READ

CURVES
Function F (Function of roD)

BELOW
INTHIS
REGION

Mobility Ratio, M=

Figure B-9. Values of function F versus mobility ratio with various values of
parameters.5
Function F (Function of roD)

Mobility Ratio, M=

Figure B-IO. Values of function F versus mobility ratio with various values of
parameters.5
 MOBILITY RATIO, M

READ
CURVES
BELOW
IN THIS-
REGION
Function F (Function ofroD)

Mobility Ratio, M-

Figure B - I l . Values of function F versus mobility ratio with various values of

parameters.5

References and Additional Reading

1. Earlougher, R. C, Jr., Ramey, H. J., Jr., Miller, F. G., and Mueller, T. D.,
"Pressure Distributions in Rectangular Reservoirs," /. Petroleum Tech-
nol. (1968) 20, 199-208.
2. Dietz, D. N., "Determination of Average Reservoir Pressure From
Build-up Surveys," Trans. AIME (1965) 234, 935-959.
3. Matthews, C. S., Brons, F., and Hazebroek, P. "A Method for Deter-
mination of Average Pressure in a Bounded Reservoir," Trans. AIME
(1954) 209, 182-189.
4. Pitzer, S. C , "Evaluation of Acid Treatments from Pressure Buildup
Analysis," Trans. AIME (1964) 216, 38-43.
5. Hazelbroek, P., Rainbow, H., and Matthews, C. S., "Pressure Fall-Off
in Water Injection Wells," Trans. AIME (1958) 213, 250-260.
 Appendix C

Pressure Drop
through Vertical,
Inclined, and
Horizontal Oil
Wells

Pressure should be recorded continuously during a transient test. Best

results are obtained when the bottom-hole pressure is measured, although
surface pressures often can be converted to bottom-hole values if adequate
information is available about the wellbore system. It is usually beneficial to
record bottom-hole, tubing-head, and casing-head pressures during a well test.
This combination of data can provide information about wellbore effects, such
as storage, and leaking packers or tubing. Such surface pressure data may be
valuable in verifying correct operation of the down-hole pressure gauge. This
appendix will describe two methods as shown below (see Figure C-I).

Vertical and horizontal wells

pressure drop methods

Hagedorn and Brown method Beggs and Brill method

vertical oil wells horizontal and inclined oil wells

This method is widely used in petroleum
generalized correlation which would
include all practical ranges of flow rates,
a wide range of GLR, all ordinarily used
tubing sizes and the effects of fluid
properties. It requires correlations for both
liquid holdup and friction factor. Flow
regimes cannot be determined
This method can be used to determine correct flow
regimes. Different correlations for liquid holdup
are available for each of flow regimes. Liquid
holdup that would exist if the pipe were horizontal
is first calculated and then corrected for the actual
pipe inclination angle. Friction factor is calculated
using correlations that are independent of flow
regime but depend on liquid holdup

Figure C - I . Pressure drop calculation methods for vertical, inclined, and horizontal
oil wells.
 Cl Hagedorn and Brown Method1
This method is widely used and most accepted in the petroleum industry.
The procedure for this method is

(C-I)

A step-by-step procedure for using Eq. C-I and calculating a vertical

pressure traverse by this method is given below.

Pressure Traverse with Fixed Pressure Increment

1. Calculate average segment pressure and temperature.
2. Determine the total mass of oil, water, and gas associated with 1 barrel
of stock tank liquid:

(C-2)

3. Find the flow rate at average segment point:

(C-3)

4. Determine physical properties Rs, /J0, Z, /i0, /JLW, ao, and aw from
laboratory information or empirical correlations at average segment
pressure and temperature.
5. Calculate the density of liquid phase:

(C-4)

6. Calculate the average gas density:

(C-5)
 7. Estimate viscosity of the liquid mixture:

(C-6)

8. Estimate surface tension of liquid mixture:

(C-7)

9. Calculate liquid viscosity number:

(C-8)

10. Find CNL from Figure C-2.

11. Calculate the superficial liquid velocity:

(C-9)

where At is cross-sectional area of tubing (ft3).

12. Calculate the liquid velocity number:

(C-IO)

13. Determine the superficial gas velocity VSG (ft/s):

(C-Il)

14. Find the gas velocity number:

(C-12)

15. Calculate the following parameters:

(C-13)
 where dt is the inside diameter of tubing (ft). If AA < 0.13, then use the
calculated value, if it is less than 0.13, then use AA =0.13.

(C-14)

16. If (BB - AA) > 0, continue with the method. If (BB - AA) < 0, then
use Griffith correlation for bubble flow (use Orkiszewski method).
17. Determine the pipe diameter number:

(C-15)

18. Calculate liquid holdup function:

(C-16)

19. Find HL/ip from Figure C-3.

20. Estimate the secondary correction factor:

(C-17)

Figure C-2. Correlation for viscosity number coefficient C ( SPE, AIME, 1965).
Holdup factor, ip

Figure C-3. Holdup factor correlation ( SPE, AIME, 1965).

21. Obtain X/J from Figure C-3; for low viscosity, xjj 1.0.
22. Estimate two-phase Reynolds number:

(C-18)

23. Find the friction factor from Figure C-4.

24. Calculate the average two-phase density of the mixture at average
pressure by two methods and use the largest:

(C-19)

and map correlations

(C-20)

where Vfg = volume of free gas = GOR Rs.

25. Calculate the two-phase mixture velocity at both/>i and p2'.

(C-21)
(C-22)
 Figure C ^ . Holdup factor correlation ( SPE, AIME, 1965).

26. Estimate the value for

(C-23)

27. Calculate Ah (ft) corresponding to Ap p\ pi'.

(C-24)

Find friction factor /from Figure C-4.

28. Repeat the pressure starting with p2 and assume another point until
reading the surface or the total depth, depending on whether the
bottom or the top. Since the pressure traverse calculations are itera-
tive, and the fluid properties and pressure gradient calculations are
tedious, it is most convenient to write computer program.
29. For pressure traverse calculations, typical pressures developed by this
method are in Table C-I and Figure C-4.
 Table C-I
Computed Flowing Pressure - Traverse - Hagedorn and Brown
Correlation

Depth (ft) at GLR (scf/bbl)

Pressure Temperature
(psig) (0F) 500 750 1000 1250 1500 2000 2500
500 135 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
800 135 1174 1283 1332 1363 1376 1384 1388
1000 135 1883 2049 2159 2222 2259 2270 2234
1200 135 2546 2777 2955 3037 3103 3155 3136
1400 135 3173 3466 3665 3817 3907 4007 4017
1600 135 3772 4121 4366 4582 4676 4827 4869
1800 135 4347 4749 5036 5246 5423 5605 5690
2000 135 4904 5355 5681 5924 6165 6357 6480
2200 135 5445 5942 6305 6579 6925 7084 7240
2400 135 5973 6513 6910 7213 7448 7794 7975
2600 135 6491 7070 7499 7830 8089 8497 8686
2800 135 6999 7615 8075 8432 8713 9204 9380
3000 135 7499 9151 8640 9021 9323 9926 10041
3500 135 8722 9456 10010 10447 10798 11316 11747

Example C-I Calculating the Flowing Bottom-Hole Pressure Using Hagedorn

and Brown Method
Input Data
Tubing size 2.000 in. ID
Producing rate 1000 bbl/day
Water cut 60%
Oil API gravity 22^P/
Water specific gravity 1.074
Gas specific gravity 0.65
Wellhead temperature 1200F
Bottom-hole temperature 1500F
Tubing inclination angle 90

Solution
Matching Parameters
Modification factor (roughness) to match field data 1
Modification factor (oil API) to match field data 1
Modification factor (GOR) to match field data 1.0025
Solution gas-oil ratio adjustment factor 1.0025
Oil viscosity adjustment factor 1.4167