Evaluating Phase Blockages and Mobility Changes During Pressure Transient Analysis

Abstract

Pressure transient analysis (PTA) is a cogent methodology to evaluate dynamics of hydrocarbon reservoirs. Numerous analytical and numerical models have been developed to model various types of wellbore, reservoir, and boundary responses. However, the near-wellbore region remains to be perplexing in pressure transient analysis. In this paper we investigate the pressure transient behavior of phase blocking and mobility variations caused by fluid phase interactions or properties, such as viscous drag forces and surface tension at the near-wellbore region and their impact on pressure transient evaluation. We have used real field examples to scrutinize relative effects of mobility variations in pressure transients. The impact of capillary number (Nc) acting on the near-wellbore region and its influence on pressure transient behavior and skin alteration were examined in detail. Several real field examples honoring actual reservoir rock special core analysis (SCAL) and fluid pressure/volume/temperature (PVT) properties have been studied. Actual field data discussed in this paper for PTA were captured during drill stem testing (DST) operations from various hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Berkine Basin of Algeria. PVT laboratory-measurement-based fluid properties were used in conjunction with tuned equation of state (EOS) models to ensure consistency between wells and reservoirs. Pressure transient analysis of a gas condensate reservoir system can depict various mobility regions, especially while flowing below dew point pressure. In some cases, three-distinct-mobility regions can be identified as: a far-field zone with initial gas and condensate saturation; a mid-field zone with increased condensate saturation and lower gas relative permeability; and a near-wellbore zone with high Nc which increases gas relative permeability and mobility. These three-distinct-mobility regions form due to condensate dropping out and fluid interactions in the near wellbore. We demonstrate, with real-life field examples of the near-wellbore region, how the relative effects of viscous drag forces and surface tension forces acting across the liquid and gas interface can enable the reference fluid phase to regain its mobility. We further investigate the evaluation of skin factor in such circumstances and show how the existence of phase blocking and velocity stripping can cause over-estimation or under-estimation of skin factor. We present a novel set of real field examples and relations between various zones in hydrocarbon reservoirs to avoid snags of misleading pressure transient interpretations and how composite models can be accurately used to represent complex cases. Field examples from Algerian hydrocarbon reservoirs are depicted. The findings could be easily applied for similar reservoirs in other parts of the globe to identify and model such intricate systems.