Thermal profiles in water injection wells: reduction of the systematic error in the flow measurement during the
transitional regime.
Reservoir, Injection Flow, Geothermal Profile
This work is a contribution to flow measurement techniques in water injection wells in oil
production fields, focusing on the first moments of the operation. The technique developed by
Ramey (RAMEY JR et al., 1962) was chosen, which, although it is aimed at calculating the
temperature in the injection fluid, it has been adapted to calculate the flow. In this technique,
the calculation is based on the relationship between the heat flow established in the well and the
temperature difference between the injection fluid and the geothermal temperature, naturally
established in the reservoir. Due to the mathematical complexity involved in the heat and mass
transfer mechanisms, many simplifications were adopted in the development of the theory, limiting its application in the first moments of the operating cycle. In the considered times, the
neglect of heat transfer in completion constitutes the main source of systematic error inherent to
Ramey’s methodology. With lesser intensity, but still significant, the failure to observe the temporal variation of the injection fluid also results in a systematic error that needs to be addressed.
The reduction of the systematic errors listed is the main product of this thesis.