
Productivity = Flow Rate/ Drawdown
Drawdown = 1000 – 500 = 500 psi

PI= (500 bbl/day)/(500 psi) = 1 Bbl/day-psi

Pressure
1000 psi
SBHP

Dp/Dr1
Drawdown
Dp/Dr 2

500 psi PBHP

Distance
Pw
PBHP SBHP

Determine a Well’s Performance

◆ Combine PBHP with SBHP to

determine Inflow Performance
Relationship (IPR)

◆ Repeatable Production Rate Tests

Indicate Stabilized Conditions

A. L. Podio 3
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Accurate BHP Measurements

◆ Require stabilized conditions
◆ Wellbore description
◆ Oil, water and annular gas densities
◆ Determination of Liquid Level
◆ Determination of casing pressure
◆ Determination of casing pressure buildup rate
(at both Producing and Static Conditions)

Well Test
◆ Representative 180 Feb
160
◆ Recent Mar
140 Apr
◆ Steady State 120
100
◆ Consistent
80
60
40
20
◆ Coordinated with
0
analysis measurements Oil Water Gas

A. L. Podio 4
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Bottom Hole Pressures

◆ Combine PBHP with SBHP to determine
IPR

◆ Steady Value is Indication of Stabilized

Conditions

◆ PBHP < 15% of SBHP in order to produce

well at 80-90% of Maximum Rate

Well Performance
◆ Relationship between flow rate and
pressure drawdown

Productivity Index = Flow Rate/Drawdown

IPR = f (PBHP, SBHP)

A. L. Podio 5
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Equation for Constant PI Method :

Where:
Qf = Total fluid rate …………………..
………………….. [STB/day]
Pr = Average static reservoir pressure. [PSI] (SBHP)
Pwf = Producing bottomhole pressure.... [PSI] (PBHP)

Productivity Index
Flow
FlowRate
Rate
Productivity
Productivity== Drawdown
Drawdown

Pressure
Pressure PI= 0.5 Bbl/Day-psi
SBHP 1000 psi
SBHP
∆∆p1
p1 Q1
Q1
PBHP1 ∆∆p2 PI
PBHP1 p2 PI==∆p1
∆p1
∆∆p3
p3
PBHP2
PBHP2 Q2
Drawdown Q2
∆∆p4
p4 Drawdown PI
PI== p2
500 psi ∆∆p2
PBHP3
PBHP3
Q4
Q4
PBHP4 PI
PI== p4
PBHP4 ∆∆p4

Potential = PI x SBHP

250 Bbl/day Flow

FlowRate,
Rate,QQ
00
00 Q2 Q3 Q4 Qmax
Q1
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Qmax = 500 Bbl/D

A. L. Podio 6
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Constant Productivity Index (PI)

Inflow Performance Method
◆ Referred to as Straight line PI method

◆ Inflow performance can be described by

a straight line.

◆ Assumes the productivity index (PI) of

the well to be constant, whether the static
reservoir pressure is above or below the
bubble point pressure of the reservoir.

Productivity Index-Error in SBHP

Flow
FlowRate
Rate PI= 1 Bbl/Day-psi
Productivity
Productivity== Drawdown
DrawdownPI= 500/700=0.71

Pressure 1200 psi Bbl/Day-psi

Pressure
1000 psi
SBHP
SBHP
∆∆p1
p1 Q1
Q1
PBHP1 ∆∆p2 PI
PBHP1 p2 PI==∆p1
∆p1
∆∆p3
p3
PBHP2
PBHP2 Q2
Drawdown Q2
∆∆p4
p4 Drawdown PI
PI== p2
500 psi ∆∆p2
PBHP3
PBHP3
Q4
Q4
PBHP4
PBHP4 Potential = 857 Bbl/dayPIPI==
∆∆p4
p4
Potential = PI x SBHP

500 Bbl/day Flow

00 FlowRate,
Rate,QQ
00 Q2 Q3 Q4 Qmax = 1000 Bbl/D
Q1
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Qmax

A. L. Podio 7
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Best potential
Well Test
estimate at
Point
drawdowns
greater than
50% SBHP

Well Test
Point

A. L. Podio 8
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Application of PI Method
◆ Preferred method for water wells or high water cut
wells, where no free gas flow occurs in the reservoir,
i.e. PI = constant.
◆ In high oil cut wells with reservoir pressures above
the bubble point pressure, i.e. Pr > Pbp.

PI can results in over prediction of a wells potential:

◆ Below the bubble point pressure
◆ Water cuts greater than 50% and oil is at reservoir
pressures near or below the bubble point pressure.

A. L. Podio 9
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Oil Below Bubble Point with Evolved Gas

OIL

Gas Bubbles in
Rock

Continuous Gas Channels – Oil & GAS Flow

OIL

GAS

A. L. Podio 10
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Single
phase
Two
phase

A. L. Podio 11
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Inflow Performance - IPR

Pressure
Stabilized Formation Pressure
SBHP
∆p1
Doubling the Drawdown
PBHP1 ∆p2 does not Double the
∆p3 Production
PBHP2
∆p4 The slope is a function
PBHP3 of flow rate, defining a
curve known as the:

PBHP4 Inflow Performance Relation

or IPR.

Flow Rate, Q
0
0 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Qmax(IPR) Qmax(PI)
= 357 Bbl/D = 500 Bbl/D

A. L. Podio 12
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Productivity vs. IPR

◆ Artificial lift design and analysis requires
knowledge of accurate well performance.
◆ Productivity Index (PI) assumes
productivity stays constant as drawdown
increses.
◆ IPR describes decrease in productivity with
increasing drawdown.

Productivity Index PI or “J”

Pressure

J
Ps
Pwf = Ps -q/J
=-1

J= tan θ Allows
Allows calculation
calculation ofof producing
producing bottom
bottom hole
hole
pressure
pressure for
for aa desired
desired rate:
rate:
Rate=
Rate= 100
100 Bbl/d
Bbl/d
PI=
PI= 11 Bbl/day-psi
Bbl/day-psi
Ps=
Ps= 1000
1000 psi
psi
Pwf
Pwf == 1000
1000
Potential
psi –( 100 Bbl/d)/(1 Bbl/d-psi)
=JP's psi –( 100 Bbl/d)/(1 Bbl/d-psi)
Pwf
Pwf == 900
900 psi
psi

A. L. Podio 13
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Wells of Different Productivity

Ps J1 > J2 >J3
Dp1
J1
Dp2

J2
Dp3

J3

q1 q

Inflow Performance - IPR

Pwf

Psi Effect of rate on productivity

Ps

Θ1
1 Bbl/d-psi

0.7 Bbl/d-psi
Θ2

Qmax Q

PI
50 B/d 90 B/d
Bbl/d-psi

0.5

Q
Qmax

A. L. Podio 14
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Fluid PVT controls IPR

ko
ko
7.08 ⋅ h
Pe
ko
∫
K
µµooββoo Qo = dP
0.4 re Pws µ o β o
ln
rw
0.3

0.2

Area 1
0.1

Area 2

Pwf2 Ps2 Pwf1 Ps1

Productivity Decreases with

Declining Reservoir Pressure
Pwf

Ps1

Rate Effect

Ps2
Depletion Effect

A. L. Podio 15
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Multi-rate Test for IPR

P Ps

P1

P2

P3 t

Q Multi-Rate Test

q3

q2

q1

shut-in shut-in
t

Measured IPR from Multi-rate

Test
P

IPR from multi-rate test

Ps

P1

P2

P3

q1 q2 q3
9

A. L. Podio 16
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Vogel (IPR)
Inflow Performance Method
◆ Inflow Performance Relationship (IPR)
◆ Called the Vogel IPR Method
◆ Describes inflow performance when both free
gas and fluids flow simultaneously in the
reservoir.
◆ Method applicable for gas drive reservoirs
with pressures below the bubble point
pressure.

Equation for Vogel IPR Method :

Where:
Qf = Total fluid rate …………………..
………………….. [STB/day]
Pr = Average static reservoir pressure. [PSI]
Pwf = Producing bottomhole pressure.... [PSI]
Qmax = Maximum fluid rate at Pwf = 0 ..... [STB/day]

A. L. Podio 17
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Application of IPR Method

◆ In general the IPR method is the preferred method
and is most often used in predicting a well’s
inflow performance.
◆ For wells producing with moderate to high GOR’s
and/or free gas.
◆ For relatively high oil cut wells with reservoir
pressures below the bubble point pressure.
◆ Can result in a conservative estimate of a wells
inflow performance.

Example Well
◆ Producing Fluid Level Survey – 01/04/01
– 217.8 joints to fluid level
– Casing pressure 54.2 psi
– Casing buildup 0.1 psi in 2.0 minutes
– Producing BHP: 357 psi
◆ Static Fluid Level Survey – 01/08/01
– Shut-in fluid level: 3595 feet
– Shut-in casing pressure: 115.1 psi
– Static BHP: 1911 psi
◆ Representative Well Test – 12/06/00
– Oil = 36 STBPD, Water 210 STBPD, & 6 MCFPD

A. L. Podio 18
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

PI Plot of Well Data

IPR Plot of Well Data

A. L. Podio 19
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Summary of Well Performance Study

◆ Need Static and Producing BHPs with production
rate to analyze a well’s performance.
◆ In general, the PBHP < 10 % of SBHP in order to
produce the well at 95 % of the Maximum Rate.
◆ Casing pressures and fluid levels should be
determined at stabilized conditions.
◆ Accurate and recent well production rate tests are
required.
◆ Measure Fluid Level and casing pressure in all
shut-
shut-in wells to determine SBHP.
◆ Use TWM or AWP for calculations.

More Production?
A well is 5000 feet deep and has a SBHP of 1000 psi.
The pump is at the formation. Which of the
following conditions can be helped the most to
obtain more production from the well?

1. A well with 35 psi casing pressure and 1000 feet of

gas free liquid over the pump?
Or
2. A well with 300 psi casing pressure and 100 feet of
liquid over the pump?

A. L. Podio 20
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

6 BOPD Additional Production Available

Estimated SBHP 1000 Psi – 33% Efficient

A. L. Podio 21
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Estimated SBHP
SBHP 3000
3000 Psi
Psi –– 88.8%
88.8% Efficient
Efficient

ESP Producing 5 MMCF/D of CO2 Gas

A. L. Podio 22
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Go to Vogel presentation

IPR Forecast
IPR - Varying gas and oil saturation vs. r
Productivity - Uniform saturation, fluid properties,
permeability
At a given rate, q both relations have to be satisfied:

A. L. Podio 23
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Productivity
Vogel’s IPR
qo qo
J= = qo Pwf Pwf2
Ps − Pwf  Pwf  = 1 − 0 .2 − 0 .8 2 (1)
1 −  ⋅ Ps qm Ps Ps
 Ps 

qo  Pwf  Rearrange:
= 1 − 
J ⋅ Ps  Ps 
qo  Pwf   P 
= 1 −  ∗ 1 + 0.8 wf  ( 2)
qm  Ps  
 Ps 


Substituting (1) into (2):

qo q  Pwf 
= o 1 + 0.8 

qm JPs  Ps 


From where:

qm  P 
J= 1 + 0.8 wf 
Ps  Ps 
Productivity is a function of Pwf
J decreases as Pw decreases or as Drawdown increases
Maximum J occurs at “ Zero Drawdown” defined as J*
qm Pwf
J* = lim Pwf → Ps (1 + 0.8 )
Ps Ps
qm J * ⋅Ps
J * = 1.8 or qm =
Ps 1.8

A. L. Podio 24
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

At ”zero” drawdown pressure and saturation,

conditions are uniform:
J* →Calculated from average fluid and rock
properties ko(So,Ss), µo(Ps), βo(Ps)

7.08 ⋅ ko ⋅ h
J * (Ps ) =
r
µ o β o ln e
rw
Since h, re, rw = constant
 k 
J * (Ps ) = f  o 
 µo β o 

  ko  
   
  µoβo  future 
J * future = J * present  
  ko  
  µoβo  
 present 

At a given time IPR from well test :

Q
J=
Ps − Pwf
1.8 ⋅ J
J* =
 P 
1 + 0.8 wf 
 Ps 
J * ⋅Ps  
2
P P 
Q= 1 − 0.2 wf − 0.8 wf  
1.8  Ps  Ps  


A. L. Podio 25
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Vertical Lift Performance

◆ Relationship between flow rate and
pressure required at the tubing intake
(bottom) to flow to surface against a given
tubing-head flowing pressure.

◆ Function of tubing depth, diameter, liquid

rate, gas rate, fluid properties.

Well Flow System

Surface Facilities
Ptf Flow rate Q

Pin vs. Q is defined as

the Vertical Lift
Performance

Wellbore At a given flow rate:

Performance
Pwf = Pin

Where Pin = pressure at the intake

of the production tubing that is required
to flow at a rate of Q to the surface
and overcome Ptf

Pin
Inflow Performance PS
Pwf

A. L. Podio 26
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Single Phase - Liquid

Ptf Pressure

Constant discharge pressure=Ptf

Q1<Q2<Q3<Q4
Single Phase Flow
Incompressible

Q=0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4

D
Pin0 Pin1 Pin2 Pin3 Pin4
Depth

Tubing Intake Pressure vs. Flow Rate

Pintake, Pin
Ptf1 =200 psi

Ptf2 =100 psi

Assumptions:
Transition

SBHP1
Incompressible,
newtonian, single
phase,uniform
SBHP2 Turbulent diameter,fixed length.
Laminar
P=f(q n )
P=f(q)

Q3 Flowrate Q
Q1 Q2

A. L. Podio 27
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Two Phase – Gas and Liquid

Ptf =200 psi Pressure

Constant discharge pressure=Ptf

Fixed:
Qliquid, Depth,Diameter

Variable: GLR (SCF/STB)

GLR=600

GLR=1200
GLR=0
GLR=2000

D GLR-2500

Ql=0 Ql1
Depth

Basic Gas Lift Mechanism

Pressure
Pt = 100

Artificial Lift Control of Flow

Reduce the gradient of flowing

fluid mixture by injecting gas.

GLR1

GLR3>GLR2>GLR1

GLR3

GLR2

Depth Pwf3 Pwf2 Pwf1

A. L. Podio 28
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Tubing Intake Pressure –Two Phase Flow

Pintake, Pin Fixed:
Tubing Pressure, Ptf
Depth, Diameter

Variable:
Liquid Flow Rate
GLR GLR=200

GLR=2000

GLR=2500

Ql1 Ql2 Ql3 Flowrate Q

No Net Liquid Flow

Gas Bubbling Through Liquid
Pt Pressure

Special Case: Gas

Static liquid Ql=0
Constant Intake Pressure,
Constant Discharge
Qg=5 MCF/D Pressure, variable Gas
Rate

Gaseous Liquid Column

Qg=0

Gas-free Liquid Column

Ql=0

Pin Qg=5
Depth
Qg=0

A. L. Podio 29
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Flow Patterns vs. Pressure

Ptf4 Ptf3 Ptf2 Ptf1 Pressure

Mist Constant:
Liquid Flow Rate,
GLR, Tubing
Slug Flow size,Tubing Depth.
Variable:
Discharge Pressure

Churn Flow

Bubble Flow

Depth Pin4 Pin3 Pin2 Pin1

Nodal Analysis at Tubing Intake

Interaction of Reservoir Performance and Tubing Performance

Constant: Tubing size and depth, GLR

Pt = 300
Ps

Pt = 200
Pwf1 VLP

Pt = 100
Pwf2
Pt = 0
Pwf3

IPR

Flow Rate, Q
0
0 Q1 Q2 Q3

A. L. Podio 30
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Performance at Tubinghead
Constant: Tubing size, depth and GLR

Wellhead Pressure

Well Performance at
Wellhead.

Pt = 200 NOTE:
Q3 is much lower
than Qmax from
IPR

Pt = 100

Pt = 0 Flow Rate, Q
0
0 Q1 Q2 Q3

Depletion Drive Performance

Pressure
GOR
PI

1
Bubble Point
GOR
P
2
3
PI

Cumulative Production 12-15% of OOIP

A. L. Podio 31
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Depleting Reservoir IPR

P
Pt =100
1500 psi
Ps1

Ps2 1100 psi 1

Pt = 30

Ps3 900 psi

2 Pt = 0
3
Ps4 700 psi
5 4

15 Bbl/d 50 Bbl/d
100 Bbl/d
Q4 Q3 Q desired Q0

Depleting Reservoir Production

Q
Decline in IPR with
depleting reservoir

Desired Oil Rate

Q0
1 2
Reduce Back
Increase 4 Pressure
Choke Size

3 5

Time or % Recovery

A. L. Podio 32
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Water Drive Reservoir

pressure WOR

PI

GOR

Accumulative Recovery

WOR Increases with Time

WOR
Formation Producing at Increasing
Water Oil Ratio

2.0

1.0

t0 t1 t2 TIME

A. L. Podio 33
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Total Liquid Production Increases to

Keep Oil Production Constant
Flow Rate
Limit of Artificial Lift System

Effect of Increasing WOR

Total Rate, Qt

Desired Oil Rate, Qo

Q0

t1 t2 t3 Time

Pumping Requirements
Non-Flowing Well - Artificial Lift Requirements

Constant: Tubing size and depth, GLR

Pt = 0

PDP
Ps

Pressure Increase to
be provided by pumping system
Pwf1

Q
Pwf2

Pwf3 PIP

Flow Rate, Q
0
0 Q1 Q2 Q3

A. L. Podio 34
Unipetro Seminar 1/25/2004

Pcf Static Casing

Pressure
For a given reservoir pressure and
Inflow Performance Relation the flow
100 psi rate corresponds to a specific fluid
level and casing pressure combination.

Gas
Column
Pressure
Increasing pumping speed
Static Fluid Level stroke and/or plunger diameter
will increase pumping rate

Combined
to Q2

Producing Fluid
Level 1 Liquid Level @
1250 ft above
formation IPR and
Producing Fluid
Pressure
Traverse
Level 2

PIP 2 PBHP 2 PIP 1 PBHP 1 Static BHP

500 psi

100 Bbl/d
Inflow Performance
Q1 Relation

Q2
Q2 Corresponds to the rate at which well will
be essentially pumped off for this pump depth.

Hydaulic Power by Pumping

Flow rate Q Ptf
Pcf Ptf
Pcf
Constant:
Flow rate, Tubing Diameter,
Depth, GLR, Ptf, Pcf

Tubing
Annulus
Depth

Producing
Fluid Level

PIP PDP
Pump

PBHP SBHP
Drawdown

Pressure
PBHP

A. L. Podio 35