Low-cost flow-rate estimate in separate layers along gas wells from temperature and pressure profiles
Emile Barrett A , Imran Abbasy A , Chii-Rong Wu A , Zhenjiang You B and Pavel Bedrikovetsky BA Santos Ltd
B The University of Adelaide
C Australian School of Petroleum, The University of Adelaide
The APPEA Journal 53(1) 285-294 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ12024
Published: 2013
Abstract
Estimation of rate profile along the well is important information for reservoir characterisation since it allows distinction of the production rates from different layers. The temperature and pressure sensors in a well are small and inexpensive; while flow meters are cumbersome and expensive, and affect the flow in the well. The method presented in this peer-reviewed paper shows its significance in predicting the gas rate from temperature and pressure data. A mathematical model for pressure and temperature distributions along a gas well has been developed. Temperature and pressure profiles from nine well intervals in field A (Cooper Basin, Australia) have been matched with the mathematical model to determine the flow rates from different layers in the well. The presented model considers the variables as functions of thermal properties at each location, which is more accurate and robust than previous methods. The results of tuning the mathematical model to the field data show good agreement with the model prediction. Simple and robust explicit formulae are derived for the effective estimation of flow rate and thermal conductivity in gas wells. The proposed approach has been applied to determine the well gas rate and formation thermal conductivity from the acquired well pressure and temperature data in field A. It allows for recommending well stimulation of layers with low production rates.
Emile Barrett is presently a gas development staff reservoir engineer at Santos Ltd in Adelaide. Emile received his Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of Adelaide’s Chemical Engineering Department, and commenced his career at Santos in 1992 as a graduate engineer in the Petroleum Engineering Department. During the following 21 years, Emile has held the positions of block oil engineer, petroleum engineering field engineer (oil and gas), workover rig night supervisor, completions engineer, pumping services supervisor, coil tubing supervisor, senior production optimisation engineer, and staff production optimisation engineer. Emile’s areas of expertise include decline analysis and production forecasting, rate and reserve statistical analysis, production optimisation, production log test design and evaluation, gas well de-liquification, capillary surfactant injection, gas well stimulation, water shut-off operations, mineral scale remediation, sandstone acidizing, coil tubing operations, and oil well artificial lift. Emile has also co-authored several SPE papers. Member: SPE. Barrett@santos.com |
Imran Abbasy is presently the completions engineering manager at Santos Ltd, in Brisbane. Prior to this role he was the chief production technologist in Adelaide. Preceding Santos, Imran was head of production technology at Maersk Oil in Qatar, and lead production engineer in the Ghawar Field with Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia. Imran’s area of expertise includes well construction, interventions, well integrity, intelligent wells, stimulation, and production optimisation. He has worked globally for a number of small and large operators. Imran received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Master of Science degrees from George Washington University (Washington, DC), and started his career with Schlumberger as a wireline logging engineer in the North Sea. Imran has co-authored several papers and participated in a number of SPE applied technology workshops as a discussion leader. Member: SPE (since 1995). Imran.Abbasy@santos.com |
Chii Rong Wu is a staff reservoir engineer at Santos Ltd in Adelaide. He presently works as an asset lead in the Gas Development Department. Chii Rong began his career as a wellsite petroleum engineer with Brunei Shell, and has more than 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. Chii Rong has a Master of Science degree in petrochemicals and hydrocarbon chemistry from the University of Manchester (UMIST). Chii-Rong.Wu@santos.com |
Zhenjiang You is a research fellow at the Australian School of Petroleum, University of Adelaide. His research interests include colloid; suspension/nano transport in porous media; flow distribution in gas and oil wells; and, fines migration induced formation damage in oil, gas, and geothermal reservoirs. He holds a BEng (engineering mechanics) and PhD (fluid mechanics), both from Zhejiang University. He is the author of 60 papers published in international journals and at conferences. zyou@asp.adelaide.edu.au |
Pavel Bedrikovetsky is a professor at the Australian School of Petroleum, University of Adelaide. He is also a senior staff consultant to Petrobras in the areas of formation damage, waterflooding, and improved oil recovery. During 1991-94, he was a visiting professor at the Delft University of Technology and at the Imperial College of Science and Technology. His main research interests include formation damage, suspension/colloid transport in porous media, and mathematical modelling of well stimulation and exploitation of unconventional energy resources. He is the author of two books about reservoir engineering and 150 technical papers published in international and SPE journals. He holds a BEng, an MSc (applied mathematics), a PhD (fluid mechanics), and a Doctor of Science (DSc) (reservoir engineering)—all from Moscow Gubkin Petroleum University. He served as section chairperson, short-course instructor, key speaker, and steering committee member at several SPE conferences, and was a 2008-09 SPE distinguished lecturer. pavel.bedrikovetski@adelaide.edu.au |
