THE SPE IMAGE LIBRARY

SPE 16743

A New Approach to Multiphase Well Test Analysis

16743
Al-Khalifah, A-J.A.,
Aziz, K., and
Horne, R.N.,
Stanford U.
SPE Members
Copyright 1987, Society of Petroleum Engineers
This paper was prepared for presentation at the 62nd Annual Technical
Conference and Exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers held
in
Dallas, TX September 27-30, 1987.
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Abstract
This paper presents a new approach to analyze multiphase well
tests. In this approach, multiphase flow is modelled using the
diffusivity equation with p2 as the dependent variable. This approach
is applied to analyze simulated and literature multiphase tests for a
range of PVT properties. Results of this approach are compared to
those obtained by the pressure (Perrine's) approach, which
to be a special case of the new approach.
Fetkovich's empirical approach for isochronal oil-well testing
has been in use since 1973 without theoretical derivation. His

THE SPE IMAGE LIBRARY

SPE 16743

approach is derived here using the pseudosteady state solution of the

diffusivity equation in terms of p2. The possibility of extending the
isochronal testing to three phase systems is also discussed.
This paper derives the pressure-saturation relation, reported by
both Muskat and Martin. Assumptions made are also investigated.
Martin's total compressibility is derived without assuming negligible
pressure and saturation gradients.
Finally, this paper explains the application of a new relative
permeability technique, to estimate the absolute permeability of
multiphase reservoirs. Two examples to verify this application are
also reported.
Introduction
Multiphase flow is commonly encountered in reservoirs of
interest to petroleum engineers. Equations describing multiphase
flow are highly nonlinear and do not yield simple analytical
solutions.
Hence, very little work has been done in multiphase well testing to
accurately estimate reservoir properties. Those publications, that do
exist, can be divided into two main categories. First, is the
pressure
(Perrine's) approach. Second, is the pseudopressure (Raghavan's)
approach.
Perrine's (pressure) approach was a modified single phase
solution. He suggested, based on empirical observations, the
replacement of single phase properties (mobility, compressibility) by
total system properties. His solution results in estimates of
wellbore
skin and effective phase permeabilities but not the absolute
permeability. Martin 2 showed that Perrine's approach was based on
ft pressure diffusivity equation, which he derived assuming
negligible pressure and saturation gradients. A very extensive
investigation of Perrine's approach has been reported in literature.
Weller found that as gas saturation increases, Perrine's results
become less reliable. Chu et al. studied the sensitivity of this
approach to saturation gradients in oil-water systems. They
concluded that a good estimate of total mobility can be obtained.
However, individual phase mobilities can only be estimated if the
saturation distribution is uniform or the producing fluid ratio is
representative of the investigated zone. Ayan and Lee considered
the effect of non-uniform saturation distribution within the drainage
area during buildup tests. They found that Perrine's approach
overestimated the skin due to gas blockage around the wellbore.
Although Perrine's approach underestimates effective phase
permeabilities and overestimates the skin, it has remained the most
commonly applied approach .
The pseudopressure (Raghavan's) approach for solution
gas-drive reservoirs is analogous to that given by Al-Hussainy et al.
for gas reservoirs. Evinger and Muskat formulated the steady state

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SPE 16743

oil
flow rate for solution gas-drive reservoirs as:
(1)
The two-phase pseudo pressure function may be defined as
(2)
which Fetkovich" used to formulate the transient solution:
(3)
where
(4)
Raghavan was the first to apply tills integral transformation for
drawdowns and buildups in solution gas-drive reservoirs.
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