An analysis of rate-sensitive skin in oil wells
This paper documents the results of the perforating program for the first forty wells in the Kuparuk River Field in Alaska. Several different types of perforating guns were used to perforate the wells at varying shot densities. Pressure transient tests were conducted on each well to measure skin damage and flow efficiency. A correlation of average flow efficiency with perforating gun type and shot density is presented. This shows that shot densities above 4 shots/ft result in less skin damage, and wells completed with 12 shots/ft have little or no damage. The effect of perforation penetration is also shown to be a factor in reducing damage, but with all other factors being equal, 12 shots/ft is shown to result in the least amount of damage. The above results are explained by a detailed analysis of multiple buildup tests at varying rates which were performed on some of the highly damaged wells completed during the early development of the field. These tests indicated skin damage to be rate sensitive with some true formation damage also present. Non-Darcy flow and gas saturation near the wellbore are shown to contribute to the rate-sensitive skin factors. A method of analysis is presented which allows non-Darcy flow skin factors to be calculated when gas saturation is also causing a skin effect. This can be accomplished without fluid property and relative permeability data, which is necessary to calculate saturation effects using standard analysis methods.
- Research Organization:
- ARCU Alaska Inc.
- OSTI ID:
- 5467247
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-820927-
- Journal Information:
- Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States), Vol. SPE11187; Conference: 57. AIME Society of Petroleum Engineers annual technical conference and exhibition, New Orleans, LA, USA, 26 Sep 1982
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ALASKA
OIL FIELDS
OIL WELLS
FORMATION DAMAGE
PERFORATION
TESTING
CALCULATION METHODS
DATA ANALYSIS
EFFICIENCY
FLUID FLOW
GAS SATURATION
PERMEABILITY
TRANSIENTS
WELL DRILLING
WELL PRESSURE
DRILLING
FEDERAL REGION X
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESERVOIR PRESSURE
RESOURCES
SATURATION
USA
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production