Both the Rawlins and Schellhardt and Houpeurt analysis techniques are presented in terms of pseudopressures. Flow-after-flow tests, sometimes called gas backpressure or four-point tests, are conducted by producing the well at a series of different stabilized flow rates and measuring the stabilized BHFP at the sandface. Each different flow rate is established in succession either with or without a very short intermediate shut-in period. Conventional flow-after-flow tests often are conducted with a sequence of increasing flow rates; however, if stabilized flow rates are attained, the rate sequence does not affect the test. Fig 1 illustrates a flow-after-flow test.

Early estimates of gas well performance were conducted by opening the well to the atmosphere and then measuring the flow rate. Such "open flow" practices were wasteful of gas, sometimes dangerous to personnel and equipment, and possibly damaging to the reservoir. They also provided limited information to estimate productive capacity under varying flow conditions. The idea, however, did leave the industry with the concept of absolute open flow (AOF). AOF is a common indicator of well productivity and refers to the maximum rate at which a well could flow against a theoretical atmospheric backpressure at the reservoir. The productivity of a gas well is determined with deliverability testing.