Pre-frac Reservoir Characterization from Perforation Inflow Diagnostic (PID) Testing Measure Twice Frac Once

Robert Hawkes Team Leader, Reservoir Services BJ Services Company Canada

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is funded principally through a grant of the

SPE FOUNDATION
The Society gratefully acknowledges those companies that support the program by allowing their professionals to participate as Lecturers. And special thanks to The American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME) for their contribution to the program.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Initial post-frac welltest analysis OVERESTIMATE most tight gas well production performances. Take the time (money) to obtain initial reservoir pressure (pi) prior to your fracture treatment.
Closed chamber testing is an overlooked pre-frac testing technique.

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Problem
We have completed our hydraulic fracture treatment program with most wells on production. Post frac pressure buildup analysis are finished. Initial production results are less than what we predicted. Please review the frac treatment reports and the well test analysis to determine re-frac candidates !

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General PTA Theory

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Time to End of Linear Flow

Where the end of linear flow from a fracture is defined as tDxf =0.016

t Dxf =

0.000264kt

( ct ) i x

2 f

t = hours

k = 0.1 mD k = 0.01 mD

xf = 100m t = 36 h (1.5 d) xf = 100m t = 360 h (15 d)

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Log-log Plot (Linear Flow)

from Economides and Martin (2007)

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Production Analysis
mL = -

The Fetkovich plot is to production analysis what the log-log derivative is to the well test analysis.
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Post-frac Flow and Buildup Test

ENCANA CORPORATION. ECA SMOKY 7-21-59-4W6 19000 18000 17000 16000 15000 50 14000 13000 12000 Pressure, kPa(a) 11000 10000 9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 10 4000 3000 2000 5 pdata qgas 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 Tim e, h 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 135 140 145 45 t 107.54 h pdata 17916 kPa(a)

Total Test

UPPER BELLY RIVER : 2087.5 - 2092.5 m KB. 2005/06/13 TO 2005/06/18. 70

65

60

55

40

Gas Rate, 103m3/d

30 Tonnes, 20/40 Ottawa Type Sand 30 Tonnes, 20/40 Ottawa Type Sand 92 m33Gelled Hydro-Carbon, 15 m33CO2 92 m Gelled Hydro-Carbon, 15 m CO2 Max sand concentration 900 kg/m33 Max sand concentration 900 kg/m Frac gradient ~ 14.8 kPa/m Frac gradient ~ 14.8 kPa/m

35

30

25

20

15

0 150

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Post-frac Flow and Buildup Test

ENCANA CORPORATION. ECA SMOKY 7-21-59-4W6 8 6 5 4 3 2

Log log Plot

UPPER BELLY RIVER : 2087.5 - 2092.5 m KB. 2005/06/13 TO 2005/06/18.

101

/ Derivative, 106kPa2/Pa.s

8 6 5 4 3 2 Radial 0

1.0 8 6 5 4 3 2

Storage 1 False Radial Flow. False Radial Flow. Wheres the Frac?!! Wheres the Frac?!!

Note the very early flattening of the Note the very early flattening of the pressure derivative (1.0 h). pressure derivative (1.0 h).
data
Derivative data 2 3 4 5 6 7 89 10-1 2 3 4 5 6 7 89 1.0 2 3 4 5 6 7 89 101 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2 3 4 5 6 7 89

102

Pseudo-Tim e, h

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ENCANA CORPORATION. ECA SMOKY 7-21-59-4W6 28

Post-frac Flow and Buildup Test

Horner Plot
t p Analysis 1 Results: p* kh s' 18583 kPa(a) 0.90 m D.m -2.865

UPPER BELLY RIVER : 2087.5 - 2092.5 m KB. 2005/06/13 TO 2005/06/18. 19000

26

105.92 h 17906 kPa(a) 18000

24

pr = 18585 kPa
22

17000

kh = 0.9 mD.m
20

16000

s = -2.9
18

15000

, 106kPa2/Pa.s

16

14000 p, kPa(a)

14

13000

12

12000

10

11000 10000

8 9000 6 8000 7000 6000 2 5000 4000 3000 0

data
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 103 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 102 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 101 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

Superposition Radial Pseudo-Tim e ( t a), h

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An Idealized View Of A Propped Fracture Showing Trapped Fluid Due To High Capillary End Effects

Trapped injected fluid

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reservoir pressure reservoir pressure

reservoir pressure

reservoir pressure perm

perm

reservoir pressure

perm Good Tests Cost Money; Bad Tests Cost MORE perm reservoir pressure perm perm

Well test it after the frac

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Concept of Tight Gas Deliverability Behaviour

Deliverability COMPLETION EFFECTIVENESS Flush Production RESERVOIR CHARACTERISTICS Stabilized Production

The completion controls Flush production, were as the reservoir controls Stabilized production

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Concept of Tight Gas Deliverability Behaviour

Flush Production:
cont rolled by Reservoir Pressure (pi), f low capacit y (kh) and, complet ion ef f ect iveness (xf ).

Gas Rate

Long Term Production:

controlled by flow capcity (kh) drainage area and shape (A).

Flush Production

Time
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Reservoir Characteristics
Flow Capacity (kh) biggest impact on a wells deliverability system kh?

logs (static) cores (needs to be corrected) welltest (dynamic) production (ground truth?) cut-off (???) permeability or storage? gas saturation porosity logs Cores (mineralogy!!) material balance

Net Pay (h) a moving target. storage driven? deliverability driven?

Effective Porosity () all pores are NOT created equal

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Completion Effectiveness
FCD = k f W f km x f
kf

wf km xf

frac perm frac width matrix perm frac halflength

An Fcd of 1.6, is the optimum for ANY reservoir, well, and proppant.

Unified Fracture Design, Economides, Michael J, et al 2002.

In low permeability formations, this requirement results in a long and narrow fracture.

In high permeability formations, a short and wide fracture provides the same Fcd.

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Optimum Dimensionless Fracture Conductivity

An accurate knowledge of the formation permeability is essential More important than anything else Unfortunately, fracture permeability (kf ) is not constant for gas wells
Non-Darcy flow effects Multiphase flow effects

Therefore design for Fcd of 20

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16-27 14-27 12-27 10-27 08-28 05-27 08-27

100T Water Based Fracs

04-26

01-28

02-27 01-27

14-22 13-23

Township 078-11W6

600

METERS
PETRA 2007/01/09 11:42:39

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PRODUCTION DIAGNOSTICS
100 GIP = 14.0 E3 m3 Pr = 23,000 kPa kh = 0.55 mD.m

GAS RATE (E3M3/D)

10

Well : 01-27 Frac Model (S = -5.7) 1 1 10

Well : 02-27

100 OPERATING TIME (DAYS)

1000

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PRODUCTION DIAGNOSTICS
100 GIP = 14.0 E3 m3 Pr = 23,000 kPa kh = 0.55 mD.m

GAS RATE (E3M3/D)

10

Well : 01-27 Frac Model (S = -2.3) 1 1 10

Well : 02-27

100 OPERATING TIME (DAYS)

1000

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PRODUCTION DIAGNOSTICS
100 GIP = 14.0 E3 m3 Pr = 23,000 kPa kh = 0.55 mD.m

GAS RATE (E3M3/D)

10

Well : 01-27 Frac Model -5.7 1 1 10

Well : 02-27 KH Model

100 OPERATING TIME (DAYS)

1000

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Sensitivity of Production Forecast

% E rro r in C u m G as F o recast
50%

45%

40%

30% error in kh estimate results in a 26% error in 30% erro r in p aram eters cum gas forecast. 5% erro r in reservo ir p ressu re 30% error in frac length is only 7% error in cum gas forecast.
R e s e rvo ir C h a ra c te ris tic s

35%

30%

26%

25%

20%

C o m p le tio n E ffe c tive n e s s

15%

10%
10%

7% 0% 2%
Xf Sf

5%

1%
Kw f

0%

Pr

kh

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Productivity Index (J ) can be expressed in the following terms:

J=

kh = q /(m( pavg ) m( pwf )) re 3 1422T (ln + s) rw 4

qa =

In its simplified form, it can be expressed as:

[8 + sb ] [qb] [8 + sa ]

kh J = (8 + s )

In the rule of eights, sb and sa represent the skin effects before and after fracture treatment, respectively. Similarly qb and qa represent the boundary-dominated flow rates before and after fracture treatment, where.

r w =

1 x 2

rw = rwes
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or

s = ln(rw / rw )

What is PID testing ?

Perforation Inflow Diagnostics (PID). Pre-frac reservoir test. Underbalanced perforating procedures. Application of closed chamber testing .

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3 Month Window for Drilling and Completions in Canada

December 30th

March 30th
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PID Theory Closed Chamber Equation

d pw q w = 24 C ( p w ) dt

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PID Testing for Shallow Gas

Cost effective. Rigless. Evacuated wellbore. Electronic surface recorders. multi-zone reservoirs.
SURFACE ELECTRONIC PRESSURE RECORDERS

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Shallow Gas Operation

Surface Pressure Data Logger

Closed Chamber Theory

4000 Pressure 3500 3000 2500 2000 Calculated gas rate 1500 Perf Well 1000 500 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 Time (Hrs.) 2 3 7 6 5 4 8

d pw q w = 24 C ( p w ) dt

1 0

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Gas Flow Rate (10^3 m3/d)

Ellerslie perforations: 1265.0-1269.5 mKB Surface pressures converted to sandface

Pressure (kPa)

Log-log Derivative Plot

10 Storage Pseudo Pressure and Derivative 1 Pseudo Pressure

Derivative 0.1

t = 2.1 hrs 0.01 -1 slope 0.001 Ellerslie perforations: 1265.0-1269.5 mKB 0.0001 0.0001

0.001

0.01

0.1
Pseudo Time SPEDL Series

10

100

Inverse InverseTime Plot Plot Time

1.2
p*=3431 kPa

1.1 Pseudo Pressure 1

t = 2.1 hrs

0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 2 1.5 1 Inverse Pseudo Time 1/t

a

Ellerslie perforations: 1265.0-1269.5 mKB

0.5

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Rate Convolution Semilog Plot

3500 t = 2.1 hrs 3300 3100 2900 p(pn) (kPa) 2700 2500 2300 2100 1900 1700 0.00 t = 0.7 hrs

q (t )~ s p ws perforations: 1265.0-1269.5 mKB p i Ellerslie = m log (t ) + n + q ref

kh = 7.5 mD.m S = +3.0

S = .5 S=3 S = 5.5 Slope

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20 Rate Conv. Fn.

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0.25

0.30

0.35

0.40

Radius of Investigation with respect to PID Testing

if Cores investigate inches, Logs investigate feet, Well Tests investigates as long as you can measure a change in pressure, you are effectively flowing the well. Radius of Investigation (ri) is based on time (t) and permeability (k), not flow rate.

hundreds of feet,

k t ri = 6944ct .
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Recorders on Perf Gun Operation

Surface Pressure Data Logger

Overlay Of Perfgun Recorders and Surface Recorders

Both surface and BHP gauges were used to monitor the inflow response after perforating the well.

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Overlay Of Perfgun Recorders and Surface Recorders

The expanded scale of this plot shows a 4 minute delay in gas inflow after perforating the Vikng.

ERHSC 86.0 mm 25 gr SDP 5 SPF 60

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Closed Chamber Theory

VIKING : 746.5 - 747.5 mKB.
6000 5500 5000 4500 4000 Pressure (kPa) 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 Time (Hrs.) 6.0 5.5

4.0 3.5

AOF = 3.5 103m3/d

P Qsc(N)

3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0

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Gas Flow Rate (10^3 m3/d)

Gas rates was calculated using the closed chamber technique based on a gas chamber volume of 5.3 m3.

5.0 4.5

Back Pressure Plot

VIKING : 746.5 - 747.5 mKB. 100000000

Pr^2 - Pw^2 (kPaa^2)

10000000 The

inverse slope (n) of 1.0 is characteristic of dry gas (laminar) inflow.

n= 1.0

1000000

100000 0.0001

0.001

0.01

0.1

10

Qsc Norm (10^3 m3/d)

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PID Testing for Deep, Tight Gas

Cost effective, safe. Electronic downhole recorders Downhole shut-in Two days rig time

SURFACE ELECTRONIC PRESSURE RECORDERS

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Tight Gas PID Test

Build up
Plug w/recorders

Downhole Gauge Pressure

Perforation

dp/dt

Set Csg Plug

Time
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PID Test

RRD @2070.0 mkB

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PID Test
ENCANA CORPORATION. ECA SMOKY 7-21-59-4W6 UPPER BELLY RIVER 2087.5 - 2092.5 m KB. 2005/06/10 to 2005/06/11. 101 9 7 5 4 3 2

The derivative response of -1 reflects radial flow.

t p

11.05 h 18456 kPa

/ Derivative , 106kPa2/Pa.s

1.0

9 7 5 4 3 2

Slope -1

10-1

9 7 5 4 3 2

Storage 1

/ Derivative data
10-2 10-3 2 3 4 5 6 78 10-2 2 3 4 5 6 78 10-1 2 3 4 5 6 78 1.0 2 3 4 5 6 78 101 Derivative data 2 3 4 5 6 78 102

ta , h

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PID Test Inverse Time Plot

ENCANA CORPORATION. ECA SMOKY 7-21-59-4W6 UPPER BELLY RIVER 2087.5 - 2092.5 m KB. 2005/06/10 to 2005/06/11. 29.00 28.50 28.00 27.50 27.00 26.50 26.00 t p 11.05 h 18456 kPa 19600 19400 19200 19000 18800 18600 18400 18200 18000 p , kPa

Expanded scale of the Impulse Plot

, 106 kPa2 / Pa.s

25.50 25.00 24.50 24.00 23.50 23.00 22.50 22.00 21.50 21.00 20.50 20.00

Analysis 1 p* 19174 kPa

17800 17600 17400 17200 17000 16800 16600 16400 16200

RRD @2070.0 mKB.

15800 0.56 0.54 0.52 0.50 0.48 0.46 0.44 0.42 0.40 0.38 0.36 0.34 0.32 0.30 0.28 0.26 0.24 0.22 0.20 0.18 0.16 0.14 0.12 0.10 0.08 0.06 0.04 0.02 0.00
1/

data

16000

ta , hr -1

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Post-frac Flow and Buildup Test

ENCANA CORPORATION. ECA SMOKY 7-21-59-4W6 28 Analysis 2 26 p* kh s' 19176 kPa(a) 0.50 m D.m -3.753 19000

Horner Plot

UPPER BELLY RIVER : 2087.5 - 2092.5 m KB. 2005/06/13 TO 2005/06/18.

18000

24

22

20

If we honour the reservoir pressure obtained from the PID test:

17000

16000

18

15000

, 106kPa2/Pa.s

16

p* increases by 3% kh reduces by 55%

Analysis 1 p* kh s' 18583 kPa(a) 0.90 m D.m -2.865 14000 p, kPa(a)

14

13000

12

12000

10

11000 10000

8 9000 6 8000 7000 6000 2 5000 4000 3000 0

data
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 103 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 102 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 101 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

Superposition Radial Pseudo-Tim e ( t a), h

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Importance of Initial Reservoir Pressure

CASE HISTORY*
14 Day 240 Day Error Buidlup Buildup %
pi [kPa] k [mD] xf [m] kf.w [mD.m] 19041 0.05 40.1 280 19293 0.02 66.2 470 1.3 150 39 40

5 yrs. G [MMscf]

100

65

54

* Hategan and Hawkes, 2006

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Conclusions
Initial post-frac buildup analysis OVERESTIMATE most tight gas well production performances. Perforation Inflow Diagnostic (PID) Analysis gives us the ability to peer through the wellbore region and determine the quality of the reservoir rock lurking behind.

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Conclusions
Closed chamber testing during underbalanced perforating is an overlooked pre-frac testing technique to determine initial reservoir pressure and in-situ permeability. In tight gas reservoirs, reservoir pressure is a critical parameter for hydraulic fracturing treatments and evaluation.

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It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts
Sherlock Holmes

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