Heat transfer and well test matching

5.2.2.3. Heat transfer#

On the Heat Transfer tab, you can model the temperature distribution along the wellbore.

The tab consists of the following parts:

• General parameters at the top of the tab.

• Heat distribution pane in the left part of the tab.

• Temperature profile pane in the right part of the tab.

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General Parameters#

General parameters are required for modeling the wellbore temperature profile.

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There, you need to specify the Surface temperature and Reservoir temperature values and select the calculation method from the Method list.

Two calculation models are available:

• Hassan-Kabir: Provides more accurate estimates as it takes into account heat transfer coefficients of the well casing, tubing, cement, and formation, as well as thermal conductivity of the surrounding formation. This method is based on a semi-analytical model developed by Hasan and Kabir, which solves the energy balance equations to estimate fluid and formation temperatures during steady-state or transient flow in the wellbore.

• Rough Approximation: Provides less accurate but faster estimates. It requires fewer input parameters and uses only a general (lumped) heat transfer coefficient. This model is suitable for quick estimations or cases where detailed thermal data is unavailable. It generates a simplified temperature profile along the wellbore.

  Important

  If precise physical properties are not available, it is recommended to use the Hassan-Kabir model. Its default configuration still provides more accurate results.

Heat Distribution#

The pane contains well parameters that affect temperature distribution along the wellbore.

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Depending on the selected model (see description above), different sets of parameters are available.

If the Hassan-Kabir model is selected, the pane contains two parameter groups:

• Heat transfer coefficient#

• Thermal conductivity#

If the Rough Approximation model is selected, only the Heat transfer coefficient value can be specified.

Temperature Profile#

The pane contains a chart representing the well temperature profile constructed based on the input data and selected calculation model.

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To improve the profile accuracy, you can add more information about the wellbore temperature at different depths. For details, see Adding Well Test Data.

You can also expand the pane to full screen or collapse it back to the original size using the Expand ( ) / Collapse ( ) buttons located in the upper-right corner of the pane.

5.2.2.3.1. Configuring Heat Transfer Parameters#

To configure the well heat transfer parameters, perform the following actions:

1. Open the nv.design module. For details on navigation in the system, see System Interface.

2. In the left part of the working area, in the list of the module sections, click Wellbore, and then go to the Heat transfer tab.

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3. At the top of the tab, in the Surface temperature and Reservoir temperature fields, enter the desired values.

4. From the Method list, select the calculation model. For details, see Heat Transfer.

5. (Optional) In the Heat distribution pane, edit values of the desired parameters.

   Note

   The list of parameters available in this pane may differ depending on the method selected in Step 4.

6. (Optional) To enhance the accuracy of the well temperature profile, in the upper-right corner of the section, click Add well test data and enter available temperature data at different well depths. For details, see Adding Well Test Data.

7. After the configuration is completed, in the Temperature profile pane, view the resulting temperature profile.

8. To save changes, in the left part of the module, click Save ( ) under the name of the current project.

5.2.2.3.2. Adding Well Test Data#

To add temperature data obtained during the well tests, perform the following actions:

1. Open the nv.design module. For details on navigation in the system, see System Interface.

2. In the left part of the working area, in the list of the module sections, click Wellbore, and then go to the Heat transfer tab.

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3. At the top of the pane, in the right part of the section, click Add data. The Add data window opens in the right part of the section.

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   Note

   Two rows are added by default. The first row is with a zero TVD and the temperature specified in the Surface earth temperature field at the top of the Heat transfer section. The second row is with the TVD equal to the Top of perforation depth (MD) parameter from the Wellbore Configuration tab and the temperature specified in the Reservoir temperature field at the top of the Heat transfer section. The rest of the entries must belong to the TVD range between the default values.

4. Add new entries to the table. You can do it in the following ways:

   • To add a new entry, above the table, click Add ( ), and then, in the new row, double-click values in the TVD and Temperature columns and enter the desired values.

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   • To create a copy of an existing entry, select the entry that you want to copy in the table, and then, above the table, click Duplicate ( ). The copied entry appears in the table.

   • To paste data from another table, copy it to the clipboard, and then press Ctrl+V. The copied entries appear in the table. The more data you add, the more accurate results the matching provides.

     Note

     The inserted data must contain numerical values only. If the data includes a row with NaN (not a number) values, delete them after insertion.

5. (Optional)

   • To edit an entry, double-click the desired value and make necessary changes.

   • To delete an entry, select it in the table, and then, above the table, click Delete ( ).

6. To save changes, in the left part of the module, click Save ( ) under the name of the current project.