A prototype expert system was developed to diagnose and recommend treatment for near-wellbore production problems. The system was developed using Nexpert Object on a VAXstation 3540 running under VMS and DECwindows, and is very portable to other computing environments. The system accomplishes its objective by finding answers to the following questions:

1. Does a near wellbore production problem exist?

2. Will fixing the problem result in a significant increase in production?

3. What is the near-wellbore production problem?

4. What is the treatment?

The system works with oil or gas wells, perforated, gravel-packed, and open hole completions, but does not consider mechanical problems with the tubing string or casing string, reservoir problems, or wells on artificial lift.

To determine if near-wellbore production problems exist, the system requires physical data about the completion and the reservoir, and the results of a transient test and a multirate test. This information provides not only an indication of the severity, but also the depth of damage. A nodal analysis routine is used, along with information about the tubing string and surface equipment, to calculate the anticipated production gain from treating the problem. If the anticipated production gain is high enough, the diagnostic routine is called. Since formation damage is always the result of fluid movement either into or out of the formation, the system asks questions about the fluids used in and produced by the well until it has enough information to diagnose the type of near-wellbore problem. After the problem has been diagnosed, a predetermined treatment for that problem is recommended.