WELL TEST INTERPRETATION

Instructor: Louis Mattar, B.Sc., M.Sc., P.Eng

 Course Outline

WELL TEST INTERPRETATION

This course is intended for engineers and specialist who want to learn the reasons for
well testing, and the information that can be derived from it. The procedures and
principles for analyzing vertical well tests will be extended to apply to horizontal wells.
The course will deal with both oil and gas well test interpretation, drillstem tests, wireline
formation tests and production tests, interference tests, detection of boundaries,
estimation of stabilized flow rates from short tests, etc.

The Practice of well test interpretation will be emphasized over the Theory. To this end,
Data Validation and the PPD (Primary Pressure Derivative) will be used to illustrate
wellbore dynamics, and extricate these effects from the apparent reservoir response.
Throughout the course, the theme will be:

W.T.I >> P.T.A.

WELL TEST INTERPRETATION (W.T.I.)
involves a lot more than simply
PRESSURE TRANSIENT ANALYSIS (P.T.A.)

This course is aimed at obtaining an understanding of the concepts. These will be

presented graphically (using a computer), thus keeping equations to a minimum. The
Practical aspects of the interpretation process will be highlighted.
 WELL TEST INTERPRETATION
Detailed Course Contents

1. Introduction
a. Why test
b. Course Philosophy
c. Types of tests
d. Types of fluids
e. Types of reservoirs
f. Approaches to well test interpretation

2. Basic Concepts
a. Simplifying assumptions – reservoir
b. Drawdown test – oil
c. Type curves (Dimensionless)
d. Skin effect
e. Wellbore storage/Bourdet et al type curves

3. Gas Flow Considerations

a. Turbulence
b. Pseudo-Pressure
c. Pseudo-Time

4. Flow Regimes – Vertical Wells

a. Segmented approach
b. Early Time – Wellbore Storage
- Linear – fracture Storage
- Bilinear
- Spherical
c. Transient Flow – Radial
d. Late Time – Transition
- Linear – channel
- Stabilized – steady state
- pseudo-steady state

5. Flow Regimes – Horizontal Wells

6. Useful Concepts
a. Radius of investigation
b. Time to stabilization
c. Superposition
7. Drawdown Analysis (or Injection)
a. Procedure
b. Specialized Analyses
c. Horizontal Wells

8. Buildup Analysis
a. Horner Plot
b. Equivalent Time
c. M.D.H. Plot
d. Average Reservoir Pressure
e. Detection of boundaries
f. Other Buildup Curves
g. D.S.T.
h. Horizontal Wells

9. Non-Reservoir Effects
a. Data Validation
b. Welbore Dynamics
c. Primary Pressure Derivative – PDD

10. Production Forecasting

a. Transient/Stabilized IPR
b. AOF – Sandface/Wellhead

11. Test Design

12. Complex Models

13. Pitfalls

14. References/Nomenclature

15. Miscellaneous
a. ERCB Chapter 3
b. Acoustic Well Sounders
c. EUB Guide 40
d. Partial Penetration
e. Practical Considerations
 LOUIS MATTAR, M.Sc., P. Eng.
PRESIDENT
Fekete Associates Inc

B.Sc. Honours in Chemical Engineering, University of Wales in Swansea, 1965

M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering, University of Calgary, 1973
Membership: APEGGA; Petroleum Society of CIM; Society of Petroleum Engineers

Louis worked for the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board, where he was the
principal author of the world-renowned E.R.C.B. publication "Theory & Practice of the
Testing of Gas Wells, 1975", which is an authoritative text on the subject.

For several years, Louis was Associate Professor at the University of Calgary where he
taught courses in Reservoir Engineering and Advanced Well Testing, and conducted
research in tight gas reservoirs, and multi-phase flow.

Since 1981 he has been with Fekete Associates, a consulting company that specializes
in well testing and reservoir engineering. He has analyzed and supervised the
interpretation of thousands of well tests and specializes in the integration of practice
with theory. He has appeared as an expert witness in several Energy Board hearings.
He has conducted studies ranging from shallow gas reservoirs to deep sour wells, from
small pools to a 5000-well reservoir/completion/production study, and from waterfloods
to gas storage.

Louis teaches the CIM course in “Gas Well Testing, Theory and Practice”, as well as
“Modern Production Decline Analysis” to the SPE and to several companies. He has
authored 43 technical publications. He is an adjunct professor at the University of
Calgary.

AWARDS:

Louis was the SPE Distinguished Lecturer in Well Testing for 2002-2003. He is a
Distinguished Member of the Petroleum Society of CIM. In 1995, he received the CIM
Distinguished Author award and the Outstanding Service award. In 1987, he received
the CIM District 5 Technical Proficiency Award.
 TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS
BY
LOUIS MATTAR

43. MATTAR, L.: “Analytical Solutions in Well Testing”, Invited Panelist, CIPC Panel
Discussion at the Canadian International Petroleum Conference, Calgary,
Alberta, June, 2003.

42. MATTAR, L. and ANDERSON, D.M.: “A Systematic and Comprehensive

Methodology for Advanced Analysis of Production Data”, SPE 84472, presented
at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Denver, Colorado,
October, 2003.

41. RAHMAN, A.N.M., MILLER, M.D., MATTAR, L: “Analytical Solution to the

Transient-Flow Problems for a Well Located near a Finite-Conductivity Fault in
Composite Reservoirs”, SPE 84295, presented at the SPE Annual Technical
Conference and Exhibition, Denver, Colorado, October, 2003.

40. ANDERSON, D.M. and MATTAR, L.: “Material–Balance–Time During Linear

and Radial Flow”, CIPC 2003-201, presented at the Canadian International
Petroleum Conference, Calgary, Alberta, June, 2003.

39. ANDERSON, D.M., JORDAN, C.L., MATTAR, L.: “Why Plot the Equivalent
Time Derivative on Shut-in Time Coordinates?”, presented at the SPE Gas
Technology Symposium, May 2002, Paper number 75703.

38. POOLADI-DARVISH, M. and MATTAR, L.: “SAGD Operations in the Presence

of Overlying Gas Cap and Water Layer-Effect of Shale Layers, CIM 2001-178

37. THOMPSON, T. W. and MATTAR, L.: “Gas Rate Forecasting During Boundary-
Dominated Flow”, CIM 2000-46, Canadian International Petroleum Conference
2000, Calgary, Alberta, June 2000.
36. JORDAN, C. L. and MATTAR, L.: “Comparison of Pressure Transient Behaviour
of Composite and Multi-layered Reservoirs,” presented at the Canadian
International Petroleum Conference, Calgary, Alberta, June, 2000.
35. MATTAR, L.: “DISCUSSION OF A Practical Method for Improving the Accuracy
of Well Test Analyses through Analytical Convergence”, Journal of Canadian
Petroleum Technology, May 1999.
34. STANISLAV, J., JIANG, Q. and MATTAR, L.: “Effects of Some Simplifying
Assumptions on Interpretation of Transient Data”, CIM 96-51, 47th Annual
Technical Meeting of the Petroleum Society of CIM, Calgary, Alberta, June 1998.
33. MATTAR, L. and McNEIL, R. “The Flowing Gas Material Balance”, Journal of
Canadian Petroleum Technology (February, 1998), 52, 55
32. MATTAR, L.: “Derivative Analysis Without Type Curves,” presented at the 48th
Annual Technical Meeting of the Petroleum Society of CIM, Calgary, Alberta,
June 8-11, 1997
31. MATTAR, L.: “Computers - Black Box or Tool Box?” Guest Editorial, Journal of
Canadian Petroleum Technology, (March, 1997), 8
30. MATTAR, L.: “How Useful are Drawdown Type Curves in Buildup Analysis?”,
CIM 96-49, 47th Annual Technical Meeting of the Petroleum Society of CIM,
Calgary, Alberta, June 1996.
29. MATTAR, L. and SANTO, M.S.: “A Practical and Systematic Approach to
Horizontal Welltest Analysis”, The Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology,
(November, 1995), 42-46
28. MATTAR, L.: “Optimize Your Gas Deliverability With F.A.S.T. PIPERTM,
American Pipeline Magazine, August, 1995, 16-17.
27. MATTAR, L.: “Commingling”, Internal Report
26. MATTAR, L.: “Reservoir Pressure Analysis: Art or Science?”, Distinguished
Authors Series, The Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology, (March, 1995),
13-16
25. MATTAR, L.: “Practical Well Test Interpretation”, SPE 27975, University of Tulsa
Centennial Petroleum Engineering Symposium, Tulsa, OK, U.S.A., Aug., 1994
24. MATTAR, L., HAWKES, R.V., SANTO, M.S. and ZAORAL, K.: "Prediction of
Long Term Deliverability in Tight Formations", SPE 26178, SPE Gas Technology
Symposium, Calgary, Alberta, June, 1993
23. MATTAR, L.: "Critical Evaluation and Processing of Data Prior to Pressure
Transient Analysis," presented at the 67th Annual Technical Conference and
Exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Washington, D.C., October 4-7,
1992
22. MATTAR, L. and SANTO, M.S.: "How Wellbore Dynamics Affect Pressure
Transient Analysis," The Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology, Vol. 31,
No. 2, February, 1992
21. MATTAR, L. and ZAORAL, K.: "The Primary Pressure Derivative (PPD) - A New
Diagnostic Tool in Well Test Interpretation," The Journal of Canadian Petroleum
Technology, Vol. 31, No. 4, April, 1992
20. ABOU-KASSEM, J.H., MATTAR, L. and DRANCHUK, P.M.: "Computer
Calculations of Compressibility of Natural Gas", Journal of Canadian Petroleum
Technology, Calgary, Alberta, Sep.-Oct. 1990, Vol. 29 No. 5 p. 105
19. MATTAR, L.: "IPR's and All That - The Direct and Inverse Problem", Preprint
Paper No. 87-38-13, 38th Annual Technical Meeting of the Petroleum Society of
CIM, Calgary, Alberta, June 1987
18. BRAR, G.S. and MATTAR, L.: "Reply to Discussion of: The Analysis of Modified
Isochronal Tests to predict the Stabilized Deliverability of Gas Wells without
Using Stabilized Flow Data", The Journal of Petroleum Technology, AIME
(January, 1987), 89-92
17. LAIRD, A.D. and MATTAR, L.: "Practical Well Test Design to Evaluate Hydraulic
Fractures in Low Permeability Wells", Preprint Paper No. 85-36-8, 36th Annual
Technical Meeting of the Petroleum Society of CIM, Edmonton, Alberta, June
1985
16. MATTAR, L. and ZAORAL, K.: "Gas Pipeline Efficiencies and Pressure Gradient
Curves", Preprint Paper No. 84-35-93, 35th Annual Technical Meeting of the
Petroleum Society of CIM, Calgary, Alberta, June 1984
15. MATTAR, L. and HAWKES, R.V.: "Start of the Semi-Log Straight Line in Buildup
Analysis", Preprint Paper No. 84-35-92, 35th Annual Technical Meeting of the
Petroleum Society of CIM, Calgary, Alberta, June 1984
14. WASSON, J. and MATTAR, L.: "Problem Gas Well Build-Up Tests - A Field
Case Illustration of Solution Through the Use of Combined Techniques", The
Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology (March - April, 1983), 36-54
13. NUTAKKI, R. and MATTAR, L.: "Pressure Transient Analysis of Wells in Very
Long Narrow Reservoirs", Preprint Paper No. SPE 1121, 57th Annual Fall
Technical Conference and Exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers of
AIME, New Orleans, LA, September 1982
12. LIN, C. and MATTAR, L.: "Determination of Stabilization Factor and Skin Factor
from Isochronal and Modified Isochronal Tests", The Journal of Canadian
Petroleum Technology (March - April, 1982), 89-94
11. MATTAR, L. and LIN, C.: "Validity of Isochronal and Modified Isochronal Testing
of Gas Wells", Preprint Paper SPE 10126, 56th Annual Fall Technical
Conference of AIME, San Antonio, TX, October 1981
10. KALE, D. and MATTAR, L.: "Solution of a Non-Linear Gas Flow Equation by the
Perturbation Technique", The Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology
(October-December, 1980), 63-67
9. ADEGBESAN, K.O. and MATTAR, L.: "Prediction of Pressure Drawdown in Gas
Reservoirs Using a Semi-Analytical Solution of the Non-Linear Gas Flow
Equation", Preprint Paper No. 80-31-39, 31st Annual Technical Meeting of the
Society of CIM, Calgary, Alberta, May 198077. MATTAR, L.: “Variation of
Viscosity-Compressibility Product With Pressure of Natural Gas", Internal Report,
1980
8. MATTAR, L.: “Variation of Viscosity-Compressibility Product With Pressure of
Natural Gas", Internal Report, 1980
7. MATTAR, L., NICHOLSON, M., AZIZ, K. and GREGORY, G.: "Orifice Metering
of Two-Phase Flow", The Journal of Petroleum Technology, AIME (August,
1979), 955-961
6. AZIZ, K., MATTAR, L., KO, S. and BRAR, G.: "Use of Pressure, Pressure
Squared or Pseudo-Pressure in the Analysis of Transient Pressure Drawdown
Data from Gas Wells", The Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology, (April -
June, 1976), 1-8
5. MATTAR, L., BRAR, G.S. and AZIZ, M.: "Compressibility of Natural Gases", The
Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology, (October-December, 1975), 77-80
4. E.R.C.B. (1975), "Theory and Practice of the Testing of Gas Wells, Third Edition"
(co-authored by L. MATTAR) Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board,
Calgary
3. MATTAR, L. and GREGORY, G.: "Air-Oil Slug Flow in An Upward-Inclined Pipe
- 1: Slug Velocity, Holdup and Pressure Gradient", The Journal of Canadian
Petroleum Technology, (January - March, 1974), 1-8
2. GREGORY, G. and MATTAR, L.: "An In-Situ Volume Fraction Sensor for Two
Phase Flows of Non-Electrolytes", The Journal of Canadian Petroleum
Technology, (April - June, 1973), 1-5
1. MATTAR, L.: "Slug Flow Uphill In an Inclined Pipe", M.Sc. Thesis, University of
Calgary, Alberta, 1973
 EXPERT WITNESS TESTIMONY

LOUIS MATTAR, P.Eng

Appeared before National Energy Board / Alberta Energy Utilities Board to give
evidence and testimony relating to oil and gas issues on several occasions to represent:

i) NOVA Corporation of Alberta

ii) Merland Exploration Limited
iii) GasCan Resources Ltd.
iv) Bralorne Resources Limited
v) Encor Inc.
vi) Norcen Energy Resources Ltd.
vii) Gulf Canada Resources Ltd.
viii) Paramount Resources
ix) Devon Canada Inc
x) Rio Alto
xi) Alberta Energy Company

Appeared before the Alberta Court of Queens Bench, as an expert, to represent:

i) Novalta Resources Ltd.