Principle of superposition

Principle of superposition:
mathematical technique based on the property that solutions to any differential equations
with constant coefficients can be added to provide yet another solution (linear combination)

Applications:
several wells in a reservoir system
settings where flow rates change with time
situations with complex boundary conditions
placed in any position in the reservoir at any time
goals
=> deriving an expression for the resulting pressure distribution in space and time
=> calculating the transient (non-steady state) flow in the reservoir system
Problems that can be solved by the application of the principle of superposition to the
transient flow solution:
effects of multiple wells
effects of boundary (permeability barrier)
effects of rate change
effects of pressure change

Effects of boundary (permeability barrier):

the reservoir is treated as infinite acting
the permeability barrier (e.g. fault) can be simulated by two mirror-inverted wells the real
well and the image well at intervals of L from the permeability barrier (e.g. fault)
the effect of superposition at the permeability barrier (e.g. fault) creates the effect of an
impermeable barrier (non-flow boundary) => p/x = 0
the pressure drawdown at the real well will be superimposed by the pressure drawdown at
the image well
same doubling of slope in pressure drawdown data plotted in the semi-log analysis plot is
commonly an indication of the presence of a permeability barrier (e.g. fault) within the well
drainage area

Effects of rate change:

the case of one well producing at the time-dependent rate qj is reduced to the case of
n image wells having the same location with the actual well
an image well j starts to flow at the time j-1 and keeps flowing during the time period tn-tj-1
at a constant rate qj-qj-1

Effects of pressure change:

since the diffusivity equation is linear, the principle of superposition can be applied for a
case of several wells
the pressure drop at point A caused by both wells can be calculated as follows (for the case
of two wells)
pA = pAW1 + pAW2 (addition of vectors)

Application of the principle of superposition to pressure build-up tests:

the shut-in of the well (q = 0) is simulated by the superposition of the source and the sink
the well is producing at a constant rate +q and injecting at a constant rate q at the same
time => this results in the flow to stop and a new
solution of the diffusivity equation generated by a
pi = initial pressure
time shift
pwf = bottomhole flowing pressure
pws = shut-in pressure