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Use of Two-Phase Pseudo Pressure Method to Calculate

Condensate Bank Size and Well Deliverability in Gas
Condensate Reservoirs
a

Jalal Mazloom & Fariborz Rashidi

a

Department of Earth Science and Engineering , Imperial College of London , London, UK

Department of Chemical Engineering , Poly Technique University , Tehran, Iran

Published online: 19 Aug 2006.

To cite this article: Jalal Mazloom & Fariborz Rashidi (2006) Use of Two-Phase Pseudo Pressure Method to Calculate
Condensate Bank Size and Well Deliverability in Gas Condensate Reservoirs, Petroleum Science and Technology, 24:2, 145-156
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1081/LFT-200044461

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Petroleum Science and Technology, 24:145156, 2006

Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
ISSN: 1091-6466 print/1532-2459 online
DOI: 10.1081/LFT-200044461

Downloaded by [Florida Atlantic University] at 20:10 12 November 2014

Use of Two-Phase Pseudo Pressure Method to

Calculate Condensate Bank Size and Well
Deliverability in Gas Condensate Reservoirs
Jalal Mazloom
Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College of London,
London, UK

Fariborz Rashidi
Department of Chemical Engineering, Poly Technique University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract: This paper introduces a novel approach in the use of two-phase pseudo
pressures for the calculation of condensate bank radius and productivity index of wells
and the interpretation of gas condensate well test data. It is shown that knowledge
of the relationship between condensate saturation and pressure is necessary for the
integration of pseudo pressure in all regions of the reservoir. In the region of the
reservoir where immobile condensate saturation develops, an equation that is valid for
the region far from the wellbore has been used. While for the region where condensate
is considered to be mobile, an equation has been used based on the steady state method.
This method is tested using a data set that was generated by a compositional simulator
for radial homogenous. A set of real PVT data from a producing gas condensate field is
used for simulation of the gas condensate reservoir. Using this approach, it is possible
to calculate condensate bank radius and total skin, mechanical skin, and permeability
of the reservoir, yielding answers that are extremely close to those of the simulator. It
is also shown that the condensate saturation profile in the reservoir produced using this
method is also similar to the one produced by the simulator. An inflow performance
curve is calculated using two-phase pseudo pressures. In this curve, the impact of the
presence of condensate around the wellbore on productivity is studied.
Keywords: gas condensate, well test, two-phase pseudo pressure

INTRODUCTION
The formation of a condensate bank around the wellbore in gas condensate reservoirs and the effect of this condensate drop-out on the behavior of
Address correspondence to Jalal Mazloom, Department of Earth Science and
Engineering, Imperial College of London, Royal School of Mines Bldg., South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK. E-mail: jalal.mazloom@imperial.ac.uk
145

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J. Mazloom and F. Rashidi

production wells, plus the different macroscopic properties of the fluids, are
highly complex phenomena, but are of great interest in petroleum reservoir
engineering. When the bottom hole pressure of a gas condensate reservoir
is reduced below the dew point, a bank of condensate is formed around the
wellbore. In the early stages of this condensation, the condensate saturation is
below its critical saturation, but after a relatively short period of time, at some
point in the vicinity of the wellbore, condensate and gas may move simultaneously. The presence of this condensate region around the wellbore decreases
the mobility of gas and makes the pseudo-pressure derivative curve of a radial homogenous system behave like a radial composite one (Daungkaew,
2002; Gringarten et al., 2000; Daungkaew et al., 2002; Steward et al., 2003;
Raghavan and Jones, 1988; Raghavan, 1989; Raghavan et al., 1988).
By using dry gas pseudo pressures in a gas condensate reservoir, some
parameters, such as the effective permeability, skin, radius of condensate
bank, and so on could be calculated (Gringarten et al., 2000; Daungkaew
et al., 2002). But, as dry gas pseudo pressure does not make linear diffusivity equations, these reservoir parameters are not considered reliable. These
reservoir parameters are very important in the formulation of the production
strategy and reservoir management of a gas condensate field. In this paper, a
two-phase pseudo pressure method is used to analyze well test data from a gas
condensate reservoir in order to more accurately determine these important
parameters.

LITERATURE REVIEW
The use of dry gas pseudo pressure initially introduced by Al-Hussainy et al.
(1966) is the most common way of interpreting well tests involving a gas
condensate reservoir. Due to the decrease of gas mobility around the wellbore, the pressure derivative curve is similar to that of a radial composite
model. In the event that well data can be obtained over time, then by calculating the parameters of the two radial regions, key parameters of a gas
condensate reservoir; e.g., effective permeability, mechanical skin, total skin,
and the condensate bank radius can be calculated (Gringarten et al., 2000;
Daungkaew et al., 2002). Stewart et al. (1992, 2003), Raghavan and Jones
(1988), Raghavan et al. (1988), and Raghavan (1989) introduced two-phase
pseudo pressure to interpret gas condensate well test interpretation. Until now,
two-phase pseudo pressure has been used for the region in which condensate
is present, and it has been assumed that condensate is mobile. This method,
therefore, overestimates condensate saturation in the region that condensate
is built but immobile (Stewart and Saleh, 1992). Also, in cases in which
condensate is immobile in whole regions of the reservoir, this method is not
appropriate.
Roussennac (2001) and Xu and Lee (1999) assumed that there are three
radial zones in a gas condensate reservoir. In the region near the wellbore, the

Two-Phase Pseudo Pressure Method

147

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Figure 1. Behavior of condensate and gas transition in reservoir.

condensate and gas are mobile, and they have used steady state assumptions
to find the relationship between condensate saturation and pressure. However,
in the region where condensate is immobile, they have used the results of
CCE (Constant Composition Expansion) and CVD (Constant Volume Depletion) experiments to find a relationship between condensate saturation and
pressure. Simulation results have shown that this method is sometimes inappropriate (Zaitsev et al., 1996). As can be seen in Figure 1, the behavior of
fluid transition in a reservoir differs from conditions of CVD or CCE experiments. In the reservoir, in a region wherein condensate is immobile, there is
a continuous flow of gas from the neighboring region. This method has also
been used to investigate the effect of condensate saturation on the decrease
in productivity of a well (Xie et al., 2001; Mott, 2002; Fevang and Whitson,
1996).
In all of the papers discussed, pressure data that have been produced
by compositional simulator have been used. The basis of the method that
is used in this paper to find the relationship between condensate saturation
and pressure in the region that condensate is immobile, comes from the Boe
et al. (1981) work. They have developed a relation between gas saturation
and pressure in solution gas drive reservoir. Here we use the same method
by substituting equal items in a gas condensate reservoir.

THEORY
Here we present the theoretical basis of the work. When the condensate
saturation around the wellbore increases above critical condensate saturation,
as can be observed in Figure 2, three regions will be established around the
wellbore.
Region 1: Saturation of condensate is above critical condensate saturation
and condensate and gas are moving simultaneously.
Region 2: Saturation of condensate is below the critical saturation and is
immobile.
Region 3: Pressure is above dew point and only dry gas is present.
Due to the presence of regions 1 and 2, a derivative curve has been generated
using dry gas pseudo pressure in a build-up test for a radial homogonous
reservoir like a radial composite reservoir. Since it is more desired that the

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148

J. Mazloom and F. Rashidi

Figure 2. Schematic of three regions in gas condensate reservoir.

derivative curve shows geological behavior of the reservoir around the wellbore, and the presence of condensate does not have any effect on the derivative
curve, the following equations are used to determine pseudo pressure for each
region:

p 


krg
krc
m(p ) m(pwf ) = 2
+
Rs dp
B g g
Bc c
p

(1)

wf

pd


krg
m(pd ) m(p ) = 2
dp
B g g

(2)


m(pR ) m(pd ) = 2 krg (swi )

pR

pd

1
dp
Bg g

(3)

Equation (1) is used for region 1 in which the two phases are moving.
Equations (2) and (3) are used for regions 2 and 3, respectively. By using
each pseudo pressure for defined regions, the diffusivity equation is linear
and the effect of condensate has been eliminated from the derivative curve. It
is clear in Eqs. (1), (2), and (3) that the relation between relative permeability
and pressure are necessary for integration of equations. As the relationship
between condensate saturation and relative permeability curves is available
as relative permeability curve, by using quantity of condensate saturation and
pressure at each pressure, an implicit relation between relative permeability
curves and pressure is established. For region 1, the result of the steady state
assumption that has been developed by Raghavan (1989) is used. Equation (4)

Two-Phase Pseudo Pressure Method

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is the final result of this theory that is gained by assuming that GOR is
constant in region 1:


krg
Rp Rs g Bg
(p) =
(4)
krc
1 r s R p c B c
According to this theory, P , the outer boundary of region 1 can be considered
as dew point of stream flowing from wellbore. This pressure can be defined
by drawing the phase envelope of flowing stream and defining dew point
pressure of this sample at reservoir temperature. Also, Eq. (5) can be written
by using relative permeability curves:
krg
= f (sc )
krc

(5)

As all the parameters on the right hand side of Eq. (4) (except for producing
gas oil ratio that is constant), are dependent on pressure, Eqs. (4) and (5)
provide a relationship between condensate saturation and pressure implicitly.
Equation (6) is used as a relationship between condensate saturation and
pressure in region 2. Boe and Whitson (1981) approved this equation for
distances far from wellbore or in the other mean region that condensate is
immobile.
 /  
Bg
dsg
g
= sg
+
ct
(6)
dp
Bg
t
In this equation, the parameters are as follows:
t = c + g

(7)

Ct = Sc Cc + Sg Cg

(8)

Cc =

1
/
/
(Bc + Rs (Bg rs Bc ))
Bc

(9)

Cg =

1
/
/
(Bg + rs (Bc Rs Bg ))
Bg

(10)

By using the two-phase pseudo pressure diffusivity equation as linear in all

sections of the reservoir, Eq. (11) can be written between pseudo pressures
at each pressure and distance from wellbore:
  
r
(11)
m(pR ) m(pwf ) = ln
rw
In this equation, is the slope of the semi-log plot of pseudo pressure vs.
time. Assuming that an implicit relation between condensate saturation and

150

J. Mazloom and F. Rashidi

pressure is available, it is possible to calculate the condensate saturation at

each distance from wellbore and to calculate condensate bank size. Due to the
reason mentioned for Eq. (11), it is possible to write a relationship between
pseudo pressure at reservoir pressure and bottom hole pressure as Eq. (12):

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q=

1406 106 kh (m(p) m(pwf ))



re
3
T ln
+S
rw
4

(12)

As the effect of condensate drop out has been considered in pseudo pressures
in Eq. (12), it gives more realistic well deliverability than using dry gas
pseudo pressures.

MODEL CONSTRUCTION AND RESULTS

In this section, the new method has been used to analyze gas condensate well
test data. For this aim, a set of data that has been produced by Eclipse 300
as a compositional simulator has been analyzed. A radial grid model with
dimension 48 1 5 has been constructed. The grid sizes are increased logarithmically. This causes minimum oscillation for well bottom hole pressure
data. The PVT data used in this step are from a real field data set in Iran.
PVTi package regressions have been performed on the PVT experiments. The
phase envelope after regression can be observed in Figure 3. Three sets of
draw-down and build-up tests have been simulated to show the increasing
size of condensate bank over time. Simulated data shows how we can draw
saturation of condensate and productivity of the well by using two-phase
pseudo pressures.

Figure 3. Phase plot of PVT sample that has been used to produce simulated data.

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Two-Phase Pseudo Pressure Method

151

Figure 4. Comparison of dry gas and two-phase pseudo pressure in first build up.

Figures 4 and 5 show a comparison between dry gas pseudo pressure

and two-phase pseudo pressure. These two figures show that after using twophase pseudo pressure there is just one stabilization level in the derivative
curve and that the skin factor and permeability of the reservoir are calculated
from this stabilization level. Interpret 2001 has been used for analyzing well
test data.

Figure 5. Comparison of dry gas and two-phase pseudo pressure in second build up.

152

J. Mazloom and F. Rashidi

Table 1. Comparison between calculated and simulated permeability and skin

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Data in model
Results from two phase pseudo pressure (Build up 1)
Results from two phase pseudo pressure (Build up 2)
Results from two phase pseudo pressure (Build up 3)

Permeability
(md)

Skin
of well

1.5
1.43
1.52
1.45

0
0.05
0.05
0.02

Figure 6. Condensate saturation around wellbore, predicted by simulator and twophase pseudo pressure at initial time of first build up.

Figure 7. Condensate saturation around wellbore, predicted by simulator and twophase pseudo pressure at initial time of second build up.

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Two-Phase Pseudo Pressure Method

153

Figure 8. Condensate saturation around wellbore, predicted by simulator and twophase pseudo pressure at initial time of third build up.

In Table 1, a comparison between calculated and simulated data is shown.

These parameters are very close to the data that have been used for simulation. As can be observed, maximum difference between results of two-phase
pseudo pressure and data in simulation is just 3%.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 show a comparison of condensate saturation around
the wellbore that has been calculated by simulator and two-phase pseudo
pressure method. As can be observed, the results are reasonable, especially
for the region near the wellbore where most of the pressure drop occurs.
Figure 9 shows well deliverability by using dry gas pseudo pressure and
two-phase pseudo pressure. As can be seen in this figure, a fraction of decreasing productivity is due to the presence of condensate that is not predictable

Figure 9. Well productivities predicted by the method presented in this paper and by
the dry gas pseudo pressure.

154

J. Mazloom and F. Rashidi

by dry gas pseudo pressure method. Absolute open flow ratio predicted by
two-phase pseudo pressure is less than the quantity that is predicted by dry
gas pseudo pressure method.

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CONCLUSIONS
1. Defined pseudo pressures make the linear diffusivity equation of gas and
condensate.
2. This method was used for analyzing some gas condensate well test data
that were produced by Eclipse 300.
3. Using the defined pseudo pressure, the effect of condensate saturation
on the derivative curve is eliminated and reveals the geological behavior
around the wellbore.
4. Stabilization level of the two-phase pseudo pressure derivative curve gives
absolute permeability of rock and total skin of well.
5. By using the defined method it is possible to define the condensate saturation by distance from wellbore in the reservoir. It was shown that over
time the condensate bank radius increases around the wellbore.
6. It was observed that some part of decreasing productivity of a well is due
to the presence of condensate around the wellbore. By using the defined
two-phase pseudo pressure method it is possible to define the contribution
of condensate in decreasing well productivity.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Special thanks to Professor Alain C. Gringarten (Director of the Center for
Petroleum Studies in Imperial College) for his continuous comments on this
project. Also, we appreciate the financial support from the London office of
Sasol Petroleum International.

NOMENCLATURE
Bc
Bg
c
h
k
Kr
pwf
pd
p
pR

Formation volume factor of condensate (RB/STB)

Formation volume factor of gas (RB/scf)
Total compressibility (1/psi)
Formation thickness (ft)
Absolute permeability (md)
Relative permeability of condensate
Flowing bottom hole pressure (psi)
Dew point of initial sample from reservoir (Psi)
Dew point of following stream from wellbore (Psi)
Reservoir pressure (Psi)

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Two-Phase Pseudo Pressure Method

q
rs
Rp
Rs
re
rw
s
S
T
C
L

155

Gas flow rate (MMscf/day)

Dissolved oil/gas ratio (STB/scf)
Producing gas oil ratio (scf/STB)
Solution of gas in condensate (scf/STB)
Drainage radius (ft)
Radius of well (ft)
Saturation
Skin of well
Reservoir temperature (Rankin)
Mobility of gas and condensate (1/cp)
Viscosity (cp)

Subscripts
c
ccrit
g
t
w
wi

Condensate
Critical condensate saturation
Gas
Total
Water
Connate water saturation

Superscript
/

Operator, partial derivative w.r.t. p at constant s

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