Well Test Analysis for Hydraulically-Fractured Wells

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the application of Tiab's direct synthesis (TDS) technique for practical and accurate interpretation of pressure tests on vertical wells in conventional reservoirs, so bilinear, linear, and elliptical flow regimes can be used for fracture characterization. Most fractured well interpretation tests are conducted using nonlinear regression analysis if the pressure model is available. This method has some drawbacks associated with the nonuniqueness of the solution. Also, the conventional straight-line method requires one plot for each individual flow regime observed in the pressure tests, and the estimated parameters cannot be verified. Tiab's direct synthesis (TDS) methodology, which uses specific lines and intersection points found on the pressure and pressure derivative plot, is used in some direct equations which are obtained from the solution of the diffusivity equation for a given flow regime. It has been proven to provide accurate results, and its power allows verification of most results which is not possible from any other technique. The methodology has been successfully explained and tested by its application in two examples, although there exists more than a hundred articles that provide many useful applications.