Well testing system

Abstract

A well testing system and well testing method is described which can be operated as a closed system with no production of hydrocarbons outside the well or gas can be separated and flared at surface giving minimal environmental impact with the liquid hydrocarbon being re-injected. This is achieved by providing a string with at least two well conduits which may be arranged in a concentric or non-concentric parallel configuration. One conduit is used to produce formation fluids to surface or to produce/store unrepresentative initial flow products and the other conduit is used to store formation fluid. The storage conduit can be filled from the top (surface) or the bottom of the well. In a preferred arrangement a valve is provided between the storage conduit and the well annulus for well pressure control, and a shut-in or test valve, which is controllable from surface, is disposed in the non-storage production conduit. A flow control valve is provided at the lower end of the string or at surface and the size of the valve opening is controllable to allow formation fluid to enter the storage string at a controlled rate, so that the formation fluid flowing time is increased to maximise the radius of investigation into the formation to a similar order of magnitude of existing production tests and extended well tests, which are typically two to three times the order of magnitude of the radius of investigation of a wireline formation test. Other aspects and embodiments of the invention are described.