A versatile monitoring framework for detecting out-of-zone leakages across active and abandoned wells using pressure transient analysis

Pressure transient analysis for detecting leakages along active and abandoned wells | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Pressure transient analysis for detecting leakages along active and abandoned wells Joshua Mugisha, Anton Shchipanov, Hans Joakim Skadsem, Ingebret Fjelde This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7158117/v3 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 3 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Show more versions Abstract Leakage out of the target formation is a major risk associated with subsurface injection activities, including those in hydrocarbon reservoirs, geothermal systems, and geological CO₂ storage. While previous studies often focused on individual leakage features in isolation, this feasibility study explores a holistic monitoring framework that simultaneously considers multiple potential leakage pathways, including induced fractures and casing of both active and legacy wells. These features may become conductive due to injection-induced pressure buildup and fluid migration within the reservoir. This simulation study is structured in two main parts. The first addresses the mechanisms of induced fracturing and fracture propagation through caprocks, creating out-of-zone leakage risks. Then, it presents a modeling approach and a Pressure Transient Analysis (PTA) method for early detection of leakage into shallow formations. The second part examines casing-cement-rock integrity failure mechanisms that can result in behind-casing leakage or crossflow. This is followed by a dedicated modeling approach and a PTA-based monitoring method for identifying leakage behind the casing. The proposed monitoring framework utilizes real-time pressure data from Permanent Downhole Gauges (PDGs) installed in active wells or wireless PDGs in abandoned wells, combined with PTA approaches for the data interpretation. A mechanistic well-reservoir model assembled based on a representative geological setup of a sandstone formation offshore Norway was used to test the methodology. The results have demonstrated the capability of the PTA-based methods to detect leakage and estimate leakage rates, with high accuracy for high-rate events and decreasing precision for smaller rates. The simulation study has confirmed the feasibility of leakage detection using PTA-based methods for the leakage scenarios described above. Further testing and validation of the framework using field data is a necessary next step in maturation of the methodology developed. Well testing Leakage Detection Well Monitoring Pressure Transient Analysis Permanent Downhole Gauges Plug-and-Abandonment Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 3 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Show more versions Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7158117","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":519377923,"identity":"02b0d7de-c6ae-437b-834d-a412b47ec566","order_by":0,"name":"Joshua Mugisha","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA00lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACxgYg8QFFSIIILYwzSNICAsw8JGlhbu9Ok7bdYZPP39778OGPCrt8/tkNbA8+4NHC2HN2m3TumTTLGWeOGxvznEm2nHHnALvhDHxaZuQCtbQdNjCQSGOTZmxjBjIS2KR5CGmxBGmRf8b+8+e/eiK1MIJtYWNj4G04TISWnrObLXvb0gwkzqQxS/McO24gcSOxTRKfXwzbezfe+NlmY8Dffozx44+aagP+GcnHJPCFmGEDFpuxiCEBebyyo2AUjIJRMApAAACSyEVsmleJPQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"NORCE Norwegian Research Centre","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Joshua","middleName":"","lastName":"Mugisha","suffix":""},{"id":519377924,"identity":"614c1200-fea6-4a47-960c-dafb600a0a61","order_by":1,"name":"Anton Shchipanov","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"NORCE Norwegian Research Centre","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Anton","middleName":"","lastName":"Shchipanov","suffix":""},{"id":519377925,"identity":"32a6024c-ba6b-42f6-a29d-7650c2651b79","order_by":2,"name":"Hans Joakim Skadsem","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Stavanger (UiS)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hans","middleName":"Joakim","lastName":"Skadsem","suffix":""},{"id":519377926,"identity":"77c83a95-0a82-44ee-85b7-7c74c3b58b7d","order_by":3,"name":"Ingebret Fjelde","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"NORCE Norwegian Research Centre","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ingebret","middleName":"","lastName":"Fjelde","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-07-18 13:23:28","currentVersionCode":3,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":false,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false,"humanSubjectConsent":false,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7158117/v3","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7158117/v3","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":101881558,"identity":"cafb957b-aa8a-45ed-85bc-5bca510d75bf","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-04 15:13:09","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2272456,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ManuscriptMugishaR205122025.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7158117/v3_covered_9a69b368-ba23-4286-8a65-54f2dff1fd69.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003ePressure transient analysis for detecting leakages along active and abandoned wells\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Well testing, Leakage Detection, Well Monitoring, Pressure Transient Analysis, Permanent Downhole Gauges, Plug-and-Abandonment","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7158117/v3","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7158117/v3","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eLeakage out of the target formation is a major risk associated with subsurface injection activities, including those in hydrocarbon reservoirs, geothermal systems, and geological CO₂ storage. 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