Patent ID: 8131470

Claim:
A method of managing a flow test in which a flow rate of fluid of a well is determined, the method comprising the steps of: receiving measurement data corresponding to fluid flow output from the well; operating a computer to identify a flow test time interval over which stable output flow measurements are represented in the received measurement data; operating the computer to determine an end of the flow test time interval; then notifying a user of the completion of a flow test of the well, the flow test corresponding to the received measurement data over the flow test time interval; obtaining temperature and pressure measurements from sensors at the well at a time corresponding to the flow test time interval; operating a computer to apply the temperature and pressure measurements to at least one predictive well model to estimate a fluid rate from those measurements; comparing the estimated fluid rate with a measured fluid rate corresponding to the received measurement data during the flow test time interval; responsive to the comparing step determining that the estimated fluid rate and measured fluid rate differ from one another beyond a tolerance, modifying the at least one predictive well model by notifying a user of results of the comparing step; and then modifying the at least one predictive well model responsive to receiving a validation signal.