ear flow on the diagnostic plot is indicated when a derivative follows a half-sl

ope line that is, a line that moves up vertically by one log cycle for each two cy
cles of horizontal movement (Fig. 4). The pressure change may or may not also fo
llow a half-slope line. In a hydraulically fractured well, the pressure change w
ill follow a half-slope line unless the fracture is damaged. In a channel reserv
oir, a hydraulically fractured well with damage, or a horizontal well, the press
ure change will approach the half-slope line from above.
Fig. 4

Linear flow derivative follows a half-slope line on a diagnostic plot.

Bilinear flow
Bilinear flow occurs primarily in wells with low-conductivity hydraulic fracture
s. Flow is linear within the fracture to the well, and also linear (normal to fr
acture flow) from the formation into the fracture. Estimates of fracture conduct
ivity, wfkf, can be made with data from this flow regime when estimates of forma
tion permeability are available.
For a hydraulically fractured well, an equation that models bilinear flow is
RTENOTITLE....................(12)
The general form is
RTENOTITLE....................(13)
The derivative is
RTENOTITLE....................(14)
Bilinear flow derivatives plot as a quarter-slope line on the diagnostic plot (F
ig. 5). The quarter-slope line moves up one log cycle as it moves over four log
cycles. The pressure change does not necessarily follow a quarter-slope line. In
a damaged, hydraulically fractured well, the pressure change curve will approac
h the quarter-slope line from above; in an undamaged hydraulically fractured wel
l (?ps = 0), the pressure change will typically follow the quarter-slope line wh
en the effects of wellbore storage have ended.
Fig. 5
lot.

Bilinear flow derivative follows a quarter-slope line on the diagnostic p

Spherical flow
The flow pattern is spherical when the pressure transient can propagate freely i
n three dimensions and converge into a "point." This can occur for wells that pe
netrate only a short distance into the formation (actually hemispherical flow),
wells that have only a limited number of perforations open to flow, horizontal w
ells with inflow over only short intervals, and during wireline formation tests.
Data in the spherical-flow regime can be used to estimate the mean permeability
,
RTENOTITLE....................(15)
An equation that models spherical flow is
RTENOTITLE....................(16)
where RTENOTITLE....................(17)

and rsp is the radius of the sphere into which flow converges. The general form
is
RTENOTITLE....................(18)
and the derivative is