WELL TESTING PROCEDURE

Table of Contents

1. Purpose

2. Definition of Terms

3. Responsibilities

4. Procedures

5. Definition of Acronyms

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1 Purpose

1.1 To ensure safety in the course of carrying out Production Testing Operations.

1.2 To ensure the procedures are strictly adhered to during Production Testing
operations.

1.3 To draft a standard operating procedure for executing production Testing operations.

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2 Definition of Terms

2.1 API: The American Petroleum Institute (API) is the U.S trade association responsible
for maintaining and establishing standards for the worldwide oil and natural gas industry.

2.2 BS&W: Basic Sediment and Water (BS&W), is a test done on crude oil to show the
approximate amount of sediment and water in the sample.

2.3 CPF: The Central Processing Facility (CPF) is where the crude produced from the
wellhead is processed to export quality crude.

2.4 Choke: A throttling device used to control fluid production from the well as well as
control downstream delivery pressure of the fluid.

2.5 Differential Pressure: This is the difference of pressure measurement between the
orifice plates.

2.6 FTHP: Flowing Tubing Head Pressure (FTHP) is the static pressure in the tubing when
the well is flowing into delivery lines.

2.7 FLP: Flow Line Pressure (FLP) is the static pressure in the pipe connection as the fluid
flows through it.

2.8 Gas Temperature: This is the temperature of the gas conduit as it flows through it.

2.9 Orifice Plate: A device placed on the gas line for measuring gas flow rate and
differential pressure.

2.10 Separator: A pressure vessel used for separation of reservoir fluids into individual
streams of gas, oil and water.

2.11 Separator Pressure: This is the operating pressure of the Test Separator.

2.12 Separator Temperature: This is the operating temperature of the Test Separator.

2.13 Static Pressure: This is the pressure exerted by the gas on the gas flowline.

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 2.14 Sand Test: Test to determine the percentage of sand in crude oil.

2.15 Test Separator: A pressure vessel used to determine the amount of gas and oil a well
can produce within a 24hr period.

2.16 Turbine Meter: A liquid measuring device in either litres or barrels.

2.17 Valves: A device used to control fluid flow.

2.18 VCF: Volume Correction Factor (VCF) is used to correct random volumes of crude due
to variations in temperature to a standard volume. It is the ratio of standard volume to operating volume.

2.19 Wellhead: This is a configuration of valves and fittings installed on the surface of a
well to control flow from subsurface to surface.

2.20 Sampling: This is the process of obtaining crude sample for testing, analysis or other
purposes.

3 Responsibilities

No Name Roles

Supervise the operation and ensure that procedures are strictly

adhered to, also ensures hitch free operation and there is no by-
1 Production Supervisors passing of procedures.

Executes the operation following the laid down procedures and

2 Production Operators ensures normalcy of operation.

Collects samples at intervals for analysis and reports values to

3 Laboratory Technologist operators timely

Assistant Production
4 Operators Assist the Production Operators during the course of the operation

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4 Procedures

4.1 Establish the well to be tested and the particular choke size (that is, production choke size) according
to the test program.

4.2 Ensure the test separator is well lined up. The oil turbine meters for both the oil and water outlet
should be zeroed; the Daniels orifice plate should be raised; all operating parameters should be noted. Other
visual checks on the separator should be carried out to prevent anomaly.

4.3 Line up the well to be tested into the test line which goes to the test separator after
notifying the operator at the CPF.

4.4 Gradually open up the well and seek confirmation from the CPF before leaving the well
head.

4.5 Install the correct orifice plate and lower the plate. (Note the orifice plate size).

4.6 Allow for a stability time of at least two hours before taking an initial reading thereafter
readings should be taking every hour for six hours. The operating parameters to recorded
hourly are;

4.6.1 Separator pressure

4.6.2 Separator Temperature

4.6.3 FTHP from the well head

4.6.4 FLP from the well head

4.6.5 Gas temperature from the separator

4.6.6 Differential pressure from the separator

4.6.7 Static pressure from the separator

4.6.8 Oil flow from the turbine meter

4.6.9 Water flow from the turbine meter

4.7 Notify the Laboratory technician of the test program for him to analyse the well sample
hourly by providing the API, BS&W and sand test.

4.8 The gas production is calculated using software developed for this purpose by applying
these variables: Differential pressure, static pressure, gas temperature and orifice size.

4.9 VCF which is a factor of API and temperature is derived from a VCF table.

4.10 The well should be routed back to the Production separator after successful completion of
the Testing and a Well Test Table prepared for the relevant authorities (see sample below).

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5 Definition of Acronyms

5.1 BOPD: BARREL OF OIL PER DAY

5.2 FTHP: FLOWING TUBING HEAD PRESSURE

5.3 BS&W: BASIC SEDIMENT AND WATER

5.4 API: AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE

5.5 THP: TUBING HEAD PRESSURE

5.6 CPF: CENTRAL PROCESSING FACILITY

5.7 VCF: VOLUME CORRECTION FACTOR

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