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Specific schematic of Pressure Test consisting of long-term shut-in, followed by FLOWING test (Drawdown / Injection) then followed by  Build-up / Fall-off (see Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 –  Horner Test schematic


The interpretation of Horner Test can be performed by conventional pressure diffusion model fitting.

But historically it was given a specific focus due to simplifications from using the Superposition Time concept, particularly when the following conditions hold true:

  • both production  T and shut-in  \Delta t period reach radial flow regime:  T > t_{IARF}\Delta t > t_{IARF}

  • total duration of production and shut-in do not reach the boundary T+\Delta t < t_e


In this case one 

(1) p_{wf}(\Delta t) = p_e - \frac{q_t}{4 \pi \sigma} \, \ln \left( 1 + \frac{T}{\Delta t} \right)


The main features of Horner model are:

it provides reliable estimation of formation pressure  p_e  and formation transmissibility  \sigma

it does not require the knowledge of pressure diffusivity  \chi (unlike the case of a drawdown test)

it does not depend on diffusion model specifics as soon as IARF is developed during the test

it does not provide skin-factor estimation


The formula  (1) shows that pressure during the shut-in segment of Honer test is not dependant on skin-factor and pressure diffusivity.


The formation pressure  p_e and transmissibility  \sigma are estimated with LSQ regression:

\left \{ p_{wf} \right \} = p_e - b \, \left \{ \ln \left( 1 + \frac{T}{\Delta t} \right) \right \}
\sigma = \frac{q_t}{4 \pi b}


Horner model is a good example of how a complicated problem of non-linear regression on three parameters   \{ p_e, \, S, \, \sigma \} with upfront knowledge of pressure diffusivity may sometimes be simplified to a  fast-track linear regression on two parameters without any additional assumptions on reservoir properties.


See Also


Petroleum Industry / Upstream / Subsurface E&P Disciplines / Well Testing / Pressure Testing Pressure Transient Analysis (PTA)




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