Experiment No: Well Performance Date: --/--/2015

Aim:
To Estimate bottomhole flowing conditions,
Perform Nodal Analysis
Calibrate PVT Data
Perform Flow Correlation Matching
Perform IPR Matching
Conduct Water Cut Sensitivity Analysis
Evaluate Gas Lift Performance

Exercise1: Estimate bottom hole flowing conditions,

Before beginning an oil well performance analysis:
1. Select File > New > Well Performance Analysis.
2. From Setup > Units, set the engineering units.
3. Click Vertical Completion on the single branch toolbar to choose a vertical completion object
and place it in the Single Branch flow diagram.
4. Click Boundary Node and place the selected node in the flow diagram.
5. Click Tubing object and connect VertWell_1 to the End Node S1 by clicking and dragging
from VertWell_1 completion to the End Node S1.

6. Double-click on the completion and enter the properties listed in the table.
7. Double-click on the tubing object and enter the tubing properties based on data listed in the
tables.
8. Click the Summary table button to observe the configuration summary. Set the Distance
between nodes to 100 ft.

9. Enter Black oil PVT Data

10. From the Setup > Flow Correlation menu, ensure that the Hagedorn-Brown correlation is
selected for vertical flow and the Beggs-Brill Revised correlation is selected for horizontal flow.
11.Save the model as 3c1e.bps.
12.Run Operations > Pressure / Temperature Profile
a. Enter Given Outlet Pressure (Calculate Liquid Rate).
b. Leave “Sensitivity Variable” empty.
13. Inspect plot and summary output to determine answers.

Results:
Wellhead Pressure 300psia
Production Rate 7454 bbl /d
Flowing BHP 2668 psia
Flowing WHT 1330F

Exercise2: Perform Nodal Analysis

Using the model from Exercise 1, add a Nodal Analysis point at the bottomhole. To do this,
insert a nodal analysis object near the completion, single left-mouse click on the tubing and drag
the bottom tip of the tubing over to the nodal analysis point. Insert a connector to link the
completion with the nodal analysis point.
Perform a Nodal Analysis operation for a given outlet (wellhead) pressure to determine the
Operating point (bottom hole pressure and flow rate) and the AOFP (absolute open flow
potential) of the well.

1. Insert the Nodal Analysis point between the completion and the tubing
2. Select Operations > Nodal Analysis,
a. Enter given Outlet Pressure.
b. Leave Inflow Sensitivity and Outflow Sensitivity empty.
c. Run the mode.
3. Inspect plot to determine answers.
Results:
(Outlet)Wellhead Pressure 300psia
Operating point flow rate 7454 bbl/d
Operating point BHP 2668 psia
AOFP 285335 bbl/d

Exercise3: Calibrate PVT Data

Measured PVT data is available to calibrate and improve the fluid model.
From Setup > Black Oil, select the Advanced Calibration Data tab, and click the Single Point
Calibration button. Use the measured data to calibrate the PVT model and re-run exercise1.
Determine the flowing bottomhole pressure, flowing wellhead temperature and production rate
for a given wellhead pressure.

1. Enter the calibration data above into the Black Oil fluid model.
2. Run Operations > Pressure / Temperature Profile. Enter Given Outlet Pressure
(Calculate Liquid Rate).
3. Inspect plot and summary output to determine answers.
Result:
Wellhead Pressure 300 psia
Production Rate 6812 bbl/d
Flowing BHP 2744psia
Flowing WHT 1290F

Exercise 4: Perform Flow Correlation Matching

An FGS survey (Flowing Gradient Survey) is available for the well. Use the measured data to
select the most appropriate vertical flow correlation. Using the selected flow correlation
determine the flowing bottomhole pressure.
 1. Select the Data>Load/Add Measured Data menu. Select New, enter the flowing
pressure survey data and save.
2. Go to Operations > Flow Correlation Matching. Specify the given Outlet Pressure
(Wellhead) and Liquid Rate, and select the Inlet Pressure as the calculated variable.
3. Select several vertical flow Corrections (e.g., Beggs and Brill Revised, Duns and Ros,
Hagedorn and Brown) and run the model.
4. Inspect the resulting plot to determine which flow correlation most closely agrees with
the measured data.
5. Select Setup > Flow Correlations and ensure that the best matching flow correlation is
selected for future calculations.

Result:
Wellhead Pressure 300 psia
Vertical Correlation Hagedom Brown
Flowing BHP 2522psia
Exercise 5: Perform IPR Matching

Having selected the correct flow correlation chosen in Exercise 4, find the PI (Productivity
Index) that matches the test data from Exercise 4, given the reservoir pressure is known to be
3600 psia. What is the AOFP of the well with the new PI?
The Productivity Index is expected to be in the range from 5 to 10 stb/d/psi.
1. Go to Operations > Nodal Analysis.
2. Enter Outlet Pressure (calculate Liquid Rate).
 For “X-axis variable”, select the Vertical Completion as the Object and Liq. PI as
the Variable with values of 5, 6,7,8,9 and 10.
 Leave “Sensitivity Variable 1” empty.
3. Run model to generate a plot of calculated liquid rate vs. PI.
4. Inspect the plot to identify the PI, which gives match to the measured production rate.

Results:
Wellhead Pressure 300 psia
PI 6
AOFP 16000 bbl/d

Exercise 6: Conduct Water Cut Sensitivity Analysis

Given the current wellhead pressure and reservoir pressure, determine the highest possible water
cut for which the well will produce.
Note: Make sure you have changed the completion PI in the well model after Exercise 5.

1. Go to Operations > Analysis.

2. Enter Oulet Pressure (Calculate Liquid Rate).
 For “X-axis variable”, select Fluid Data and enter water cut values of
30%,40%,50%,60%,70%.
 Leave “Sensitivity Variable 1” empty.
3. Generate a plot of calculated liquid rate vs. water cut.
4. Interpolate to Identify the water cut at which the calculated production rate drops to zero.

Result:
Wellhead Pressure 300 psia
Water Cut 64%

Exercise 7: Evaluate Gas Lift Performance

In this exercise we will examine how this well responds to Gas Lift by introducing a Gas Lift
Injection point at 8000 ft MD in the tubing equipment.

Tasks:
 Determine how the well responds to gas lift when the water cut is at 10% and at 60%.
 Determine the liquid production rates as a function of gas lift rate and water cut.
Assume:
wellhead pressure = 300 psia.
Injection gas SG = 0.6
Injection gas surface temperature = 1000F.

1. Add a Gas Lift Injection point to the tubing description. On the Downhole Equipment
tab, select the Properties button and enter a default gas lift rate of 1mmscf/d.
2. Go to Operations > System Analysis.s
3. Enter Outlet Pressure (calculate Liquid Rate).
 For “X-axis variable”, enter gas lift rates of 0, 0.2, 0.5, 1,1.5, 2 (mmscf/d).
 For “Sensitivity Variable 1,” enter water cut values of 10% and 60%.
4. Generate a plot of calculated liquid rate vs. gas lift rate for different water cuts.
5. Inspect plot and summary output to determine answers.

Results:
Gas Lift Rate (mmscf/d) Liq. Prod. Rate (stb/d) Lip. Prod. Rate (stb/d)
0.5 7227 4755
1.0 7707 5796
1.5 8048 6443
2.0 8306 6898
Enhancing Oil Well Production Using Nodal Analysis

Exercise 1: Well Model / Nodal Analysis

An oil well is currently producing below capacity. Options for increasing production include
stimulation (acidizing and/or hydraulic fracture) and gas lift.
Given the following basic data, construct a well model and perform a Nodal Analysis operation
to find the flowing bottomhole pressure and production rate for a wellhead pressure of 250 psia.
Use Beggs and Brill Revised multiphase flow correction for both vertical and horizontal flow.

1. Construct Model and enter above data. Place Nodal Analysis icon at bottomhole.
2. Select a Pseudo Steady State completion model. Plot the IPR curves.
 3. Run Operations > Nodal Analysis.
a. Enter Given Outlet Pressure.
b. Leave “Inflow Sensitivity” and “Outflow Sensitivity” empty.
4. Inspect plot to determine answers

Result:
Wellhead Pressure 250 psia
Production Rate 775 stb/d
Flowing BHP 2417psia

Exercise 2: Nodal Analysis – Sensitivity to Stimulation and Gas Lift

Investigate the increase in production through stimulation and gas lift using nodal analysis.
1. Assume that the current skin of 3 can be reduced to 0 if the well is acidized and –2 if
hydraulically fractured.
2. Insert a gas lift injection point at 4500’ (with lift gas gravity of 0.6 and a surface gas
temperature of 90F).
1. Add a Gas Lift Injection point at 4500’. (Assume default gas lift rate = 0).
2. Run Operations > Nodal Analysis
a. Enter the Given Outlet Pressure.
b. For “Inflow Sensitivity”, enter skin values of 3, 0, and -2.
c. For “Outflow Sensitivity”, enter gas lift rate values of 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mmscf/d.
3. Generate a Nodal Analysis plot.
 4. Inspect the plot to determine answers. The Intersection points are also provided in the
formatted Nodal Analysis Report. Open Reports > User Report (Nodal Analysis).

Results:
Oil Production Rates (stb/d) – Beggs-Brill Revised
Completion Gas lift Rates (mmscf/d)
0.0 0.5 1.0 2.0
Base(skin=3) 779 1097 1188.2 1240.5
Acidized(skin=0) 1084.5 1432.1 1535.2 1598.9
Fractured (skin=-2) 1438.4 1798.9 1916.8 1981.9

Exercise 3: Nodal Analysis – Sensitivity to Flow Correlation

While the Beggs and Brill correlation is widely used and is the default correlation for PIPESIM,
it is useful to see the results when using alternative correlations. The Mukherjee and Brill
accounts for viscosity effects, which for this case may be significant because relatively heavy (26
º API).
Repeat the nodal analysis using Mukherjee and Br al flow correlation again using an Outlet
Pressure of 250 psia.
1. Change the vertical flow correlation to Mukherjee and Brill.
2. Run Operations > Nodal Analysis.
a. Enter the Given outlet Pressure.
b. For “Inflow Sensitivity”, enter skin values of 3, 0, and -2.
 c. For “Outflow Sensitivity”, enter gas lift rate values of 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mmscf/d.
3. Generate a Nodal Analysis Plot.
4. Inspect the plot to determine answers. The Intersection points are also provided in the
formatted Nodal Analysis Report. Open Reports > User Report (Nodal Analysis).

Result:
Oil Production Rates (stb/d)– Mukherjee and Brill:
Completion Gas lift Rates (mmscf/d)
0.0 0.5 1.0 2.0
Base(skin=3) 697.7 1011.5 1125.1 1221.3
Acidized(skin=0) 981 1332.2 1468.6 1578
Fractured (skin=-2) 1325.4 1695.4 1846.2 1964.5

Gas Well Performance using a Compositional Fluid Model

Exercise 1 – Build a Simple Well Model

A gas well has been drilled. DST data is available as well as Fluid Gradient Survey (FGS) data
from a well completed in the same zone. In this case study, the following procedures will be used
to evaluate the gas well performance:

 Build a Simple Well Model

 Calibrate the Inflow Model
 Perform Nodal Analysis at Bottomhole
 Perform System Analysis
 Model Flowline and Choke Performance
 Evaluate Higher Liquid Loading/Flow Correlation Matching
 Calculate Liquid Hold-up Fraction and Flow Regime Mapping
 Pressure/Temperature Path from Reservoir
 Pressure Drop due to increased Condensate Production
 Rigorous Flashing

Exercise 1: Build a Simple Well Model

1. Construct the physical well model using the data below:

2. Define a compositional fluid model by selecting Setup > Compositional and entering the
composition given in the table below. Select the Options tab and ensure that Multiflash is
selected. To add library components, select the desired components from the list and
click on Add >>. To add the C7+ pseudo-component, select the Petroleum Fractions tab,
enter the pseudo-component name and data, highlight the row number for the pseudo-
component, and select Add to Composition.
a. Determine the water content at saturation at reservoir conditions. To determine
the water content at saturation, add an arbitrary amount of water (i.e., 20 moles) to
the composition. Select the Flash/Separation tab, click the PT button, enter the
given reservoir pressure and temperature, perform a flash and read the water
content for the vapor fraction from the screen. The hydrocarbon vapor
components will be normalized to include the mole fraction of water. Enter the
water and renormalized he hydrocarbon composition back into the compositional
editor’s main screen.
b. Generate a phase envelope using the water-saturated composition. To generate a
phase envelope, click on the Phase Envelope button in the main compositional
editor screen. Do this for the composition with the aqueous fraction.
3. Determine the flow-rate, bottomhole flowing pressure, bottomhole flowing temperature
and well-head temperature, given a well-head pressure of 800 psia.
4. Build a simple completion using the completion icon, tubing icon and an outlet node.
Enter the given gas PI and reservoir pressure and temperature in the completion object,
and the given tubing information in the tubing object. Select Duns and Ros as the vertical
flow correlation.
5. Run a Pressure/Temperature Profile Operation using an outlet pressure of 800 psia. The
flow-rate, pressures and temperatures can be found in the Summary File, accessible from
the Reports menu.
Results:
Pres = 4600 psia, Tres = 2800F
% H20 @ saturation 1.85%

P0 = 800 psia
QG 33mmscf /d
Pwf 2160psia
BHT 2480F
WHT 1820F

Exercise 2: Calibrate the Inflow Model

In this exercise, you will use the Backpressure equation for inflow performance relationship for a
gas well producing at pseudo-steady state. The backpressure equation is as follows:
Qsc = C (PR2-PWF2)n
Where
Qsc = gas rate (mmscf/d)
PR = average reservoir pressure (psia)
PWF = flowing bottomhole pressure
C= flow coefficient
n = non- darcy exponent

1. Using the below DST data, calculate the C and n parameters.

2. Determine the flow e, bottomhole flowing pressure, bottomhole flowing temperature and
wellhead temperature using the new inflow model.
3. Double-click on the completion icon then select the Back Pressure Equation from the
drop-down menu. Click on Calculate/Graph; then enter the test data in the dialogue box.
4. Re-run the Pressure/Temperature Profile operation. Inspect the resulting plot and
summary file to determine results.
Results:
Back Pressure Equation
Parameter C 8”10-7
Parameter n 1

P0 = 800 psia
QG 15.6mmscf/d
PWF 1292psia
Tbh (0F) 2270F
Twh (0F) 1680F

Exercise 3: Perform Nodal Analysis at Bottom-Hole

Nodal analysis can be used to determine the optimum tubing size. The available tubing sizes
have IDs of 2.992”, 3.958”, 4.892” and 6.184”.
1. Perform nodal analysis using the available tubing sizes.
2. Plot the elevation vs. Erosional Velocity Ratio from the profile plot for all tubing sizes.
3. Determine the flow rate, bottomhole flowing pressure, bottomhole flowing temperature
and wellhead temperature for 3.958” ID tubing at an outlet pressure of 800 psia.
Determine the EVR for this tubing at the wellhead. Continue using this tubing size in all
subsequent exercises.
4. Ensure that the model includes a Nodal Analysis object located between the tubing and
the completion. Use the Nodal Analysis option from the Operations drop-down menu.
Enter the tubing IDs as the Outflow sensitivity.
5. Run a Pressure/Temperature profile using the tubing size as the sensitivity (remember to
activate the sensitivity). From the profile plot, change the x-axis to Erosional Velocity
Ratio (EVR = actual velocity / API 14e limit) by selecting the Series option from the
toolbar to determine the maximum erosional velocity ratio.
6. Look in the Summary File for the flow-rate, bottomhole flowing pressure, bottomhole
flowing temperature and wellhead temperature for the 3.958” tubing.
Results:
P0 = 800 psia
QG 15.7mmscf/d
PWF 1254psia
BHT 2270F
WHT 1650F

Well-head, 3.958’’ tubing

Max. Erosional velocity ratio 0.78

Exercise 4: Perform System Analysis

The System Analysis Operation can be used to investigate the gas rate as a function of reservoir
pressure for the different tubing sizes.
Steps:
1. Select System Analysis from the Operations drop-down menu. Use a wellhead pressure
of 800 psia .Use the Reservoir (Static) Pressure as the x-axis variable with values of
4600, 4200, 3800 and 3400psia.Select tubing ID as the sensitivity variable with values of
2.992”, 3.958”, 4.892” and 6.184”.
2. Run the mode and view the resultant plot.
Exercise 5 – Model Flow-line and Choke Performance

Add a horizontal flow-line and a choke to the model using the below data.

Using the mechanistic choke model, determine the choke bean size that results in a manifold
pressure of 710 psia (manifold is ate d of flow-line) using the gas rate as calculated in Exercise 3,
T 3. Use a tubing ID is 3.958”.
1. The System Analysis operation can be used for this task. Select choke size as the x- axis
variable and outlet pressure as the calculated variable.
2. Inspect the plot to determine the choke size that gives the correct outlet pressure (710
psi). Use the wellhead pressure of 800 psia.

Results:
P0 = 710 psia
Choke size 1.5

Continue using that choke size in model (double-click on the choke and enter that choke size).
Exercise 6: Evaluate Higher Liquid Loading / Flow Correlation Matching

In the future it is expected that there will be a higher liquid loading due to increased condensate
production as the reservoir pressure declines to 4300 psia.

1. Save the model with a new name. Enter the heavier composition given in the table below.
Determine the water content at saturation at the lower reservoir pressure by performing a
single point flash calculation within the Compositional dialog as done previously.
2. Using the FGS data determine the best vertical multi-phase flow correlation for use in
this well. Choose from Ansari, Beggs and Brill Revised, Duns and Ros, and Hagedorn
and Brown. Find the mean arithmetic and absolute differences for the chosen correlation.
Continue using that correlation. Use an outlet pressure of 800 psia for this operation
(deactivate choke and flowline).
3. Using the heavier composition and chosen vertical multi-phase flow correlation,
determine the new gas flow-rate, bottom hole flowing pressure and actual liquid flow at
the perforations and outlet for a manifold pressure of 710 psia.
4. Determine the water content at saturation for the new composition as per the same
method in Exercise 1 using the compositional editor.
5. De-activate choke and flow-line for this operation (hence the outlet pressure of 800 psia
will be the well-head pressure). From the Data menu, select Load/Add Measured Data to
add the FGS data. From the Operations menu, select “Flow Correlation Matching”.
Check the correlations to be used, and then click on the Run Model button. Look in the
Output File for the mean arithmetic and absolute differences.
6. Reactivate the choke and flowline and ensure the choke bean size has been updated with
the size determined in the previous exercise. Run a Pressure/Temperature Profile
Operation using an inlet pressure of 4300 psia, then look in Output File for actual liquid
flows.
7. Inspect the bottom of the output file to determine the mean arithmetic and absolute
differences.
 FGS Data

Producing gas rate during FGS = 13.4 mmscf/d

Wellhead Pressure during FGS = 800 psia
Results:
Pres = 4300 psia, Tres = 2800F
% H20 @ saturation 1.91

P0 = 800 psia
Best Correlation Duns-Ros
Mean arithmetic difference (%) 0.27
Mean absolute difference (%) 0.27

P0 = 710 psia
QG 13.3mmscf/d
PWF 1361.3psia
QL @ mid-perfs (act) 2062bbl/d
QL @ outlet (act) 2650bbl/d

Exercise 7: Calculate Liquid Hold-up Fraction and Flow Regime Map

1. Determine the following at the bottom of the well, at the top of the well, and at the end of
the flow-line:
a. XVL : the liquid volume fraction (no-slip liquid holdup)
b. XHL : the liquid holdup fraction
 2. Generate a flow regime map for the end of the flow line. Look at the flow-map and
determine the flow regime at the end of the flow-line.
3. Add the report icon at the end of the flow-line. Double-click on the report icon and select
the Flow Map.
4. Re-run the Pressure / Temperature Profile Operation.
5. The flow regime at the end of the flow-line can be determined from both the Summary
File and Output file. The flow map can be viewed at the bottom of the output file.

Results:
Liquid Volume Fraction, P0 = 710 psia
XVL @ bottomhole 0.07
XVL @ WH 0.08
XVL @ end flow-line 0.05
Flow regime end FL Intermittent

Liquid Hold-up Fraction, P0 = 710 psia

XVL @ bottomhole 0.38
XVL @ WH 0.08
XVL @ end flow-line 0.15
Exercise 8: Pressure/Temperature Path from Reservoir

1. Plot the PT path from reservoir to the end of the flow-line on the phase diagram.
2. Ensure that Phase Envelope is checked in the report tool object.
3. Run the Pressure/Temperature Profile and configure the resulting plot to display pressure
on the y-axis and Temperature on the x-axis.
4. From the generated plot, if the operating line crosses the hydrate formation line, hydrate
formation may occur.
Results:

Ambient Temp = 300F

Hydrate formation No

Exercise 9: Pressure Drop due to Increased Condensate Production

1. The increased liquid loading is expected to cause a higher pressure drop through the
production system.
2. Calculate the wellbore pressure drop across the formation, tubing, choke and flowline for
a gas flow-rate of 13 mmscf/d.
3. Run a pressure/Temperature Profile operation using a gas rate of 13 mmscf/d and outlet
pressure as the calculated variable.
Results:

Heavier composition
ϪP Reservoir 2803psia
ϪP Tubing 630psia
ϪP Choke 84psia
ϪP Flow – line 2psia

Challenge Exercise 10: Rigorous Flashing

To reduce solution time, the calculation engine does not perform a flash at every pipe segment to
determine the average fluid properties across the given segment. Instead, interpolates the
properties at each segment based on the results of an initial series of flashes performed prior
iterating. By selecting the Rigorous Flash option from the Setup > Flashing menu, the fluid will
be flashed and the properties averaged at every pipe segment. This method is more accurate and,
can occasionally cause significantly different results, particularly when operating near a phase
boundary. The trade off with using the more accurate Rigorous Flash option is the increased
solution time.

a. Repeat Exercises 6 (Task 3) and 8 (tasks 1 and 2) using the rigorous flash option.
Compare the results and comment on the differences.
 Po=710psia
QG 13.3mmcfd
Pwf 1360.4psia
QL@mid-perfs 2094bbl/d
QL@outlet 2654bbl/d

Ambient Temp=300F
Hydrate formation No

Note that the results are similar to when the interpolation option is used, except the rigorous flash
predicts more of the retrograde condensation to occur prior to the fluid reaching the sand-face, as
determined from the actual liquid flow-rate at the mid-perfs (compare to the results from
Exercise 6). The calculated rate is a little less using the interpolation option, and the other results
are quite similar. The difference described above illustrates a situation where the rigorous flash
option is appropriate, especially when operating near the phase envelope.