API MPMS Chapter 20.5 (R2023)

This standard establishes a framework to conduct and apply production well testing for well rate determination in measurement and allocation. Production well testing addressed in this document refers to measurement of gas, oil, and water quantities from a single well during a specified length of time under controlled operational conditions. The intent of this document is to provide operators with a consistent and transparent approach for conducting, applying, and managing production well testing within an upstream measurement and allocation system. It is not intended to prescribe a particular production well test method, or particular application of production well test data use in allocation.

This document provides recommendations and guidelines for the application of production well testing in production measurement and allocation. The recommendations and guidelines apply to conducting a production well test, calculating production well test volumes and rates, and the application of production well test data for use in measurement and allocation. This includes production well testing preparation, initiation, measurement, validation, and volume and rate calculations for separator, multiphase flow meter, and tank production well test systems. Additionally, this document addresses the proration of production well test results for use in allocation, the application of production well tests for validation and update of well flow models and virtual flow metering, and the adjustment of gas well continuous measurement results with production well test data.

This document also provides recommendations and guidelines for the application of well flow modeling and virtual flow metering in production measurement and allocation.

Allocation methodologies are addressed in API MPMS Chapter 20.1.

This edition of API MPMS Chapter 20.5 also supersedes the below listed sections of API MPMS Chapter 20.1, Allocation Measurement, First Edition, 1993:

• 1.7.2.2.2 Test Separator;
• 1.11.1 Well Tests;
• 1.16.3.2 Field Test Separators;
• 1.16.3.3 Portable Test Separators;
• 1.16.5.1 Full-Scale Separator Test Report;
• Appendix J.