The primary purpose of a PST or production test

Determine the nature of fluids produced.

PVT tests to be performed on the bottom-hole or recombined samples.
Define the well productivity.
Productivity index and IPR plot for oil wells.
Deliverability curve and absolute open flow for gas wells.
Evaluate the characteristics of the producing formation.
Static pressure.
Formation flow capacity (kh), reservoir heterogenities, limits.
Evaluate any formation damage (skin factor, S)
Determine if acidizing or other treatment is required.
Control the results of the stimulation or treatment.
Measurements from well testing Measurements
necessary to satisfy these aims are:
Rates of each fluid produced
The bottom hole pressure and temperature behaviour
PVT study of representative reservoir samples
Types of well tests & why they are carried out
Types of well tests
Well testing is the only technique that examines a significant portion
of the reservoir under dynamic conditions to determine its production
capabilities and reservoir properties.
Tests on oil or gas wells are performed at various stages of drilling,
completion and production, and for different purposes. It is
important to understand completely the reasons for each of these
tests, and what is expected to be accomplished with the results.
Qpen-hole Prill Stem Tests
Drill stem tests (DST) in open hole are normally carried out in
exploration wells and while drilling is in progress. Indications of
hydrocarbons, either through cuttings, gas cutting of mud or
intermediate logs make it interesting to determine whether a true
reservoir exists, or simply hydrocarbons which are contained in tight
rocks, but are not able to be produced. These tests are normally
short (less than 12. hours) and, if properly performed, provide
further evidence of fluid content of the rock, and usually some of the
rock parameters (permeability, for example).
Cased-hoie Drill Stem Tests
If logs, open-hole DST and other such information is sufficiently promising,
casing will be run and perhaps further testing carried out prior to completion.
Such tests will usually be DST in cased hole.
Selection & content of well test programmes
Basic sequence of operations
An initial Well Testing Program depends on the reservoir and well
characteristics. It is established after a detailed analysis of all the information
available from geophysics, geology, drilling, logging, etc...
However, when the testing objectives remain within the usual requirements of a
standard initial test, the operating procedure can be established in accordance
with standard practice of the Oil and Gas Industry.
The recommendations given here are a summary of the fundamental rules gained
from published literature and the experience of Schlumberger over
thousands of tests.
Sequence of operations - DST The basic
operations to be carried out during a DST are the following:
Pressure test of the surface equipment.
Initial flow.
Initial shut-in to measure or estimate initial reservoir pressure.
Clean-up.
First shut-in ( Optional)
Flowing the well at one or several successive flow rates.
Taking representative fluid samples.
- Final shut-in of the well to record pressure build-up.
OIL WELL TESTING
Drill Stem Test program
Except for special requirements or specific testing objectives, the following
operating sequence may be applied for DST:
Initial flow period: From 5 minutes to 10 minutes.
This will clean out the perforations and relieve any
over-pressuring (supercharging) of the formation.
The reservoir pressure should only be subjected to
a very small drawdown.
Initial shut-in period: From 30 minutes to 1 hour.
This allows the pressure to build-up to, or close to the initial
reservoir pressure. If it does not build up completely, under
certain conditions, this initial pressure may be
extrapolated.
Clean-up period: Till clean.
This could be from a few hours up to 1 day. Then straight
into the next period without shut-in.
Flowing period: From a few hours to several days.
When the main testing objective is the determination of the
reservoir characteristics, a single flow rate is recommended
as the simplest procedure to yield this data.
Determination of well performance, however, flow rate vs.
drawdown, requires a multiple flow rate test. In this case,
each flowing period should be long enough to reach steady
conditions with respect to the well bore, measurement
facilities and other surface equipment.
For a high permeability well, shut in for 1.5 times
the flowing period (including the clean-up)
For an average permeability well, shut in for 2
times the flow period (including cleanup).
For a low permeability well, shut in for 3 times the flowing
period (including clean up}.
Completion or Production Tests
Following the tests in cased hole, completion will usually be made in a zone
which gives the best results during the previous testing.
In some circumstances a dual zone completion may be made, if it is sufficiently
important to make long tests on two separate zones at the same time.
The tests made on completing the well may be called completion or production
tests. The name production test can be misleading since all routine tests made
in a production station are classified as production tests.
These notes are concerned with DST or production tests immediately on
completing the well, sometimes with a rig still present, sometimes after rigging
down, but in any case, long before the existence of any permanent production
facilities.

In many respects, production (completion) tests are similar to DSTs.
Both are short term and are designed to give us information on fluid content of a
reservoir and on rock properties, through correct interpretation of bottom hole
pressure transient data.
The production test is longer, producing rates can be more realistic, and
preliminary information makes possible better planning than in a DST, where
testing is often finished before it is realized that important data is missing or tool
function was unsatisfactory.
The production test attempts not only to fill such gaps, but to gain additional
reservoir information by being considerably longer.
The routine production tests after installation of facilities rarely concern us.
At that time many of the important decisions regarding reservoir development
have already been made, and in a production station, monitoring the flowrate of
different wells is a regular part of the clients production operators workload.
Reservoir limit tests and Interference tests
Occasionally, however, pressure monitoring for reservoir management tests is
called for. These tests normally come in two forms:
Reservoir limit tests - a long term test on a well to determine the extent of the
reservoir
And
Interference or pulse tests - to establish communication between two or more
wells, and to determine inter-well reservoir parameters.
Sequence of operations - Production test
The basic operations to be carried out during a production test are the

following:
1. Pressure test of the surface equipment.
2. Clean-up.
3. Initial shut-in to measure or estimate initial reservoir pressure.
4. Flowing the well at one or several successive flow rates.
5. Taking representative fluid samples.
6. Final shut-in of the well to record pressure build-up.

Production Test program
Except for special requirements or specific testing objectives, the following
operating sequence may be applied for production tests:
Clean-up period
This could be from a few hours up to 1 day.
On average two times the clean up time.
This allows the pressure to build-up to or close to
the initial reservoir pressure. If it does not build up
completely, under certain conditions, this initial
pressure may be extrapolated.
From one to several days.
When the main testing objective is the
determination of the reservoir characteristics and
the nature of fluids produced, a single flow rate is
recommended as the simplest procedure to yield
this data.
Determination of well performance, however,
flow rate vs. drawdown, requires a multiple flow
rate test. In this case, each flowing period should
be long enough to reach steady conditions with
respect to the well bore, measurement facilities
and other surface equipment.
On average two times the flowing period time.
Till clean.
Initial shut-in period
Flowing period
Final shut-in period