Determining Average Reservoir Pressures in Multilayered Completed Wells Using Selective Inflow Performance (SIP) Technique

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper describes the challenges in determining average reservoir pressures in multi-layer completed wells during the span of their production period. The wells with single production tubing and get comingled flow from different reservoir layers exhibit complex down holeflow profiles. Therefore, it becomes difficult to acquire average pressures of each producing layer separately. Production log data can be utilized in these kinds of wells to calculate average individual layer pressures with the help of Selective Inflow Performance (SIP) technique for better production allocation and also to monitor pressure depletion effects with time. The SIP provides a mean of establishing the IPR for each rate-producing layer. The well is flowed at several different stabilized surface rates and for each rate, a production log is run across the entire producing interval(s) to record simultaneous profiles of downhole flow rates and flowing pressure. Measured in-situ rates can be converted to surface conditions using PVT data. Although SIP theory only applies to single phase flow, the interpreter can restrict the IPR's computations to a particular phase; only contribution of the selected phase will be taken into account. To each reservoir zone corresponds for each survey/interpretation a couple [rate, pressure], used in the SIP calculation. The different types of IPR equations can be used for SIP interpretation: Straight line, Fetkovitch or C&n, and LIT relations. In the case of a gas wells, the pseudo pressure m(p) can be used instead of the pressure "p" to estimate the gas potential. Although SIP is a useful technique to estimate average reservoir pressure in multi-layered system, but it has some limitations under certain circumstances. The Selective Inflow Performance (SIP) technique has been implemented on some of the producing wells in north of Pakistan. These wells have been completed in multiple producing reservoirs. Initially all these reservoirs were tested separately (with DST) to estimatetheir reservoir pressures and other parameters. However, due to adapted completion strategy, the producing layers were comingled with the option to monitor each layer's pressure depletion with the help of SIP technique in future. As per reservoir surveillance activity, Production logs are run on routine basis by utilizing SIP method and the same has been utilized for reservoir management and for simulation model updates.