THE ESSENTIALS

of wireline formation tester

 WIRELINE FORMATIONTESTER

1 - INTRODUCTION

- The formation tester provides a safe, economical, fast - G.O.R.

and reliable method for testing a potential producing
- Water cm.
zone in open or cased hole.

- All necessary operations are accomplished on one When a segregator sample chamber is used, the
trip in rhe hole. recovered sample is uncontaminated and can be
used for P.V.T. analysis.
- These operations include :

1. SPIGR correlation or casing collar logging

2. Perforating (in cased hole) 3. Evaluate the bottom hole pressures :

3. Sealed sampling of rcsermir fluids - reservoir shut-in pressure,

4. Surface recording of pressure during rhe entire - flowing pressure,

test period.
- hydrostatic pressure.
- The rest informarion enables us to :

1. Predict 01 confirm the formation productivity

by fluid identifkation and pressure analysis.
4. Dctcrminc reservoir parameters :

- Productivity,
2. Establish the main fluid characteristics such as :

- OiI gravity, - Pemeability.

 2 - TOOLS DESCRIPTION AND PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION

2 - 1 FORMATION TESTER [F.T.] Uses : open and cased holes

Sample shot types : snorkel tube or shaped charge.

(A) INITIAL SAMPLE SHOT (B) NO INITIAL FLOW-

“Flow Line Valve” SECONDARY SAMPLE SHOT
“Shaped Charge”

--3 AI 111 v, ‘,

Figure l-a : Formation Tesm

 2 - 2 FORMATlOW INTERVAL TESTER [FLT.)

Uses : open and cased holes

Sample shot types :
OPEN HOLE
Two tube followers,
Two shaped charges,
One tube follower plus
One shaped charge,
CASED HOLE
Two shaped charges.

Figure l-b : Formation tester packer assembly Figure 2-b : F.I.T. gun block with shaped charges

-4-
 PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
(F.I.T. combination GUN BLOCK: shaped charge and tube
follower in open hole)
see figures 4, 5 and 6.

1. The tester is positioned at the proper depth. Positive

deprh control is assured by SP tie-in in open hole. In
areas where an SP log is not recorded, a gamma ray
detector is run simultaneously with the Tester for
depth control. (STAGE 1).

2. * The hydraulic multiplier system uses mud column

pressure co force the packer rings against the borehole
wall.

3. With the packer forming a seal between the mud

cdumn and the formation, the flow line is opened to
allow formation fluids to flow into the sample
chamber through the hydraulic tube follower. If flow
occurs rhe shaped charge will not be fired. On the
contrary, if the sampling pressure is low and a
sufficient sample cannot be obtained, the shaped
charge is fved (STAGE 2 and 3).

4. After the cool has remained open for a sufficient

period of time, the seal valve is closed, sealing the
sample chamber. (STAGE 4).

5. If pressure buid-up data are to be taken in a low

permeability formation, the tool is left shut-in and a
final shut-in pressure obtained. The tool is then
collapsed and brought OUT of the hole. (STAGE 5).

6. At the surface a pressure gauge, valve, gas separator,

and meter are connected to the sample chamber. The
recovery may then be measured and analyscd.

* When the “reverse firing technique” is employed

the flowline is opened before the mud valve. This
eliminates the initial shock on the packer and the
formarion, resulting in minimum differential pressure
and less sand flow.

Figure 2-a : F.I.T. with rwo shaped charges

-5
 (A) INITIAL SAMPLE SHOT (B) NO INITIAL FLOW-
SECONDARY SAMPLE SHOT
“Flow Line Valve”
“Shaped Charge”

!a -
/

. m*..
y * .
. .
. . .
-..
.:
,;.: . :: 1
+y- F;ont Cap :‘.I
. ;: , ..
’
-open Port :. .I
-.:-1
..‘:
. 3tube follower’ .:I
. . .
-.
. .:
,.-I .’
..i

’ .:I
;:- . Shaped Charge+
.. .:
. . ‘1.
-. .*:
. *..
:.
: :,
,. 1. \
, I
. . .- -
.
..:
. a. J
* ..::
. .
, . :.’
. -

‘F-

Figure 3 : F.I.T. with tube follower and shaped charge

-6
 MULTIPLIER PISTON

HYDRAULIC OIL

PRESSURE REGULATOR
DUMP CHAMBER
HYDRAULIC PRESSURE GAUGE

PRESSURE EQUALIZING -
VALVE TUBE FOLLOWER

BACK-UP PAD
RETRACTED RUBBER SEAL RINGS

SHAPED CHARGE

SAMPLE PRESSURE GAUGE

MEASURING MUD PRESSURE

FLOWLINE VALVE FLOULINE VALVE CLOSED

SEAL VALVE BREAK PLUG SAMPLE FLOWLINE

AMERADA/HUGEL CONNECTION

SAMPLE DRAIN

SAMPLE CHAMBER FLOATING PISTON

Figure 4 : STAGE 1 Going in the hole

MUD VALVE
OPENED

HYDRAULIC SYSTEM
PRESSURIZED BY
DIFFERENTIAL h
PISTON

BACK UP SHOE
MOVED OUTWARD
FORCING PACKEUS FORMATION
AGAINST FORMA-
TION

MEASURING
FLOWING PRESSURE BUILD
FLOW LINE VALVE PRESSURE UP IN CHAMBER
OPENED ALLOWING
RESERVOIR FLUID
INTO CHAMBER

PISTON MOVING
DOWNWARDDIS-
PLACING WATER - PISTON REACHES
CUSHION INTO LOWEST POSITION.
EMPTY CONTAINER PRESSURE IN
THROUGH CHOKE CHAMBER
CONTAINER BUILDS UP.

STAGE 2
STAGE 3
- Packers set
- Flow'line valve Opened Shaped charge is fired.
- Flow of reservoir fluid
into chamber.

Figure5

-a-
 DUMP SHOT FIRED
RELEASING
PRESSURE OF
HYDR. SYSTEM.

EQUALIZING-
VALVE

BACK UP SHOE
RETRACTS.

IN FLOM LINE.

FIRED SEAL VALVE CLOSED.

SAMPLE SECURED
VALVE

STAGE 4 STAGE 5

Seai valve closed I Coming out of the hole

Figure 6
SURFACE CONTROL AND PRESSURE RECORDING
(see figure 7)

TRACK 1 : Hydraulic pressurepad action

and firing operations.

TRACK 2 & 3 : Flowline pressure

RECORDING SEQUENCE

A Calibration signal is sent to both flowline pressure

and hydraulic pressure measuring circuits.

B. Hydrostatic pressure is measured.

C. Mud valve is opened. Hydraulic pressure increases and

the tool is set at test depth.

D. Flowline is opened allowing formation fluid to flow

into the sample chamber.

E. Shaped charge is fired.

F. Sample chamber is filled up. Beginning of pressure

build-up.

G. Static reservoir pressure is reached.

H. Sample chamber is sealed.

I. Pressure build-up above the staric pressure is due to

overpressuring the flowline fluid. (pseudo shut-in TRACK 1 TRACK 2 and 3
pressure).

.I. Hydraulic pressure is dumped and packer retracts.

Figure 7
K. gydrosratic pressure is recorded.

10
2 - 3 REPEAT FORMATION TESTER [R.F.T.)
(for open hole only)

MAIN FEATURES When the pretest indication is satisfactory, one of the

seal valves is opened to allow fluid to enter a firsr sample
- Pressure measurement accuray to 0.29% with special chamber. The second fluid chamber can subsequently be
calibration procedure. filled or saved for sampling af a different depth. These
- Two fluid chambers. valves may be closed and reopened at any time during the
- Any number of settings for static pressure test in order to obtain a pressure build up measurements.
measurements or selection of more permeable zones.
- Sequential runs can be repeated without time losses
for tool preparation. If the pretest indications are negarive, the tool is
simply retracted an operation that automatically empties
the pretest chambers and opens the equalizing valve.

The repeat formation tester (RFT) can be set any Tbe tool pretest operation permits recording of two
number of rimes in rhe well. This permits the operating flowing pressures (for 60 cm3/min. and I50 cm31min.
engineer to “pretest” or “probe” the formation for more flowrates), rhe pressure build up curve, and the initial
permeable zones and to check for adequate seal before reservoir pressure.
attemptingafluid sample, and 01 the recording of formation
pKSSUr.Z.
The pressures are measured by means of a strain
On setting the tool, most of the mud cake is pushed gauge sensor whose accuracy is up to 0.29% when specially
away by the packer and the probe forced into the formation. calibrated. Otherwise 0.49%. Direct digital read-out is
A piston is then retracted exposing the tubular filter to the provided on the control panel with simultaneous analog and
formation fluid (see figure 9). digital recording.

11 -
 /MUD CAKE
_

‘. ,.

-
:. .

. . . L
L , ‘_.

. . -.
FLOW I PROBE CLOSED
LINE f : DURING
I
INITIAL SET

‘AND SAMPLING

10 CC PRE-TEST CHAKBER 10 CC PRE-TEST CHAMBER

valve (to mud column)

SYSTEM SCHEMATIC
'MUD

SAXPLING 'FORM

FSIP

aP60
AP150

Figure 10

12 -
 3 - RECOVERYANALYSIS

The total amount of recovered fluids should be where x : percentage of formation water
carefully measured and samples retained until the end of all
measurements and test interpretation conclusions. RF : Salinity of recovered water (ppm)

Figure 11 shows the surface measuring equipment. MF : Salinity of mud filtrare (PPm)

GAS The total amount of recovered gas is composed of : FW : Salinity of formation vfater (ppm)
- Explosion or shot gas The amount depends on the
type of equipment and should be detucted from
total recovered gas. Its volume is calculated according
to specific charts.
Formation water percentage can also be calculated
- using charts ET2 and FT3. However, for very low MF and
Solution gas. This is gas dissolved in the formation
RW (less than 10000 ppm) this method becomes unreliable
water. It should be estimated according to solubility
due to the effect of bicarbonate ions, srreaming potentials,
charts and then deducted from total gas.
and desalting by the mud cake.
- Free gas. It is equal to total recovered gas minus
solution and explosion gas.

WATER Recovered water is a mixture of formation

water and mud filtrate. The amount of formation OX Since the recovered oil volumes are usually rela-
water is calculated by the following equation : tively low, the measwement should be done with
extreme care. Traces could be detected by floures-
RF = x FW + (1-X) MF cence. In the case of an emulsion of oil and water,
the component fluids are separated using a
then centrifuge or by means of a demulsifying agent.

RF - MF A.P.I. Gravity of oil is measured using a hydrometer

.X= x 100
FW -MF and corrected to 60°F.

- 13
 DETERMINATION OF FORMATION WATER PERCENTAGE

t
I
I
Rmf
Rrf

150
rATlC p35
SP
310

Chart FT-2
“... . . -_.-- .~ ._. --
 SEPARATOR

I’
/ ,,,,,,,,,,,,, .” ,, , ‘,, .A< , / ,, I ,,,, / m

Figure 11 : sample transfer system

 4 - INTERPRETATIONMETHODSAND EXAMPLES

The following table smmnarizes the interpretation

methods :

4 - 1 FORMATION FLUID DFTERMWATlON

LARGE HYDROCARBON RECOVERY

I Recovered gas volume is plotted vs recovered oil

volame on the chart m-1.

A plot above the appropriate shut-in pressure curve

is a reliable indication that the tested interval will produce
gas and/or oil on initial production.

A plot below the shut-in pressure cume is not a

positive condemnation of the interval.

Water cut is Cal&red by :

Volume of fomlation water
water cut (%) = Xl00
volume of formation water + oil
Chart FT-I
If water cut is lower than 10 % it can be ignored.

17
 EXAMPLE 1

Recovery data : Chm FTZ Rmf/Rw = 5.94

Gas : 23 tuft Rmf/R,.f = 2.16
Oil : 7250 cd Formation wafer percentage : 21 %
Water : 1350 an3 Rrf = 0.88 at 7S°F
Formation wafer volume :284cm”
Log data :
Water cut = 2s4 = 4%
Rmf : 1.90 at 7S°F 72.50 +284
RW : 0.32 at 7S°F
This zone was perforated and produced 120BbUd of
Tool data : 2 3/4 gallon sample chamber
oil with GOR = 700 stcuftlBb1 and no water.
Pressure data :
Sampling : 2700 psi
Stat-in : 2800 psi Chart ET1 shows oil production with GOR w 500
Hydrostatic : 3200 psi stcuftlBb1

- 18
 SMALL HYDROCARBON RECOVERY JFT : specific productivity index (Bblldlpsi-ft)

9 : sampling flowrate (cm3 /sec.)

This is generally the case of deep invasion where the
recovered fluid is predominantly mud fdtrate with traces Pwf : sampling or flowing pressure (psi)
of oil and gas. The interpretation rules are based on the initial or extrapolated reservoir pressure (psi)
Pi :
percentage of formation wafer (x) in the total recovered
water. h : thickness of tested interval (feet) 0.75 ft pa
shor
x< 10% Oil or gas production with no water
The sampling flowrate is calculated as follows :
lO< xQ25% Oil or gas production with low
Recovered fluid volume (cm”)
water cut. - either q =
Sampling time (set)
x> 25% Oil or gas production with high
water cut. - or by means of choke performance chart FT7.

JFT and RrlR, are plowed on the chart FT9 which defines
COMBINED FTIRt METHOD the interval productivity

This method is used to :

- Canfirm the results of fluid determination.

- Establish a definitive interpretation when the

recovered fluid results are not conclusive.
,
I Specific productivity index :
0.55 q
JFT =
MPi - PA

Chart FT-7 Chart FT-9

‘19.
 EXAMPLE 2
(FT/Rt method)

Recovery data : Choke size : 4 x 0.02”

Free gas : 28.5 cd-t - Chart FTl indicates oil production with GOR =
Oil 4100 cd 1200 acuft/Bbl
Water : 2900 cm’
- Formation water determination :
R,.f : 0.34 at 8YF
RmfiRw = 1.8 R,,,flRfi = 1.2
Pressure data :
Percentage of formation water : 21%
samplii : 1830 psi
Formation water volume : 610 cm3
Sampling time : 14.2 min. 610
water cut = = 13 %
Shut-in : 1850 psi 610 + 4100
tlydrosmic : 2250 psi - Flowrate and JFT derermimtion :

Log data : P = 12 dkc with chart FT7

0.55 x 12
RW 0.22 at 85OF JFT = = 0.44 Bbl/d/psi ft.
0.75 x 20
Rmf 0.402 at 85OF
- Well Productivity :
RtlR, : 30
chart ET9 confiis : oil production witb no water.
Tool data :
Sample size unit 2 314gal Thii zone was put on production and gave oil (with
Type sample shot : shaped charges no wata) GOR = 2000 stcuftlBb1.

- 20
 4 - 2 PERMEABILITY DETERMINATION JFT is the specific productivity index Bbllday(psi-ft)

SAMPLING PERIOD ANALYSIS

The Darcy’s law for radial cyliidrical stabilized

NOTE :
flow is : -
The viscosity b of a mixture of water (viscosity fi,),
12.9 x 10” k h (pi - pwf) oilkscosity &,I and gas (viscosity %) is :
9 =
tin (Ie 1 r&
& = (k x % water) +(/I, x % oil) +c!.lg x % gas)
where :

9 : flowrate (cd/set)
k : permeabiity (millidarcy)
SHUT-IN PERIOD ANALYSIS
h : thickness of tested interval (ft)
(h = 0.75 ftkhot) The pressure build-up equation is :
!JWf: sampling or flowing pressure (psi)
88.4~1 q At
Pi : initial or extrapolated reservoir Pws=Pi + h k log -
t +At
pressure (psi)
P : viscosity of fluid at bottom hole pws : after shut-in pressure (psi)
conditions (cp)
t : flowing 01 sampling time prior shut-in (set)
re : extend boundary radius (ft)
At : time after shut-in for build-up (set)
rw : well radius (ft)
On a semi log grid the plot pws vs log - At is
t + At
a straight line b.zg~eccing the after flow period).
I For the boundary conditions of the fomxxion tester :
In (re/rw) :. = 8 pi is obtained extrap&ting the stCght line to the
At
value - = 1.
Then, t + At

k is calculated from the straight line slope

(2 psilcyde)

88.4 /.I q
k =
k = 113OJ~~p Zh

-21-
 EXAMPLE3

Recovery data : Type sample shot : shaped charges

Chokesize : 0.02”
Free gas 15 tuft
Formation fluid determination :
oil 8200 cm3

Water 1500 cm3 - CHART FTl indicates oil production with

Pressure date : GOR = 300 stcuft/Bbl

sampling 1500 psi - q = 20 cm”lsec CHART FT7

Initial shut-in : 3270 psi

- 0.55 q 0.55 x 20 =
Final shut-in : see pressure build up JET-T=
h (Pi - P& = 0.75 x (3270-1500)
data

Hydrostatic 3900 psi 0.083 Bbl/d/psi-ft

Sampling time : 500 xc - wirh q/Rw = 300 and JFT = 0.083 CHART FT9
Log dara indicates oil production (no wafer cut)
: I$‘% = 300

Fluid data : Permeability calculation :

Oil viscosity : 1.5 cp

- Dar+ law equation :
Water viscosity : 0.8 cp
k= 1130pJn= 1130x 1.32 x0.0083 = 12md
Gas viscosity : 0.02 cp

- Build up interpreration (see figure 12)

1.5x8200+0.8x1500+550x0.02
pDliX= = 1.32cp
10250 - Extrapolated reservoir pressure : 3270 psi

PRESSURE BUILDUP DATA : Straight line slope : 3270 - 3060 = 210 psi/cycle

88.4P q = 88.4 x 1.32 x 20

T = 500 xc k= =lSmd
hZ 0.75 x 210

pressure at
At xc
T +At
2090 18 ,035
2235 24 ,046
2400 29 .055
2570 32 .060
2680 35 ,065
2780 37 ,069
2880 39 ,072
3010 45 ,083
3060 52 .094
3090 80 .138
3130 137 ,215
3150 180 ,265

Tool data :

Sample size unit : 2 3/4gal

22
NOTES

23