A Study of The Orifice Well Tester and Critical Flow Prover
A Study of The Orifice Well Tester and Critical Flow Prover
A Study of The Orifice Well Tester and Critical Flow Prover
lOUIS B. lESEM
JOHN J. McKETTA, JR.
MEMBER AIME
GEORGE H. FANCHER
MEMBER AIME
INTRODUCTION
The proration of oil produced in
the field frequently is based partially
or entirely upon the gas-oil ratio of
wells. The measurement of the gasoil ratio is one of the more important field tests in regulatory and proration work, and the test always
should be conducted according to
standardized methods and procedure.
Obviously, the gas-oil ratio and
the volume of gas produced by a
well depend upon many factors but
should be independent of the method
of measurement and of the devices
used to measure gas and oil. Consequently, the volume of gas accompanying a barrel of oil produced by
a weI! may be measured by any reliable and accurate device or instrument. Frequently either a critical
flow prover or an orifice well tester
is used for this purpose, and for a
particular well the same rate of flow
of gas should be obtained regardless
of whether a critical flow prover or
an orifice well tester is employed in
the test.
In Texas, when using either instrument, either Capacity Table 1
or 5' is employed in making the
necessary computations. If the tables
are used, a discrepancy always is
found whenever the two instruments
are compared by extrapolation to the
Original manuscript received in Society of
Petroleum Engineers Office on Feb. 18, 1957,
Revised manuscript received July 10. 1957.
Paper presented at joint University of T'exas
-Texas A&M Student Chapter Regional
Meeting in Austin, Feb. 14-15, 1957.
lReferences given at end of paper
SEPTEMBER, ] 957
SPE-812-G
_ C
'H(29.32 + 0.3H)
G
-'~
(2)
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2.0
2.2
2.4
2.6
2.8
3.0
3.2
3.4
J.6
3.8
4.0
4.5
5.0
5.5
6.0
6.5
7.0
8.0
9.0
10.0
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
22.
24.
26.
28.
30.
32.
34.
36.
38.
40.
42.
44.
46.
48.
50.
52.
54.
~6.
58.
60.
62.
64.
66.
68.
70.
72.
74.
76.
78.
80.
82.
84.
86.
88.
90.
92.
94.
96.
98.
100.
EXPERIMENTAL
EQUIPMENT
'/.
'I.
.379
.415
.499
.480
.509
.536
.562
.587
.611
.635
.658
.679
.700
.720
.740
.759
.805
.850
.891
.931
.969
1.01
1.08
1.14
1.20
1.27
1.32
1.38
1.43
1.48
1.53
1.58
1.62
1.67
1.71
1.80
1.88
1.96
2.04
2.11
2.19
2.26
2.32
2.39
2.46
2.52
2.58
2.64
2.70
2.76
2.82
2.87
2.93
2.98
3.04
3.09
3.14
3.19
3.25
3.30
3.35
3.40
3.44
3.49
3.54
3.59
3.64
3.69
3.73
3.78
3.83
3.87
3.92
3.96
4.00
'/2
3f4
6.08
6.67
7.20
7.70
8.16
8.61
9.03
9.43
9.81
10.2
10.6
10.9
11.2
11.6
11.9
12.2
12.9
13.6
14.3
14.9
15.6
16.2
17.3
18.3
19.3
20.3
21.2
22.1
22.9
23.8
24.6
25.3
.26.1
26.8
27.5
28.9
30.2
31.5
32.7
33.9
35.1
36.2
37.3
38.4
39.4
40.4
41.4
42.3
43.4
44.2
45.2
46.1
47.0
47.9
48.8
49.5
50.4
51.2
52.1
52.9
53.7
54.5
55.2
56.0
56.8
57.6
58.3
59.1
59.9
60.6
61.4
62.1
62.8
63.5
64.2
13.9
15.2
16.4
17.6
18.6
19.6
20.6
21.5
22.4
23.3
24.1
24.9
25.6
26.4
27.1
27.8
29.5
31.1
32.6
34.1
35.5
36.9
39.4
41.8
44.1
46.3
48.4
50.4
52.3
54.2
56.0
57.8
59.4
61.1
62.7
65.9
68.9
71.7
74.5
77.2
79.9
82.4
84.9
87.3
89.7
92.0
94.3
96.4
98.7
101.0
103
105
107
109
111
113
115
117
118
120
122
124
126
127
129
131
133
134
136
138
139
141
143
144
146
3/.
1.51 3.41
1.66 3.74
1.79 4.04
1.92 4.32
2.03 4.58
2.14 4.83
2.25 5.07
2.35 5.29
2.45 5.51
2.54 5.72
2.63 5.92
2.72 6.12
2.80 6.31
2.88 6.49
2.96 6.67
3.04 6.84
3.22 7.25
3.40 7.66
3.57 8.03
3.72 8.39
3.88 8.73
4.03 9.07
4.31 9.70
4.5710.3
4.82 10.9
5.06 11.4
5.29 11.9
5.51 12.4
5.72 12.9
5.93 13.3
6.12 13.8
6.32 14.2
6.5014.6
6.69 15.1
6.86 15.4
7.20 16.2
7.53 17.0
7.85 17.7
8.16 18.4
8.45 19.0
8.74 19.7
9.02 20.3
9.30 20.9
9.56 21.5
9.82 22.1
10.1 22.7
10.3 23.3
10.6 23.8
10.8 24.3
,11.0 24.8
11.3 25.4
11.5 25.9
11.7 26.4
11.9 26.9
12.2 27.4
12.4 27.8
12.6 28.3
12.8 28.8
13.0 29.2
13.2 29.7
13.4 30.2
13.6 30.6
13.8 31.0
14.0 31.5
14.2 31.9
14.4 32.3
14.6 32.8
14.7 33.2
14.9 33.6
15.1 34.0
15.3 34.5
15.5 34.9
15.7 35.3
15.9 35.7
16.0 36.0
1
25.6
28.1
~0.4
32.5
34.4
36.3
38.1
39.7
41.4
43.0
44.5
45.9
47.4
48.7
50.1
51.4
54.5
57.5
60.3
62.9
65.5
68.1
72.7
77.1
81.4
85.5
89.2
93.0
96.5
100.0
103.0
107
110
113
116
121
127
132
137
142
147
152
156
161
165
169
173
177
181
185
189
192
196
200
203
207
210
214
217
220
224
227
230
233
236
240
243
246
249
252
255
258
261
264
266
1'I.
44.0
48.3
52.1
55.7
59.1
62.2
65.3
68.2
70.9
73.7
76.3
78.8
81.2
83.5
85.8
88.0
93.3
98.5
103.0
108
112
117
124
132
139
146
152
159
165
171
176
182
187
192
197
206
216
225
233
241
249
257
264
272
279
286
293
299
306
312
318
324
330
336
342
347
353
358
364
369
375
380
385
390
395
400
405
410
415
420
425
430
434
439
443
1.0
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
2.0
2.2
2.4
2.6
2.8
62
;-;-_-;-;-_O=-rc:-ifie.-,c:..::e--=S",iz=:eC'-,-,Ine.-c:.ch:;:.-es=--~
Vs
114
1.41 5.65
1.48 5.92
1.55 6.19
1.61 6.45
1.67 6.69
1.73 6.94
1.79 7.18
1.85 7.40
1.90 7.62
1.96 7.84
2.01 8.04
2.11 8.46
2.21 8.84
2.30 9.21
2.40 9.59
3/8
12.7
13.3
13.9
14.5
15.1
15.6
16.2
16.7
17.2
17.7
18.1
19.0
19.9
20.7
21.6
112
3/4
22.6
23.7
24.8
25.9
26.9
27.8
28.8
29.7
30.6
31.4
32.3
33.9
35.5
37.0
38.5
51.6
54.1
56.6
59.0
61.2
63.4
65.6
67.6
69.6
71.6
73.5
77.3
80.8
84.2
87.6
95.3
99.9
104.0
109
113
117
121
125
128
132
135
142
149
155
161
163.0
170
178
185
192
199
206
212
218
224
:lJO
241
252
262
272
~120
~800
40
ro
~
A8S0LUfE
TABLE 2 (Continued)
Pressure,
Inches of
Mercury
V8
3.0
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
4.0
4.5
5.0
5.5
6.0
6.5
7.0
8.0
9.0
10.0
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.
79.
80.
81.
82.
83.
84.
85.
86.
87.
88.
89.
90.
91.
92.
93.
94.
95.
96.
97.
98.
99.
100.
2.48 9.93
2.57 10.3
2.65 10.6
2.73 10.9
2.81 11.2
2.89 11.6
3.07 12.3
3.25 13.0
3.42 13.7
3.59 14.3
3.75 15.0
3.90 15.6
4.20 16.8
4.48 17.9
4.75 19.0
5.02 20.1
5.2721.1
5.52 22.1
5.76 23.0
5.99 24.0
6.23 24.9
6.44 25.8
6.67 26.7
6.89 27.6
7.1028.4
7.31 29.2
7.51 30.1
7.71 30.8
7.91 31.6
8.10 32.4
8.31 33.2
8.50 34.0
8.70 34.8
8.90 35.6
9.10 36.4
9.29 37.2
9.49 38.0
9.70 38.8
9.89 39.6
10.1 40.3
10.3 41.1
10.5 41.9
10.7 42.7
10.9 43.5
11.0 44.2
11.2 44.9
11.4 45.7
11.6 46.5
11.8 47.2
12.0 48.0
12.2 48.7
12.4 49.5
12.6 50.2
12.8 51.0
12.9 51.7
13.1 52.5
13.3 53.2
13.5 53.9
13.7 54.7
13.8 55.4
14.0 56.1
14.2 56.8
14.4 57.6
'14.6 58.3
14.7 59.0
14.9 59.7
15.1 60.4
15.3 61.2
15.5 61.8
15.6 62.6
15.8 63.2
16.0 64.0
16.2 64.6
16.3 65.4
16.5 66.0
16.7 66.7
16.9 67.4
17.0 68.1
17.2 68.8
17.4 69.5
17.6 70.3
17.7 70.9
17.9 71.7
18.1 72.4
18.3 73.1
18.4 73.8
18.6 74.4
18.8 75.2
19.0 75.9
19.1 76.5
19.3 77.2
19.5 78.0
19.7 78.6
19.8 79.3
20.0 80.0
20.2 80.7
20.4 81.4
20.5 82.1
20.7 82.9
20.9 83.5
21.1 84.2
21.2 85.0
21.4 85.6
21.6 86.3
21.8 87.1
1/4
22.4
23.1
23.9
24.6
25.3
26.0
27.7
29.3
30.8
32.3
33.7
35.1
37.8
40.4
42.8
45.2
47.4
49.7
51.8
53.9
56.1
58.0
60.1
62.0
64.0
65.8
67.7
69.4
71.2
72.9
74.8
76.5
78.3
80.1
81.9
83.6
85.4
87.3
89.0
90.8
92.5
94.3
96.0
97.8
99.4
101.0
103
105
106
108
110
111
113
115
116
118
120
121
123
125
126
128
130
131
133
134
136
138
139
141
142
144
145
147
149
150
152
153
155
156
158
160
161
163
164
166
167
169
171
172
174
175
177
178
180
182
183
185
186
188
189
191
193
194
196
39.8 90.7
41.2 93.8
42.6 96.9
43.9 99.8
45.1 103.0
46.3 105
49.3 112
52.2 119
54.9 125
57.5 131
60.1 137
62.6 142
67.3 153
71.9 163
76.2 173
80.4 183
84.5 192
88.5 201
92.3 209
96.0 218
99.8226
103.0 234
107 242
110
250
114 258
117
265
120
272
124
280
127
287
130
292
133
299
136
306
139 313
142
320
146
328
149
334
152
342
155
349
158
356
161
363
164
370
168
277
171
384
174
391
177 398
180
405
183
411
186
418
189
425
192
432
195
439
198
445
201
452
204
459
207 465
210
472
213
479
216
485
219
492
222
498
224
505
227
511
230
518
233
525
236
531
239
537
242
544
245
550
247
~'6
250
563
253
569
256
576
258
582
261
588
264
594
267
600
270
607
272
613
275
620
278
626
281
632
284
638
287
645
289
651
292
658
295
664
298
670
301
677
303
683
306
689
309
695
312
702
315
708
317 714
320
720
323
727
326
733
328
739
331
746
334 752
337
758
340
765
343
771
345
777
348
784
~3f4~~~--I-~-.167
172
178
183
188
193
206
217
229
239
250
260
279
298
315
332
348
264
380
395
410
424
438
452
466
479
492
505
517
529
543
555
568
580
594
606
619
633
646
658
671
684
696
709
721
733
746
758
770
783
796
807
820
832
844
857
868
880
893
904
916
927
919
952
962
974
986
998
1010
1020
1030
1040
1050
1070
1080
1090
1100
1110
1120
1130
1140
1150
1170
1180
1190
1200
1210
1220
1230
1240
1270
1280
1290
1300
1310
1320
1330
1340
1360
1370
1380
1390
1400
1410
1420
282
291
300
309
318
326
346
365
383
400
417
433
464
493
520
547
573
598
622
645
669
690
713
735
756
776
797
816
835
853
875
895
916
937
958
978
999
1020
1040
1060
1080
1110
1130
1150
1160
1180
1200
1220
1240
1260
1280
1310
1330
1350
1360
1380
1400
1420
1440
1450
1470
1500
1520
1540
1550
1570
1 590
1610
1630
1640
1660
1680
1710
1720
1740
1760
1780
1790
1810
1830
1850
1860
1880
1910
1930
1940
1960
1980
2000
1210
2030
2050
2070
2080
2110
2130
2150
2160
2180
2200
2220
2230
2250
2270
2300
.86C---:::=~~_=_
-~--~--~-~-- 3-.84
- :
In. of Water
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
10.0
11.0
12.0
13.0
14.0
15.0
16.0
17.0
18.0
19.0
20.0
24.0
28.0
32.0
36.0
40.0
44.0
48.0
52.0
56.0
60.0
64.0
68.0
72.0
76.0
80.0
84.0
88.0
92.0
96.0
100.0
27.7
.9707
.9708
.9709
.9710
.9710
.9711
.9712
.9712
.9713
.9714
.9715
.9715
.9716
.9717
.9717
.9718
.9719
.9719
.9720
.9721
.9723
.9726
.9729
.9731
.9734
.9736
.9738
.9741
.9743
.9745
.9748
.9750
.9752
.9754
.9756
.9758
.9760
.9762
.9764
.9766
28.5
.9846
.9847
.9847
.9847
.9848
.9848
.9848
.9849
.9849
.9850
.9850
.9850
.9851
.9851
.9151
.9852
.9852
.9852
.9853
.9853
.9855
.9856
.9857
. 9859
.9860
.9861
.9862
.9864
.9865
.9866
.9867
.9868
.9869
.9870
.9872
.9873
.9874
.9875
.9876
.9877
26.9
.9566
.9568
.9569
.9570
.9571
.9572
.9573
.9574
.9575
.9576
.9577
.9578
.9579
.9580
.9581
.9582
.9583
.9585
.9586
.9587
.9591
.9594
.9598
.9602
.9606
.9609
.9613
.9616
.9620
.9623
.9626
.9630
.9633
.9636
.9639
.9642
.9645
.9648
.9651
.9654
26.0
.9406
.9407
.9409
.9410
.9412
.9413
.9415
.9416
.9418
.9419
.9420
.9422
.9423
.9425
.9426
.9428
.9429
.9430
.9432
.9433
.9439
.9444
.9449
.9455
.9460
.9465
9470
.9475
.9479
.9484
.9488
.9493
.9497
.9502
.9506
.9510
.9514
.9518
.9522
.9526
25.1
.9242
.9244
.9246
.9248
.9250
.9252
.9253
.9255
.9257
.9259
.9261
.9263
.9265
.9267
.9268
.9270
.9272
.9274
.9276
.9277
.9285
.9291
.9298
.9305
.9312
.9318
.9324
.9331
.9337
.9343
.9348
.9354
.9360
.9365
.9371
.9376
.9382
.9387
.9392
.9397
27.7
.9716
.9726
.9734
.9742
.9750
.9757
.9764
.9770
.9776
.9782
.9787
.9793
.9797
.9802
.9807
.9811
.9815
.9819
.9823
.9826
.9830
.9833
.9836
.9840
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
10.0
11.0
12.0
13.0
14.0
15.0
16.0
17.0
18.0
19.0
20.0
21.0
22.0
23.0
24.0
.9851
.9856
.9860
.9864
.9868
.9872
.9876
.9879
.9882
.9885
.9888
.9891
.9893
.9896
.9898
.9900
.9903
.9905
.9907
.9908
.9910
.9912
.9914
.9915
26.9
.9580
.9594
.9606
.9618
.9630
.9640
.9650
.9660
.9669
.9678
.9686
.9693
.9701
.9708
.9714
.9721
.9727
.9733
.9738
.9744
.9749
.9754
.9759
.9763
26.0
.9424
.9443
.9461
.9477
.9493
.9508
.9522
.9535
.9547
.9559
.9570
.9581
.9591
.9600
.9609
.9618
.9627
.9635
.9642
.9650
.9657
.9664
.9670
.9676
25.1
.9266
.9290
.9313
.9334
.9354
.9373
.9391
.9408
.9423
.9439
.9453
.9466
.9479
.9492
.9503
.9515
.9525
.9536
.9545
.9555
.9564
.9573
.9581
.9589
In. of Water
0.0
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2.0
2.2
2.4
2.6
2.8
3.0
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
4.0
4.5
5.0
5.5
6.0
6.5
7.0
8.0
9.0
10.0
Tester
Pressure
Cit In.
0.604
0.605
0.605
0.605
0.605
0.605
0.605
0.605
0.605
0.606
0.606
0.606
0.606
0.606
0.606
0.606
0.606
0.607
0.607
0.607
0.607
0.608
0.608
0.608
0.609
0.610
Tester
Pressure
of Water C"
*0/1> 8
SEPTEMBER, 1957
11.0
12.0
13.0
14.0
15.0
16.0
17.0
18.0
19.0
20.0
22.0
24.0
26.0
28.0
30.0
32.0
34.0
36.0
38.0
40.0
42.0
44.0
46.0
48.0
50.0
52.0
0.610
0.611
0.611
0.612
0.612
0.613
0.613
0.614
0.614
0.615
0.616
0.617
0.618
0.619
0.620
0.621
0.622
0.623
0.624
0.625
0.626
0.626
0.628
0.628
0.629
0.630
In. of Water
Cd
54.0
56.0
58.0
60.0
62.0
64.0
66.0
68.0
70.0
72.0
74.0
76.0
78.0
80.0
82.0
84.0
86.0
88.0
90.0
92.0
94.0
96.0
98.0
100.0
0.631
0.632
0.633
0.633
0.634
0.635
0.636
0.637
0.638
0.639
0.639
0.640
0.641
0.642
0.643
0.644
0.645
0.646
0.647
0.648
0.649
0.650
0.650
0.651
~':'= _-_-_-_-_-_-_~-_-_
8.
DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE,
INCHES
OF
ro n
MERCURY
K Y CD.,'
,
,l
.IP,+6 (3'
P .
(3)
vi
(4)
iP",,,,
~29.4 +
6P
6P'
(5)
Tester
Pressure
In. of Mercury
("
Tester
Pressure
In of
In of
Mercury
Crt
Mercury
Crt
cc
0.723 ----''''6 l=-=.0'-'--0--.8"'2-0
0.728
62.0
0.821
0.732
63.0
0.822
0.736
64.0
0.822
0.740
65.0
0.823
0.745
66.0
0.823
0.749
67.0
0.824
0.753
68.0
0.824
0.757
69.0
0.825
0.761
70.0
0.825
0.764
71.0
0.825
0.768
72.0
0.826
0.772
73.0
0.826
0.775
74.0
0.827
0.778
75.0
0.827
0.781
76.0
0.828
0.784
77.0
0.828
0.786
78.0
0.829
0.789
79.0
0.829
0.791
80.0
0.830
0.793
81.0
0.830
0.795
82.0
0.830
0.797
83.0
0.831
0.799
84.0
0.831
0.801
85.0
0.831
0.803
86.0
0.831
0.804
87.0
0.832
0.806
88.0
0.832
0.808
89.0
0.832
0.809
90.0
0.832
0.811
91.0
0.833
0.812
92.0
0.833
0.813
93.0
0.833
0.814
94.0
0.834
0.815
95.0
0.834
0.816
96.0
0.834
0.817
97.0
0.835
0.818
98.0
0.835
0.819
99.0
0.835
0.819
100.0
0.836
-c0--."0~--'-'-'--'----;c0-=:.67
04c---:2"'1=-=.0c-'1.1
0.612
22.0
1.2
0.613
23.0
1.3
0.614
24.0
1.4
0.614
25.0
1.5
0.615
26.0
1.6
0.616
27.0
1.7
0.616
28.0
1.8
0.617
29.0
1.9
0.618
30.0
2.0
0.618
31.0
2.2
0.620
32.0
2.4
0.621
33.0
2.6
0.622
34.0
2.8
0.624
35.0
3.0
0.625
36.0
3.2
0.626
37.0
3.4
0.628
38.0
3.6
0.629
39.0
3.8
0.630
40.0
4.0
0.631
41.0
4.5
0.634
42.0
5.0
0.637
43.0
5.5
0.640
44.0
6.0
0.643
45.0
6.5
0.646
46.0
7.0
0.649
47.0
8.0
0.655
48.0
9.0
0.661
49.0
10.0
0.666
50.0
11.0
0.672
51.0
12.0
0.677
52.0
13.0
0.683
53.0
14.0
0.688
54.0
15.0
0.693
55.0
16.0
0.699
56.0
17.0
0.703
57.0
18.0
0.709
58.0
19.0
0.714
59.0
20.0
0.719
60.0
*0/1> 8
t
h
=
=
=
C
Cd
=
=
Q =
G =
K =
K'
Y, =
P =
6P =
(3 =
r,
k
=
=
***