PRINCIPLE OF SUPERPOSITION or DUHAMEL’S THEOREM

Multi-Well Reservoirs
The Ei function appears to be applicable only for describing the pressure distribution in an
infinite acting reservoir, caused by the production of a single well at constant rate beginning
at time zero. The principle of superposition eliminates these restrictions. The principle of
superposition states that the total pressure drop at any point in a reservoir is the sum of the
pressure drops at that point caused by the flow in each of the wells in the reservoir.
Assume we have three wells producing at different flow rates from an infinite acting reservoir
as illustrated in the figure:

Fig. 1. Multiple-well system in infinite reservoir

The pressure drop in well A caused by the production from all wells is given as:
( p i  p wf ) at well A  ( p i  p ) due to well A  ( p i  p ) due to well B  ( p i  p ) due to well C

In terms of Ei functions:

   948 c r 2  
70.6 q A B 
p i  p wf    Ei  t w   2s
kh   kt  
   
  2 
70.6 q B B    948 ct r AB 
 Ei
kh   kt


   
  2 
70.6 qC B    948 ct r AC 
 (1)
  
Ei
kh kt 
   

This method treats any number of wells in an infinite acting reservoir.

Note: Interference test and pulse test are based on this idea.

Module 4 – Principle of Superposition Prof. Ibrahim Sami Nashawi 1

Example 1 (Calculation of Pressure Drop in a Well Located in Multi-Wells Reservoir)

Assume well A is located with two other wells B and C in the same reservoir as shown in Fig. 1.
Calculate the pressure drop in well A after 10 days of production in all wells.

Given:

All three wells have the same fluid and rock properties. q A  100 STB / D , q B  200 STB / D ,
qC  300 STB / D , rAB  500 ft , and rAC  600 ft . In addition, wells A, B, and C have
skin factor, s , of 5, 2, and 3, respectively.

 o  0.72 cp Bo  1.475 bbl / STB pi  3,000 psi ct  15 x10  6 psi 1

k  100 md   23.4 % rw  0.33 ft h  15 ft

Solution

The pressure drop in well A is given as:

70 .6 q A B     948 ct rw
2  
  2s
pi  p wf    Ei
kh   kt  
   
  2 
70 .6 q B B    948 ct rAB 
 Ei
kh   kt 

   
  2 
70 .6 qC B     948 ct rAC 
 Ei
kh   kt 

   

70 .6 (100 ) (1.475 )(0.72 )    948(0.234 )(0.72 )(15 x10  6 )(0.33 2 )  

pi  p wf    Ei  2 (5 ) 
(100 )(15)   (100 )(10 x 24 ) 
 
 
70.6 ( 200 ) (1.475 )(0.72 )    948(0.234 )(0.72 )(15 x10  6 )(500 2 )  
  Ei 
(100 )(15)   (100 )(10 x 24 ) 


70.6 (300 ) (1.475 )(0.72 )    948(0.234 )(0.72 )(15 x10  6 )(600 2 )  
  Ei 
(100 )(15)   (100 )(10 x 24 ) 



pi  p wf  4.99848  Ei   1.0871 x10  8   10   9.99696 Ei ( 0.024956 )  14.99544 Ei ( 0.035937 )

   

Module 4 – Principle of Superposition Prof. Ibrahim Sami Nashawi 2

For 0  x  1 , Ei is approximated by:

Ei (  x )  ln( x )  0.57721566  0.99999193 x  0.24991055 x 2  0.05519968 x 3

 0.00976004 x 4  0.00107857 x 5

Thus,

Ei ( 1 .0871 x 10  8 )  17 .76

Ei ( 0.024956 )  3.13823

Ei ( 0.035937 )  2.78439

Then:

pi  p wf  4.99848 ( 17 .76  10 )  9.99696 ( 3.13823 )  14 .99544 ( 2.78439 )

 211 .8837 psi

Bounded Reservoir (Well Near a No Flow Boundary)

Consider a well a distance “ L ” from a single no flow boundary (sealing fault). We assume
that there is another well (image) on the other side of the fault with the same properties of the
original well and of equal distance from the fault as shown in the figure below. Ounce the
image well is considered the fault is removed and the 2 wells are assumed to be in an infinite
acting reservoir.

Fig. 2. Well near no-flow boundary illustrating use of imaging

Module 4 – Principle of Superposition Prof. Ibrahim Sami Nashawi 3

Therefore, the pressure drop at the real well will be:

     948 c ( 2 L ) 2 
70.6 qB     948 ct rw 
2
p i  p wf   Ei   2 s   70 .6 qB   Ei  t  (2)
kh   kt   kh   kt 
      
or:
 
70 .6 qB     948 ct rw  
2 2
p i  p wf   Ei   2 s  Ei   948 ct ( 2 L )  (3)
kh   kt   kt 
    

in term of base 10 logarithm approximation Eq. 3 can be written as:

 
162 .6 qB    kt  
  3.23  0.869 s  log  kt 
  3.23
p i  p wf  log
   c r 2   2  
  ct ( 2 L )
kh
  t w   
(4)
This method is also applicable for a well surrounded by more than one boundary.

Example 2 (Calculation of Pressure Drop in a Well Located Near a Sealing Fault)

A producing well is located at a distance L = 75 ft. East of a North-South sealing fault as

illustrated in Fig. 2. Calculate the pressure drop in this well after 10 days of production at a
rate of 200 STB/D.
Use the same fluid and rock properties as those used in Example 1. Also, assume that the
well is neither stimulated nor damaged.

Solution

The pressure drop is given as:

70 .6 qB     948  ct rw      948 c ( 2 L ) 2 
2
pi  p wf    Ei   2 s   70 .6 qB   Ei  t 
kh   kt   kh   kt 
      

( 70 .6 )( 200 )(1 .475 )( 0 .72 )    948( 0 .234 )( 0 .72 )(15 x 10  6 )( 0 .33) 2  

  0
  Ei
(100 )(15 )   (100 )(10 x 24 )  
   

( 70 .6 )( 200 )(1 .475 )( 0 .72 )    948( 0 .234 )( 0 .72 )(15 x 10  6 )( 2 x 75 ) 2 


  Ei
(100 )(15 )   (100 )(10 x 24 ) 
  
 9 .99696 Ei ( 1 .0871 x 10  8 )  9 .99696 Ei ( 0 .002246 )  9 .99696 ( 17 .76  5 .52363 )
 183 .07 psi

Module 4 – Principle of Superposition Prof. Ibrahim Sami Nashawi 4

HW: Continuation of Example 2

1. What effect the fault has on the producing well in terms of pressure drop? Hint: use the
solution of Example 1 to deduce the answer.
2. What the effect of the fault will be on the well in terms of pressure drop if it were closer
to the producing well?

Well Producing at Variable Flow Rate

The most important application of the superposition principles is modeling variable-rate-
producing wells.
Consider the production history illustrated in Fig. 3:

Fig. 3. Production schedule for variable-rate well

The pressure drop at the sandface of the well is given as:

   948 c r 2  
70 .6 q1 B 
p i  p wf    Ei  t w   2s
kh   kt  
   
   948 c r 2  
70 .6( q 2  q1 ) B 
  Ei  t w   2s
kh   k (t  t1 )  
   
70 .6( q 3  q 2 ) B     948 ct rw2  
  2s
  Ei (5)
kh   k (t  t 2 )  
   

Module 4 – Principle of Superposition Prof. Ibrahim Sami Nashawi 5

or:

  
70.6 B     948 ct rw 
2
pi  p wf     2s
 q1 Ei
kh    kt  
    
   948 c r 2  
 ( q 2  q1 )  Ei  t w   2s
  k (t  t1 )  
   
   948 c r 2  
 ( q 3  q 2 )  Ei  t w   2s 
 (6)
  k (t  t 2 )   
   

Example 3 (Calculation of Pressure Drop in a Well Producing at Variable Rate)

Well PE432 produced at a rate of 200 STB/D for 10 days, then the rate increased to 300
STB/D for 3 days, then the rate dropped to 100 STB/D for 4 days. Calculate the pressure
drop in this well after 17 days of production.
Use the same fluid and rock properties as those used in Example 1. Also, assume s  0 .

Solution

The pressure drop is given as:

   2      
    948 ct rw   2 s   ( q  q )  Ei   948 ct rw
2
70.6 B    2s 
p  p i  p wf    1
q Ei
  2 1
  k (t  t1 ) 
kh    kt


  

   948 c r 2   

 ( q3  q 2 )  Ei  t w   2s

  k (t  t 2 )  
    


    948 (0.234 ) (0.72) (15 x 10  5 ) (0.33 2 )  

70.6(1.475) (0.72)     0
p    200  Ei
(100 ) (15)    (100 ) (17 x 24)  
   
   948 (0.234 ) (0.72 ) (15 x 10  5 ) (0.33 2 )  
 (300  200 )  Ei    0
  (100 ) (17  10 ) ( 24 )  
   
   948 (0.234) (0.72) (15 x 10  5 ) (0.33 2 )   

 (100  300)  Ei    0

  (100) (17  13) ( 24)   
    

Module 4 – Principle of Superposition Prof. Ibrahim Sami Nashawi 6

  
p  0.0499848 200 Ei ( 6.39463 x 10  9 )  100 ( Ei ( 1.55298 x 10  8 )  200 Ei ( 2.7177 x 10  8 ) 

 0.0499848 [ 200 ( 18 .29059 )  100 ( 17 .40329 )  200 ( 16.84367 )]
 0.0499848 ( 3,658 .118  1,740 .329  3,368 .734 )  0.0499848 ( 2,028 .713)
 101 .4048 psi

HW: Continuation of Example 3

If the last flow rate increased instead of decreasing, how would this affect the pressure drop?

Horner’s Approximation
Horner’s approximation can be used to avoid the use of superposition in modeling the
production history of a variable rate well. With this approximation, the sequence of Ei
functions, reflecting rate changes, can be replaced with a single Ei function that contains a
single producing time and a single producing rate.

The single producing rate is the most recent nonzero rate at which the well was produced,
qlast . The single producing time, t p , is found by dividing cumulative production from the
well by the most recent rate, qlast . Then, to model pressure behavior at any point in a
reservoir, the following simple equation is used:

70 .6 qlast B     948   ct r 2  
pi  p    Ei  2s (7)
kh   k tp 
 

Horner’s approximation is quite adequate when the duration of the last constant flow rate is at
least twice as long as the duration of the previous rate.

Module 4 – Principle of Superposition Prof. Ibrahim Sami Nashawi 7