When it comes to understanding well performance and reservoir behaviour, Pressure Transient Analysis (PTA) can be a powerful, yet often underestimated, tool.
Often, PTA is thought of only in terms of deriving permeability, skin, or boundary detection. But as Mykyta Hladylchenko, PTA Specialist at OPC, has discovered through hands-on project work, the technique offers far deeper insights that can transform decision-making.
Guided by industry recognised mentors such as Bill Roberts, Piers Johnson and Nico Rossi, Mykyta has delivered multiple PTA projects worldwide, applying the method to unlock hidden opportunities for clients. He says:
“Before I started with OPC, I thought PTA was a tool for investigating skin and permeability. But, through working with industry leading SMEs at OPC, I realised it has much more value, from understanding reservoir geometry and connectivity, to diagnosing interference and forecasting water breakthrough. Advanced PTA is an extremely cost-effective way to help tell the full reservoir story before or without detailed simulation work.”
5 Benefits of PTA You Might Not Know About
1. Well Performance & Production Optimisation
PTA provides a clear and accurate way to track how wells behave across years of production. It highlights subtle changes in performance, such as mobility/ storativity changes, dynamic boundaries tracking or even water breakthrough, before they show up in production data. Which feeds into mitigation strategies.
2. Reveal Reservoir Geometry and Connectivity
With advanced techniques such as deconvolution, PTA can define connected volumes, identify channels, and map reservoir geometry. This enables operators to see beyond the wellbore and understand how effectively the reservoir is being drained, often much quicker than building a full dynamic reservoir model.
3. Diagnose Well Interference
OPC has delivered PTA projects where interference analysis was key to planning new wells. In one case, PTA confirmed communication between wells kilometres apart, guiding a client to the optimal location for their next producer.
4. Provide Early Warnings of Production Risks
Derivative responses in PTA can highlight issues such as water influx or changes in well productivity, giving operators the chance to respond before problems escalate.
5. Fast, Efficient Insights
Unlike full dynamic reservoir modelling, which can take months, PTA can deliver actionable results in a matter of days. It’s a cost-effective way to get reliable insights quickly, often serving as the ideal “first step” in field diagnostics.
Learning from Experience
Mykyta’s technical journey at OPC has been shaped by mentorship and collaboration.
“Bill and Piers showed me that PTA isn’t just about analysis, it’s about communication. The results must be clear, simple, and useful for the client. That’s what makes the work impactful.”
This philosophy underpins OPC’s PTA projects: rigorous analysis, communicated in a way that operators can act on.
Unlocking the Full Value of PTA.
If you’d like to see what PTA could reveal about your wells and reservoirs, our experts are here to help.
Contact our team today to discuss how Pressure Transient Analysis can deliver hidden value to your project.
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