High quality well tests are important for allocation, updating of reservoir models, daily production planning and optimization. Increased accuracy of well tests can enable production optimization at gas-or water-limited fields. An automatic deduction well testing method developed in collaboration between the asset and Statoil RDI (Research, Development and Innovation) is presented in this paper.Subsea wells without a dedicated test flow line are normally tested by manual deduction well testing; i.e. the test well is choked back, and the resulting change in the common flow line is used to calculate the contribution from the test well. During the test, the flow rate from the other wells on the common flow line should be as constant as possible. As the total flow rate reduces, the back pressure for the other wells on the same flow line is reduced, and, if no other action is taken, the flow rate from the other wells on the test line will increase. The manual procedure to compensate for the pressure change is to adjust the well head chokes so that the well head pressure, and hence the flow from each well, is kept close to their initial values. The manual test method has about 10% deviation in actual flow, is time consuming and demands high attention from operators. This paper describes development and application of an automatic deduction well testing method to improve well testing. The method was implemented and tested with good results at the Midgard and Mikkel subsea fields, tie-ins to the Statoil-operated Åsgard B production facility, in December 2012. In the automatic method, the well head pressure, and hence the flow rate from the other wells on the test line, are kept close to constant. The accuracy was improved to less than 1% deviation in actual flow, the test duration was reduced by 20 -30%, and the operator work load was significantly reduced. The automatic deduction well testing method has been successfully repeated at the field every six months since the first test, and is currently being implemented at several other Statoil operated fields.
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