RESERVOIR EVALUATION OF A GAS CONDENSATE

RESERVOIR USING PRESSURE TRANSIENT ANALYSIS

A.M.ALY W.D.MCCAIN N.C.HILL W.J.LEE

this article begins on the next page

THE PETROLEUM SOCIETY

PAPER
97-54
Reservoir Evaluation of a Gas Condensate
Reservoir Using Pressure Transient Analysis
A.M. Aly, W.D. McCain, Jr., N.C. Hill
S.A. Holditch &
Associates, Inc
W.J. Lee
Texas A&M University
This paper is to be presented at the 48th Annual Technical Meeting of The Petroleum Society in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, June 8 - 11,
1997. Discussion of this paper is invited and may be presented at the meeting if filed in writing with the technical program chairman prior
to the conclusion of the meeting. This paper and any discussion filed will be considered for publication in CIM journals. Publication rights
are reserved. This is a pre-print and is subject to correction.
ABSTRACT
transmissibility (high liquid saturation) was on the order of
This paper presents a case history of characterization of a
only 20 feet in radius.
gas
condensate
reservoir
using
pressure
transient
analysis.
Our study included sensitivity analysis
to
determine
the
pressure transient tests from wells in this field led to test data
effect
of
selected
variables
on
pressure
transient
test
plots
with
complex
shapes.
Specifically,
the
pressure
response. Production time
prior
to
shut-in
proved
to
be
derivative in a typical test flattened at intermediate shut-in
particularly
important.
Longer
production
periods
prior
to
times (after wellbore storage effects
diminished)
and
then
shut-in can modify
the shape of the derivative curve plot but
trended downward.
This
curve
shape
indicates
lower
mobility
near
the
wellbore
and
increased
mobility
some
do
not
change
the
possible
erroneous
interpretations
resulting _from essentially perfect fits of test
data
with
distance away.
Using
conventional
interpretation
techniques,
this
pressure
derivative
response
may
be
interpreted
composite reservoir models.
(erroneously)
as
a
composite
reservoir
with
low
INTRODUCTION
transmissibility in a region with radius of almost 500 feet
near
the
well,
surrounded
by
a
region
of
higher
Analysis of well tests from gas condensate reservoirs is a
transmissibility, and a positive skin factor.
significant challenge
for
engineers.
If
pressure
drops
below
the dew point near the wellbore during the test a condensate
In this study, we modelled well tests in this field with a fully
ring will accumulate immediately around the
well.
This
can
compositional reservoir
simulator.
We
demonstrated
that
we
cause a significant loss in well productivity. The
formation
can reproduce the observed
test
behaviour
in
a
homogenous
of this ring is documented
by
McCain
and
Alexander'.
In
reservoir. The decrease in pressure derivative is
caused
by
this paper, we report an investigation of the effect of the
reservoir
fluid
property
changes
with
pressure,
and
the
condensate
ring
on
pressure
transient
analysis
and
document
apparent positive skin factor is a result of liquid condensing
the distinctive behaviour of the pressure derivative caused by
in the formation near the wellbore. The
region
with
reduced
the ring.

THE PETROLEUM SOCIETY

PAPER 97-54

Reservoir Evaluation of a Gas Condensate

Reservoir Using Pressure Transient Analysis

A.M. Aly, w.o. McCain, Jr., N.C. Hill

S.A. Holditch & Associates, Inc

W.J. Lee
Texas A&M University

This paper is to be presented at the 48th Annual Technical Meeting of The Petroleum Society in Calgary. Alberta, Canada, June 8 - 11,
1997. Discussion of this paper is invited and may be presented at the meeting if filed in writing with the technical program chairman prior
to the conclusion of the meeting. This paper and any discussion filed will be considered for pUblication in CIM journals. Publication rights
are reserved. This is a pre-print and is subject to correction.

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a case history of characterization of a

gas condensate reservoir using pressure transient analysis.
Pressure transient tests from wells in this field led to test data
plots with complex shapes. Specifically, the pressure
derivative in a typical test flattened at intermediate shut-in
times (after wellbore storage effects diminished) and then
trended downward.
This curve shape indicates lower
mobility near the wellbore and increased mobility some
distance away. Using conventional interpretation techniques,
this pressure derivative response may be interpreted
(erroneously) as a composite reservoir with low
transmissibility in a region with radius of almost 500 feet
near the well, surrounded by a region of higher
transmissibility, and a positive skin factor.

In this study, we modeled well tests in this field with a fUlly

compositional reservoir simulator. We demonstrated that we
can reproduce the observed test behavior in a homogenous
reservoir. The decrease in pressure derivative is caused by
reservoir fluid property changes with pressure, and the
apparent positive skin factor is a result ofliqUid condensing
in the formation near the wellbore. The region with reduced

transmissibility (high liquid saturation) was on the order of

only 20feet in radius.
Our study included sensitivity analysis to determine the
effect of selected variables on pressure transient test
response. Production time prior to shut-in proved to be
particularly important. Longer production periods prior to
shut-in can modify the shape ofthe derivative curve plot but
do not change the possible erroneous interpretations
resulting from essentially perfect fits of test data with
composite reservoir models.
INTRODUCTION

Analysis of well tests from gas condensate reservoirs is a

significant challenge for engineers. If pressure drops below
the dew point near the wellbore during the test, a condensate
ring will accumulate immediately around the well. This can
cause a significant loss in well productivity. The formation
of this ring is documented by McCain and Alexanderl . In
this paper, we report an investigation of the effect of the
condensate ring on pressure transient analysis and document
the distinctive behavior of the pressure derivative caused by
the ring.

A drill stem test (DST) can include a series of production

and shut-in periods, and thus can produce particularly
"interesting" pressure derivative curves in gas condensate
reservoirs. The test that we analyzed and discuss in this
paper was from a multi-flow period, multi-shutin period
DST.

It complements the pressure derivative analysis; the results

are presented in Table 1. The match we obtained with a
composite model also indicated an apparent positive skin
factor (s = + 6). One feature of the actual test did not appear
in the composite model match. At the longest times in the
test, the derivative began to flatten again.

Although many papers discuss fluid flow in gas

condensate reservoirs, we found none that propose adequate
methodology to determine formation properties from analysis
of well test data from gas condensate reservoirs. Bourbiaux.2
investigated depletion behavior in gas condensate wells using
a parametric modeling study. Carlson and Mye~ studied the
effect of condensate drop out on the performance offractured
wells and presented some information on well test analysis of
fractured gas condensate reservoirs. Afidick, et aZ. 4 presented
a case study of a gas condensate reservoir. Jones, et aZ. s
presented a two-phase analog that can be used for build up
analysis from wells producing below the dew point pressure.
Raghavan, et aZ. 6 analyzed several buildup tests to evaluate
techniques presented in the literature. Recently, Yadavalli
and Jones 7 presented single phase methods that can be used
to interpret hydraulically fractured gas condensate reservoirs.

Similar shapes of pressure derivative plots were observed

in analyses of other well test data from the same and similar
fields in the region. It is implausible that wells in these fields
would always be drilled in lower permeability rock
surrounded by higher permeability rock. Therefore, we
decided to investigate a more reasonable interpretation. We
concluded that it was essential to model the gas condensate
fluid behavior using a compositional reservoir simulator.
COMPOSITIONAL RESERVOIR SIMULATION

We used a fully compositional reservoir simulator (with

the Peng-Robinson equation of state for eight pseudocomponents) to model the pressure behavior from this well.
Fig. 4 shows the relative permeability curves we used in this
simulation (from a similar field in the area). Table 2
summarizes reservoir properties for our base case.

In this paper we present a detailed analysis and study of a

test from a reservoir in South America. We found that use of
a fully compositional simulator (history matching) was
required to analyze this test properly. We initially attempted
to use conventional well testing software and techniques
(composite reservoir model); these techniques proved to be
inadequate at best and misleading at worst.

In the simulation, we included all five flow and buildup

periods in the DST, but we concentrated on the second (and
longest) shutin period in an attempt to understand the
behavior ofthe pressure derivative.

We used a homogenous radial reservoir with isotropic

permeability of 3 md and no wellbore damage to model the
pressure behavior. Initial reservoir pressure was 5300 psia
and saturation pressure was 5285 psia. Fig. 5 shows the
pressure derivative match. This match shows flattening at
intermediate times (after wellbore storage effects have
diminished) followed by a downward slope.
In the
simulation, these effects were caused totally by the PVT
behavior of the reservoir fluid - no zones of different
permeabilities were included in the model. The PVT
behavior of particular importance proved to be liquid
condensation near the well during production and
revaporization during shut-in, coupled with small liquid
saturations at distances remote from the well.

PRELIMINARY WELL TEST ANALYSIS

To perform preliminary pressure transient analysis using

commercial welltest analysis software, we treated the
reservoir fluid as a single-phase gas with gravity equal to that
of the recombined sample. The DST we discuss in this paper
had five flow and shutin periods. In the discussion that
follows, we focus on the second shut-in period because it was
the longest and thus had the most "complete" response. We
note, however, that the test data plots had the same general
shape in all shutin periods.
Fig. 1 shows the pressure data obtained during the
second shutin period in the DST. Fig. 2 shows the pressure
and pressure derivative plots. The pressure derivative flattens
at intermediate times (after wellbore storage effects have
diminished); then, it moves downward. Using commercial
welltest analysis software, we obtained a good match of the
data using a composite reservoir model with a ''mobility
ratio" of 0.1. This indicated lower transmissibility (kbJu) or
mobility (kIu) in a cylindrical ring with radius of 471 ft
centered at the well and increased mobility starting at a radius
of 471 ft from the well. Fig. 3 is a semi-log plot of test data.

To understand the effect of the fluid behavior on the

reservoir pressure behavior, we studied cell pressures and
condensate saturations around the well. Specifically, we
studied pressure and oil saturation data at the wellbore and at
radii of 0.5, 2., 6.5, 20, 60.5, 182 and 500 ft into the
reservoir. Fig 6 shows these reservoir model cell pressures.
Fig. 6 shows that the DST production and shut-in sequence
reduced pressures significantly below the dew point only to a
radius of about 20 ft. The first flow period lasted about 14
hours; the first shut in period lasted about seven hours; the
2

".

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