Abstract

Four methods are currently used for well test data interpretation in hydrocarbon-bearing formations which are conventional straight line, type curve-matching, non-linear regression (computer assisted) and TDS technique. The first is a very important method but has two main drawbacks: difficult to define a given region or flow regime and requires one plot for each flow regime. The second one is basically a trial-and-error method, and it is tedious and risky. It requires hundreds of type curves. The third one requires expensive computer software and involves none uniqueness of the solution; it is also the most used and misused worldwide. And the last one is very versatile, practical and self-verifiable. This short paper deals with the importance and application of this last technique which is not very much used in the hydrocarbon industry, maybe, due to a conservative tendency or ignorance of it. More than 200 hundred publications and a couple of books have been published on this issue. Impact of such publications is very low, though

Keywords

well test, pressure derivative, TDS technique, permeability