Petroleum Engineering 324 Well Performance Dimensionless Variables and the Dimensionless Radial Flow Diffusivity Equation Any fool can tell the truth, but it requires a ‘man of some wit to know how to tell a lie. — Samuel Butler (1912) Topic: Dimensionless Variables and the Dimensionless Radial Flow Diffusivity Equation Objectives: (things you should know and/or be able to do) © Be able to develop the dimensionless form of the single-phase radial flow diffusivity equation—-as well as the appropriate dimensionless forms of the initial and boundary conditions for the radial flow case, including the developments of the dimensionless radius, pressure, and time. = The Dimensionless Radial Flow Diffusivity Equation is given as 2 Xpp , 1 Pp _ Po ap 1 rp tp = Dimensionless Initial and Boundary Conditions (Radial Flow Case) — Dimensionless Initial Condition Polrp.tps0) = 0 (Uniform pressure in reservoir) — Dimensionless Inner Boundary Condition [ro | (constant rate at the well) erp srp=1 — Dimensionless Outer Boundary Conditions a. "Infinite-Acting” Reservoir po(ro=tp)=0 (No reservoir boundary) b. "No-Flow" Boundary =0 (No flux across the reservoir boundary) c. Constant Pressure Boundary Polepatp) = 0 (Constant pressure at the reservoir boundary) © Be able to derive the conversion factors for dimensionless pressure and time--for both Sl and "Field" units. Lecture Outline: © Development of Dimensionless Variables Attached notes -- development of dimensionless diffusivity equation — Derivation of dimensionless radius, pressure, and time: ‘© Note the use of the initial and inner boundary conditions in the development of the dimensionless pressure function. © Note that the definitions of the dimensionless radius and time functions are essentially intuitive in that these functions contain "obvious" collections of dimensional variables. — Derivation of the dimensionless initial and boundary conditions: © Developed by substitution—note the "magic" numbers: 0,1, and o». ™ Attached notes -- development of conversion factors for SI and field unitsPetroleum Engineering 324 Well Performance Dimensionless Variables and the Dimensionless Radial Flow Diffusivity Equation Lecture Outline: ‘Development of the dimensionless diffusivity equation for radial flow ‘General introduction: radial flow forms of the diffusivity equation (liquid case) = Concept of the "equivalent" liquid case (for gases and compressible liquids) — Pseudopressure and pseudotime formulations — Discussion: Similarity of various formulations ™ Development of the dimensionless diffusivity equation — General formulation in terms of "y" and "r," the pressure and time variables (respectively) that are used to model p, p2, or pp (the y-function) and 1 or fy (the function), — Use of the initial condition [y(r,tS0) = yj] to establish the definition of the di- mensionless pressure, pp. — Use of the inner boundary condition to complete the definition of the dimen- sionless pressure, pp. The constant rate inner boundary condition is given by 22th, —1 [2] = constant 9° "Bu @ldpyl Ar, — The definitions of the dimensionless radius and time functions are essentially intuitive in that these functions contain "obvious" collections of dimensional variables. @ Development of dimensionless initial and boundary conditions — Developed by substitution—-note the "magic" numbers: 0,1, and =. mmer © Review Chapters 1 and 2 of the Lee Well Testing text, Ist edition. © Review the attached notes. Development of the dimensionless diffusivity equation. m Development of conversion factors for ST and field units.Derivation of the Dimensionless Radial Flow Diffusivity Equation @ Dimensionless Variables © Dimensionless Initial and Boundary Conditions (from Petroleum Engineering 620 Course Notes -- 1994) Petroleum Engineering 324 ‘Well PerformanceDevelopment of the Dimensionless Radial Flow Diffusivity Equation General Introduction: Radial Flow Diffusivity Equation In this section our objective is to derive a "dimensionless" radial flow diffusivity equation. We will begin with the diffusivity equation for a "slightly" compressible liquid and make extensions to gas and solution-gas drive systems using the appropriate pseudo- function transformations (ie., pseudopressure and pseudotime). The rigorous form of the itsivy equation fr ashy” compres gids ave by Mee ve sesssseeee (I) (Vp) +V'p= Neglecting the ¢(Vp)? term in Eq, 1, we obtain our standard, linear form of the diffusivity equation for a slightly compressible liquid: 2 _ Silc, dp Vps—t2 2 PRs 2) Recall that for the case of a slightly compressible liquid we assume that jc is constant. While this condition may not always be met in practice, it is our governing assumption for the "liquid" flow case. 2 The Ve Vor = Vc operator terms are given by:! eC) veva Vax Lal, 2a] 4 opt For horizontal radial flow (i.e., flow with neither angular flow nor vertical flow ef- fects), Eq. 4 becomes (4) 2 3h | aa ,1aa r a . . sess (5) rar a te Substituting Eq. 5 into Eq. 2, we obtain euce a +) Expanding the derivative on the left-hand-side of Eq. 6, we have 2 TP 1 _ duce 3 “ka a olga We note that the (guc;\/k term is typically assumed to be constant for liquid flow. Eqs. 6 and 7 represent the most basic forms of the horizontal radial flow diffusivity equation for a slightly compressible liquid and are given in terms of pressure. While these results are the most widely applied forms of the diffusivity equation, in terms of both solutions as well as analysis and interpretation methodologies, the assumption of constant viscosity and smal] and constant fluid compressibility are not universally applicable. As we noted earlier, non-constant viscosity-compressibility behavior is especially true for the flow of gases, but2 is also true for the flow of “compressible” liquids (i.e., oil systems where the pressure is below the bubblepoint pressure). Concept of the "Equivalent" Liquid Cas ‘The widespread application of analysis and interpretation methods based on the concept of a slightly compressible liquid makes the development of an "equivalent liquid” model quite desirable. Such an "equivalent liquid” model could be used when the assumptions for a slightly compressible liquid are not met, as in the case of gas flow or the flow of a compressible liquid. ur goal is to develop a form of the radial flow diffusivity equation that can be solved analytically. If pfu and uc; vary significantly with pressure, then we must use linearizations (Ge., pseudopressure and pseudotime, as discussed in previous lectures) to account for this nonlinear behavior. The pseudopressure-time and pseudopressure-pseudotime forms of the horizontal, radial flow diffusivity equation are given (for the general oil or gas case) by: -- (8) 12] | = thee Bp ; i 2p =e (pseudopressure-time formulation)... 14 %| = 2 (uejjn PE -pseudotis i br SE |= Eliedn SF (pseudopressure-pseudotime formulation). ‘The generalized pseudofunctions are given by: Pseudopressure: (in terms of fluid density) tlt Pseudopressure: (in terms of the formation volume factor) 7 1 P= (Bn | cle dp + Pease @ ---(10) Pseudotime: t 1 vn | ah dt .. e-(12) Eqs. 8 and 9 represent our "equivalent liquid” concept and can be used interchangeably with the radial flow diffusivity equation for a slightly compressible liquid (Eqs. 6 or 7). As a practical matter, we will use Eq. 6 (or Eq. 7) to define the dimensionless radial flow diffusivity equation, solve this relation for various boundary conditions, then substitute the Pp and fg Vatiables as needed into the pressure and time (p and #) variables of a desired solution. Analysis is much the same in that we will use pp and f, in place of pressure and time (p and #) in the appropriate “liquid” analysis relations. Development of the Dimensionless Radial Flow Diffusivity Equation: ‘We use the general form of the radial flow diffusivity equation and its initial and inner boundary conditions to develop a unique set of dimensionless variables. In reservoir engineering we almost always assume a uniform pressure as our initial condition (i.e., p(r,t=0)=p;, for all r and t=0). Similarly, we almost always assume a constant flowrate, q, as our inner boundary condition--extensions can easily be made to variable-rate conditions using convolution (i.e., superposition), and the assumption of a constant flowrate is ta