Flow regimes on the diagnostic plot

A major application of the diagnostic plot is the potential that it provides in

identifying the flow regimes that appear in a logical sequence during a buildup
or flow test. For example, consider Fig. 7. At early times, the unit slope line
on both derivative and pressure change, indicating wellbore storage. Later, a de
rivative with a slope of -1/2, indicating possible spherical flow, followed by a
horizontal derivative, indicating infinite-acting radial flow. Boundary effects
, including a unit-slope line, follow, indicating possible recharge of the reser
voir pressure.
Fig. 7

Well test diagnostic plot indicating several flow regimes.

Nomenclature
b
=
RTENOTITLE (gas flow equation)
bB
=
intercept of Cartesian plot of bilinear flow data, psi
bL
=
intercept of Cartesian plot of linear flow data, psi
bV
=
intercept of Cartesian plot of data during volumetric behavior,
psi
B
=
formation volume factor, res vol/surface vol
ct
=
Soco + Swcw + Sgcg + cf = total compressibility, psi 1
C
=
performance coefficient in gas-well deliverability equation, or
wellbore storage coefficient, bbl/psi
CD
=
0.8936 C/?cthrw2 , dimensionless wellbore storage coefficient
h
=
net formation thickness, ft
k
=
matrix permeability, md
kf
=
permeability of the proppant in the fracture, md
kh
=
horizontal permeability, md
kr
=
permeability in horizontal radial direction, md
ks
=
permeability of altered zone, md
kz
=
permeability in z-direction, md
Lf
=
fracture half length, ft
m
=
162.2 qB/kh = slope of middle-time line, psi/cycle
ms
=
RTENOTITLE, slope of spherical flow plot, psi-hr1/2
mB
=
slope of bilinear flow graph, psi/hr1/4
mL
=
slope of linear flow graph, psi/hr1/2
mV
=
slope of volumetric flow graph, psi/hr
p
=
pressure, psi
pi
=
original reservoir pressure, psi
pp
=
pseudopressure, psia2/cp
ps
=
stabilized shut-in BHP measured just before start of a deliverab
ility test, psia
psc
=
standard-condition pressure, psia
pwf
=
flowing BHP, psi
pws
=
shut-in BHP, psi
p0
=
arbitrary reference or base pressure, psi
q
=
flow rate at surface, STB/D
r
=
distance from the center of wellbore, ft
re
=
external drainage radius, ft
rs
=
outer radius of the altered zone, ft
Rs
=
dissolved GOR, scf/STB
s
=
skin factor, dimensionless
s'
=
s + Dq = apparent skin