Production Optimization

Using Nodal Analysis

Mahmoud F. Radwan
Subsurface & Integrity Op. Dept. Head
Presenter Name:
Mahmoud Farag Radwan

Mahmoud Radwan is a Subsurface & Integrity Operations Dept. Head at AMAL Petroleum
Company (AMAPETCO) with more than 12 years of experience in oil & gas industry.
Mahmoud worked in Well Engineering, Intervention, Integrity & Work-over at several
Short companies, including Badr El-Din Pet. Co. (BAPETCO), Qarun Pet. Co. (QPC) and Wadi El-
Biography Sahel Petroleum Co. (WASPETCO).
Also, a freelance instructor at upstream Oil & Gas in Egypt & UAE since 2008.
Mahmoud received a BSc degree in Petroleum Engineering from Al-Azhar University in
2007.

- Evaluating Sustainable Annulus Pressure (SAP) in Sour Wells and the Possible Causes to
Avoid Recurrence to the Well Integrity Annual Middle East Conference in Abu Dhabi; UAE
in Apr 2015
- Implementing NDT methods for maintenance and inspection to the Asset Integrity
Management North Africa Conference in Cairo; Egypt in Nov 2015
- Feasibility Evaluation of Using Downhole Gas-water Separation Technology in gas
Reservoirs with Bottom Water; paper number: SPE-183739-MS to the 20th Middle East Oil &
Publications Gas Show and Conference in Mar 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/183739-MS
- Managing the Operational Challenges in Corroded Wells through Well Integrity
Management System to the Improving Brownfield Performance Technical Convention, in
Cairo; Egypt in Dec 2019
- Safe and Economic Attractive Rigless Operations Using a Digital Slickline in Unmanned Platform with Low
Structure Loads and Spacing; paper number: SPE--202857-MS to the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum
Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Nov 2020 http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/183739-MS
 Outline
 Explain the concept of Nodal Analysis (System analysis)

 Describe segments between the reservoir and the separator

where pressure loss occurs

 Solution node

 Inflow & Outflow performance curve

 System analysis plot (Nodal plot)

 Nodal Analysis Application

 Suggested Procedure for Nodal Analysis Application

 Well Performance Software

Production Optimization
 System Analysis Approach

• The system analysis approach, often called nodal

analysis, has been applied to analyze the
performance of systems composed of interacting
components.
• Electrical circuits, complex pipeline and
centrifugal pumping systems are all analyzed
using this method.
• Its application to well producing systems was first
proposed by Gilbert in 1954 and discussed by
Nind in 1964.
 Nodal Analysis
Psep

ΔP flowline Pwf
GAS

Pwh Flowline
OIL
+WATER

Q
Separator

IS A METHODOLOGY TO ANALYZE
Tubing THE PRODUCTION SYSTEM AS AN
UNIT TO CALCULATE ITS CAPACITY
WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF:
ΔPtubing
• DESIGNING EACH COMPONENT OF THE
PRODUCTION SYSTEM

• DETECTING PRODUCTION IMPEDIMENTS

Reservoir
• CALCULATING THE EFFECT OF CHANGING
Pr , IPR, K ONE OR MORE COMPONENTS ON THE
CAPACITY OF THE PRODUCTION SYSTEM

ΔPres ΔP = f(Q)
Possible Pressure Losses in A Production System
p8= Pwh-Psep

gas
p6= Pds-Psep
Pwh-Pds = p5

Pwh
Pds Flowline Separator
Psep
Surface choke
Tank
Pdv

Safety valve
 p4= Puv -Pdv Puv
p1=Pr -Pwfs Loss in porous medium
Well p2=Pw fs-Pwf Loss across the completion
p3=Pur -Pdr ” ” restriction
Restriction Pdr p4=Puv-Pdv ” ” safety valve
p5=Pw h-Pds ” ” choke
p6=Pds -Psep ” in flow line
Pur p7=Pw f-Pwh
 p3= Pur-Pdr p8=Pw h-Psep
Total loss in tubing
Total loss in flowline

Reservoir Pwf Pwfs Pr Pe

 p1=P r-P wfs

Pwfs-Pwf =  p2
NODAL ANALYSIS CONCEPT

Q Q
INFLOW NODE OUTFLOW

Pu UPSTREAM
Pn DOWNSTREAM
Pd
COMPONENTS COMPONENTS

ΔPu ΔPd

ΔP = f (Q)

Pnode = Pu – ΔPupstream components (1) = f1(Q)

Pnode = Pd + ΔPdownstream components (2) = f2(Q)

 Inflow Performance Curve
3500
Inflow (Reservoir) Curve
3000
Flowing bottomhole pressure, psi

2500
Drawdown = Pravg -
2000 Pwf
1500

1000

500

0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500
Production rate, STB/D
Outflow Performance Curve
 Outflow Performance
From sandface to wellhead
3 components of pressure drop in tubing
• Gravity
– Affected by oil & gas gravity, water cut, GOR,
flow regime

• Friction
Components of tubing pressure drop

dP Friction
dP Gravity
– Affected by fluid velocity,
2000
dP acceleration
flow regime and wall pressure drop (psi)
1500
roughness
• Acceleration 1000

– Ignorable for all systems

500
except gas with large
depressurisation 0
0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000
Liquid production rate (STB/d)

Slide 13
 Outflow Performance
Tubing pressure drop modelling
Fundamental Well parameters required:
• Deviation survey
– Measured Depths vs. True Vertical Depths

• Completion details
– All restrictions & internal diameter changes
– Wall roughness
– Model down to mid-completion depth except for IPR models with friction

• Geothermal Gradient
– Rock temperatures from wellhead down to reservoir
– Heat transfer coefficient from tubing to formation
• match to test data when possible
• Typically 3 to 12 BTU/hr/ft2/F (can be as high as ~20)

Slide 14
 Flow in a well (or flowline)

• Single phase flow

– Dry gas wells with no water
– Water producers & injectors

• Multiphase flow
– Most oil wells have gas and liquid phases
– Flow regimes
• Describe how phases exist and move in well or pipe
• Differ with rate, ratio of phases and deviation from vertical
• Different flow regimes can occur at different points in well or
flowline because of different local pressure & temperature
– Transition between regimes is often drawn as a 2D flow regime
map

Slide 15
 Multi-phase flow upward in vertical pipes

Bubbly Slug Churn Annular

Experiments provide ‘map’
showing where these
different flow regimes occur
(Taitel & Dukler) flow regime map

Slide 16
 Multi-phase flow in horizontal pipes

Stratified smooth flow

Stratified wavy flow

Plug flow

Slug flow

Annular flow

Dispersed bubble flow

Superficical Gas Velocity (m/s)

Slide 17
 Multi-phase flow terminology
• Phases
– gas, liquid (or solid)

• Hold-up
– proportion of cross-section of pipe occupied by liquid phase

• Slip velocity
– Actual velocity of fluid particles relative to pipe walls

• Superficial velocity
– speed fluid would have if it occupied whole cross-section of pipe

Slide 18
 Outflow Performance Curve
Multi-phase Flow Correlations
Outflow Performance Curve
 Outflow Performance Curve

3500

Tubing Curve
3000
Flowing bottomhole pressure, psi

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500
Production rate, STB/D
 System Graph
3500
Inflow (Reservoir) Curve
3000
Tubing Curve
Flowing bottomhole pressure, psi

2500
1957 psi
2000

1500

1000

500
2111 STB/D

0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500
Production rate, STB/D
 Operating Point - Unstable Flow

PRESSURE AT NODE (P - psi)

Inflow
performance

Apparent operating
point (unstable)

Outflow
curve

FLOWRATE (Q - e.g., BPD)

Operating Point - Dual Intersection

PRESSURE AT NODE (P - psi) Apparent operating

point (unstable) Outflow
curve

Inflow
performance
Apparent operating
point (stable)

FLOWRATE (Q - e.g., BPD)

 Importance of Stable Flow

BOTTOM HOLE PRESSURE (BHP - psi)

Operating point Outflow

(stable) curve
Liquid hold-up at
low flowrates

Unstable Stable
flow region flow region Inflow
performance

FLOWRATE (Q - e.g., BPD)

LOCATION OF VARIOUS NODES

1A

3 2
1

1B
4
NODE LOCATION

1 SEPARATOR
2 SURFACE CHOKE
3 WELLHEAD
4 SAFETY VALVE
5 RESTRICTION
6 Pwf
5 7 Pwfs
8 Pr
1A GAS SALES
1B STOCK TANK

6 7 8
 NODAL ANALYSIS APPLICATION IN A SIMPLE PRODUCTION SYSTEM
(NODE SELECTED AT THE WELLHEAD)

ΔP flowline

Horizontal Gas
Pwh Flowline
NODE
Psep Separator

Tank

Inflow to node:
ΔPtubing Pr – ΔPres – ΔPtubing = Pwh (1)
Vertical or inclined tubing

Outflow from node:

Psep + ΔPflowline = Pwh (2)
Pr, k, IPR

Flow through porous media

ΔPres
 EFFECT OF THE FLOWLINE SIZE
(NODE SELECTED AT THE WELLHEAD)

d1
WELLHEAD PRESSURE, Pwh

d2 > d1

OUTFLOW

INFLOW

FLOWRATE, Q
 NODAL ANALYSIS APPLICATION IN A SIMPLE PRODUCTION SYSTEM
(NODE SELECTED AT THE BOTTOMHOLE)

ΔP flowline

Horizontal Gas
Pwh Flowline

Psep Separator

Tank

Inflow to node:
ΔPtubing Pr – ΔPres = Pwf (1)
Vertical or inclined tubing
Outflow from node:
Psep + ΔPflowline +
ΔPtubing = Pwf (2)
Pr, k, IPR

Pwf Flow through porous media

NODE
ΔPres
 EFFECT OF THE TUBING SIZE
(NODE SELECTED AT THE BOTTOMHOLE)

Pr d1
BOTTOMHOLE FLOWING PRESSURE, Pwf

d2>d1

INFLOW
IPR

OUTFLOW

0
0
FLOWRATE, Q
 FINDING OPTIMUM TUBING SIZE

FLOW RATE, Q

UNSTABLE REGION

DIAMETER FOR
MAXIMUM FLOW RATE

TUBING DIAMETER, d
SIMULTANEOUS EFFECT OF MINIMIZING FLOW RESTRICTIONS
IN THE RESERVOIR AND IN THE PIPING SYSTEM

(NODE AT THE BOTOMHOLE)

d1
Pr
BOTTOMOLE FLOWING PRESSURE, Pwf

2*
WELL WITHOUT SKIN EFFECT
d2>d1
1

WELL WITH
SKIN EFFECT

2**

0
0 PRODUCTION INCREASE

FLOW RATE, Q
BOTTOM HOLE FLOWING PRESSURE, Pwf
GAS LIFT WELL PERFORMANCE

LIQUID PRODUCTION RATE, QL

Maximum liquid production
Pr Excessive GLR

Inflow Performance
IPR

Available gas Economic Optimum

volume

LIQUID PRODUCTION RATE, QL GAS INJECTION RATE, Qgi

(a) Gas lift well analysis (b) Effect of gas injection rate
EFFECT OF PERFORATING DENSITY ON INFLOW

N = NUMBER OF PERFORATIONS PER FOOT

BOTTOMHOLE FLOWING PRESSURE, Pwf

Pr
INFLOW
OUTFLOW
N3>N2

N1

N1>N2

0
0
FLOWRATE, Q
EFFECT OF PERFORATING DENSITY ON FLOW RATE

FLOWRATE, Q

NUMBER OF PERFORATIONS PER FOOT, N

NODAL ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS

• Selecting tubing size.

• Selecting Flowline size.
• Gravel pack design.
• Surface choke sizing.
• Analyzing an existing system for abnormal
flow restrictions (production impediments).
• Artificial lift system design.
• Well stimulation evaluation.
• Analyzing effects of perforating density.
• Predicting the effect of depletion on production
capacity.
• Allocating injection gas among gas lift wells.
• Analyzing a multiwell producing system.
 SUGGESTED PROCEDURE FOR
NODAL ANALYSIS APPLICATION
1. Determine which components in the system can be changed.

2. Select one component to be optimized.

3. Select the node location.

4. Develop expressions for the inflow and outflow.

5. Obtain required data to calculate the pressure drop versus

flow rate fall components.

6. Determine the effect of changing the characteristics of the

selected component by plotting inflow versus outflow and
reading the intersection.

7. Repeat the procedure for each component that is to be

optimized.
 HISTORY CASE
NODAL ANALYSIS FOCUSED ON ARTIFICIAL LIFT

GAS LIFT
BOTTOMHOLE FLOWING PRESSURE, Pwf

Pr

ELECTRICAL SUBMERS IBLE

1 PUMP (ESP)

BUBBLE PRESSURE
Pb

Pwf ESP FAILED DUE TO

2
EXCESSIVE GAS RATE
Pwf<<<<Pb
0
0 PRODUCTION
INCREAS E
FLOW RATE, Q
 HISTORY CASE
NODAL ANALYSIS FOCUSED ON ARTIFICIAL LIFT

GAS LIFT
BOTTOMHOLE FLOWING PRESSURE, Pwf

Pr
IPR IMPROVED BY
REPERFORATION +
STIMULATION JOB
ELECTRICAL SUBMERS IBLE
1 PUMP (ESP)

3 ZERO GAS IN
THE PUMP
Pwf > Pb
BUBBLE PRESSURE
Pb
WELL WITH A
VERY STRONG
SKIN EFFECT 2

0
0 PRODUCTION INCREASE

FLOW RATE, Q
 HISTORY CASE
NODAL ANALYSIS FOCUSED ON INFLOW RESERVOIR PERFORMANCE

BEAM PUMPING
BOTTOMHOLE FLOWING PRESSURE, Pwf

Pr
2 WELL STIMULATED WITH
STEAM SOAK
1

VERY SMALL INCREASE

IN PRODUCTION WAS ACHIEVED

0
0
FLOW RATE, Q
 History Case
Nodal Analysis Focused on Inflow Reservoir Performance

BEAM PUMPING
BOTTOMHOLE FLOWING PRESSURE, Pwf

Pr

1
ELECTRICAL SUBMERS IBLE
PUMP (ESP)

0 1000 BPD
0 PRODUCTION INCREASE

FLOW RATE, Q
Well Restricted by Piping System and
Near Wellbore Skin Effect

Pr
BOTTOM HOLE FLOWING PRESSURE, Pwf

2 OUTFLOW

1
4

INFLOW
3

0
0
FLOW RATE, Q
 Analyzing Multiwell Systems
A change made in any component in the system would affect the
producing capacity of the total system, Some of the changes that
could be considered are:

• Working over individual wells

• Placing some wells on artificial lift
• Add new wells
• Shutting in some of the existing wells
• Changes in producing characteristics with time
• Effect of surface line sizes
• Instalation of pumps or compressors
• Effect of the final outlet pressure
 Analyzing Multiwell Systems

Pwf1

PA System
Q1 Capacity
Well 1
A B
QA=Q1+Q2+Q3

Well 2

Pwf2

Q2 Well 3
Pwf3

Q3
 Well Performance Software

The most noteworthy well performance programs on the market

today are:
 Prosper (Petroleum Experts)
 WellFlo (Edinburgh Petroleum Services)
 Perform (Dwight’s / IHS Energy Services)
 PipeSim (Schlumberger)
 WEM (P.E. Mosely & Associates)
In addition to these programs, numerous other well performance
programs have been developed for commercial or private use.
Thank You