New advance in numerical well testing through streamline simulation

Numerical well testing technique has been regarded as the future of well testing in tackling non-linear, heterogeneous reservoir testing problems. Finite difference and finite element methods were used before in the construction of the well testing model, which was proved worked well for the most practical cases. In this study, streamline simulation techniques was further developed for numerical well testing purpose, in which production history, reservoir heterogeneity, multi-well interference as well as oil-water two phase flow problems were all considered. Streamline well testing model was developed to analyze pressure draw down and build up under these field conditions. In the developed well testing mathematical models along each streamline, equations were solved all together numerically to derive transient pressure solutions for draw downs and build ups. Results such as pressure distributions, field saturation maps and the distribution of streamlines can all be produced through the developed simulator and visualized. It was proved through both theoretical study and a practical field example that the developed streamline well testing algorithm is faster, robust and reliable to use for complicated well test interpretations. Copyright 2009, Society of Petroleum Engineers.