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Pressure derivative analysis is based on the observation the pressure variation that occurs during a well test is more significant than the pressure itself. The use of pressure derivatives makes the well test interpretation easier in a number of ways: Derivative type curves increase the possibility of converging to a unique model (i.e., solution). Derivative analysis makes it easier to identify a semilog straight line. Derivative analysis makes it easier to identify the type of reservoir heterogeneity, because the signatures or patterns it provides are more definitive.
Note that pressure derivative analysis does not necessarily provide additional information over that provided by conventional analysis. Rather, it accentuates certain events and helps us recognize events that would otherwise be hidden in the response.
m=
162.6q sc B kh
and m < 0
d( p ) d( p ) = 2.3026 t p =m d(Log t p ) dt p
The above development implies that a log-log plot of [d(p)/d(Log tp)] versus tp should yield a horizontal line with an intercept equal to m (Figure 1 ).
Figure 1
pD =
tD cD
where cD is the wellbore storage constant. By taking the logarithm of both sides, we obtain
dp D =1 tD d cD
Therefore, when wellbore storage effects dominate, the derivative of the pressure curve with respect to tD/cD also has a unit slope (Figure 2 , Daltaban and Wall (1998)courtesy Imperial College Press).
Figure 2
During the radial flow period, the dimensionless form of the drawdown equation is:
pD =
Then,
1 tD 2s Ln c + 0.8097 + Ln( c D e ) D 2
dp D 1 = d t D 2 c D
The above equation implies that the derivative plot during radial flow will generate a horizontal line with a value of 0.5 (Figure 2).
= pi -pwf )
t p + t p ws = p i + mLog t
where
m=
162.6qk B kh
d( p ws ) t p + t d Log t
t p + t d( p ws ) d( t ) = p 'ws t t d( t ) t p + t Log d t
Again, the above expression shows that field data should be plotted on a log-log graph as
t p + t p 'ws t t
versus
t.
In pressure buildup data, as pressure stabilizes, the pressure derivative approaches zero, giving the impression of the response of a constant pressure boundary. A suggested correction for this is to use an effective shut-in time
t e =
1+
t tp
When this correction is not helpful, then the effect of a nearby boundary should be suspected (in the presence of a boundary, the pressure derivative will also tend to zero in the case of a drawdown test).
Derivative Calculation
The major disadvantage of derivative analysis is calculating the derivative from measured pressure data. Any kind of pressure oscillation or noise in the data causes the derivative to jump around, and some smoothing of the data becomes necessary. In derivative calculations, the finite-difference method is used as a numerical tool. For data with no noise, forward, backward and/or central differences probably will work fine. If noise is present, the effect can be suppressed by using various algorithms. Some of the more commonly used algorithms are presented below:
The above algorithmic equation is not found to be very effective in removing the noise. As a well test progresses, data are plotted over increasingly large time intervals. Under such conditions, it is recommended to use the following expression that uses numerical differentiation with respect to the logarithm of time.
t Ln i p i+ j t dp ik t = t i+ j t i + j dt i Ln t Ln t i i k
where
t i + j t i k t i+ j p Ln Ln i t2 t p i k i i + t i+ j t i t t Ln Ln i Ln i+ j Ln t t t t i k i k i ik
Figure 3
Almost all of the pressure derivative type curves are plotted together with the pressure type curves. With this presentation of type curves, it is possible to analyze the test data without going through the Horner plot. Figure 5 and Figure 6
Figure 6
(after Boudarot, 1998courtesy Editions Technip) show three of the most commonly used pressure/pressure derivative type curves. The procedure for using infinite-acting and homogeneous reservoir pressure derivative type curves is as follows:
Figure 5
Plot p versus t and p' versus t on a log-log graph with the same scale as that of the type curve. Align the horizontal segment of the Dp' versus t curve with the constant slope=0.5 line segment of the pressure derivative type curve. The onset of the horizontal segment of the Dp' versus Dt curve signifies the start of the infiniteacting (transient) flow period. With the vertical axis (pD) set, shift the field (real) pressure plot to the left or right until the first few points of the data fall on the unit slope segment of the type curve. This match will set the horizontal (tD/cD) axis. From the match, note the following entries the curve matched and value of cDe2s the pressure match, (DpD/p)M the time match (tD/cD/Dt)M the start of radial flow, t the end of wellbore storage (departure from the unit slope line), t
p D kh p = 141.2qB M
Calculate (c) from the relationship
kh t Dk D = 0.000295 c t M
Calculate (s) from the relationship
(c
e 2s
0.8936 c 2 s e 2 c t hr w
(since cDe2s is known from the curve matched, (s)can be back-calculated from the above equation).