Methods for determining the production flow rate of oil and gas wells for design, optimization, and forecasting of well efficiency

Abstract

This useful solution pertains to the field of oil and gas exploration, specifically relating to methods for determining the production flow rate of oil and gas wells through the construction of an Inflow Performance Relationship (IPR). The method includes the following steps: determining the operating parameters of the production well, including the average via pressure (pr), bottom pressure of the production well (pwr), and production flow rate (q); determining the characteristic flow parameters, including the flow state exponent (n), the non-Darcy coefficient (D), and the transition exponent (m), using regression analysis from the well's operating parameters; and determining the inflow efficiency relationship (IPR) using a unified IPR equation. Construct an inflow-effectiveness relationship (IPR) curve across the entire range of bottomhole pressure; and determine the production flow rate corresponding to the bottomhole pressure under the well's operating conditions based on the IPR curve. The unified IPR equation uses the parameter set (n, D, m) to continuously describe linear Darcy flow regimes, pseudo-radial flow, and non-Darcy flow in a single model, eliminating the need to select the IPR model for each flow regime separately. This useful solution allows for increased accuracy in determining production flow rates, ensuring the continuity of the inflow efficiency relationship across the entire production pressure range, while also supporting the design, optimization of production modes, and prediction of production efficiency of oil and gas wells. Real-world test data from production wells in the Cuu Long and Nam Con Son basins, Vietnam, show that the method achieves a coefficient of determination R² > 0.98, contributing to improved accuracy in determining production flow rates, eliminating the need to guess the flow regime, and supporting the design, optimization of production regimes, and prediction of oil and gas production efficiency.