scholarly journals Productivity Evaluation of Vertical Wells Incorporating Fracture Closure and Reservoir Pressure Drop in Fractured Reservoirs

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Lun Zhao ◽  
Zifei Fan ◽  
Mingxian Wang ◽  
Guoqiang Xing ◽  
Wenqi Zhao ◽  
...  

In most oilfields, many wells produce in pseudo-steady-state period for a long time. Because of large reservoir pressure drop in this period, fractured reservoirs always show strong stress sensitivity and fracture closure is likely to occur near wellbores. The primary goal of this study is to evaluate productivity of vertical wells incorporating fracture closure and reservoir pressure drop. Firstly, a new composite model was developed to deal with stress sensitivity and fracture closure existed in fractured reservoirs. Secondly, considering reservoir saturation condition, new pseudo-steady productivity equations for vertical wells were derived by using the proposed composite system. Thirdly, related inflow performance characteristics and influence of some factors on them were also discussed in detail. Results show that fracture closure has a great effect on vertical well inflow performance and fracture closure radius is negatively correlated with well productivity. In this composite model, the effects of stress sensitivity of the inner and outer zone on well productivity are rather different. The inner zone’s stress sensitivity affects well productivity significantly, but the outer zone’s stress sensitivity just has a weak effect on the productivity. Strong stress sensitivity in the inner zone leads to low well productivity, and both inflow performance and productivity index curves bend closer to the bottom-hole pressure axis with stress sensitivity intensifying. Meanwhile, both maximum productivity and optimal bottom-hole pressure can be achieved from inflow performance curves. In addition, reservoir pressure is positively correlated with vertical well productivity. These new productivity equations and inflow performance curves can directly provide quantitative reference for optimizing production system in fractured reservoirs.

Lithosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (Special 1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingxian Wang ◽  
Zifei Fan ◽  
Wenqi Zhao ◽  
Ruiqing Ming ◽  
Lun Zhao ◽  
...  

Abstract Stress sensitivity has always been a research hotspot in fractured-porous reservoirs and shows huge impacts on well productivity during the depletion development. Due to the continuous reservoir pressure change, accurate evaluation of stress sensitivity and its influence on well productivity is of great significance to optimize well working system. Taking horizontal well trajectory as the research object, the principal focus of this work is on the analysis of inflow performance for a horizontal well coupling stress sensitivity and reservoir pressure change in a fractured-porous reservoir. Firstly, a relationship between permeability damage rate and stress sensitivity coefficient was established to quantitatively evaluate the influence of reservoir pressure and stress sensitivity on reservoir permeability. Secondly, considering stress sensitivity and reservoir pressure drop, a set of practical productivity equations were derived for a horizontal well in a fractured-porous reservoir by adopting the equivalent seepage resistance method. Finally, the influence of relevant important factors on the inflow performance of horizontal wells was discussed in depth. Results show that a positive correlation exists between stress sensitivity coefficient and maximum permeability damage rate. At the same maximum permeability damage rate, high initial reservoir pressure corresponds to low stress sensitivity coefficient. In general, stress sensitivity coefficient mainly ranges from 0 to 0.2. Reservoir pressure change drastically affects the production dynamic characteristics of horizontal wells, and both the inflow performance curve and the production index curve decline and shrink as reservoir pressure decreases. Stress sensitivity is negatively correlated with horizontal well productivity, and the inflow performance/production index curve bends closer to bottom-hole pressure axis, and an inflection point can be observed with the aggravation of stress sensitivity. In addition, horizontal wellbore length and initial reservoir permeability also show significant effects on the inflow performance and are positively correlated with well productivity. For water cut, it has little effect on the well production when bottom-hole pressure drawdown is low, but its effect gets stronger as the drawdown becomes higher. Meaningfully, depending on these newly established productivity equations, a reasonable production system can be quantitatively optimized and achieved for the horizontal wells in fractured-porous reservoirs.


Author(s):  
K. H. Kim ◽  
I. H. Kang ◽  
J. M. Han ◽  
S. M. Lee

This study performed the simulation to identify the effects of sorption behavior about inflow performance relationship in the coalbed. In the conventional gas reservoir without sorption, the turbulence flow is gradually generated as the pressure drop between the reservoir and bottom-hole is higher. Thus, it is ineffective production method for maximizing the pressure difference due to turbulence flow. In the CBM reservoir within sorption, the deliverability exponent becomes higher with increasing desorption gas. As the Langmuir volume ranges from 200 to 250 SCF/ton, it has been observed that the deliverability exponent exceeds the standard range from 0.5 to 1.0. When the deliverability exponent increases, the effects on pressure drop about production rate are preferred. Consequently, it was identified that it is effective production method for maximizing the pressure drop due to deliverability exponent in CBM field.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A V Ogbamikhumi ◽  
E S Adewole

Abstract Dimensionless pressure gradients and dimensionless pressure derivatives characteristics are studied for horizontal and vertical wells completed within a pair of no-flow boundaries inclined at a general angle ‘θ’. Infinite-acting flow solution of each well is utilized. Image distances as a result of the inclinations are considered. The superposition principle is further utilized to calculate total pressure drop due to flow from both object and image wells. Characteristic dimensionless flow pressure gradients and pressure derivatives for the wells are finally determined. The number of images formed due to the inclination and dimensionless well design affect the dimensionless pressure gradients and their derivatives. For n images, shortly after very early time for each inclination, dimensionless pressure gradients of 1.151(N+1)/LD for the horizontal well and 1.151(N+1) for vertical well are observed. Dimensionless pressure derivative of (N+1)/2LD are observed for central and off-centered horizontal well locations, and (N+1)/2 for vertical well are observed. Central well locations do not affect horizontal well productivity for all the inclinations. The magnitudes of dimensionless pressure drop and dimensionless pressure derivatives are maximum at the farthest image distances, and are unaffected by well stand-off for the horizontal well.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyhan Emre Gorucu ◽  
Vijay Shrivastava ◽  
Long X. Nghiem

Abstract An existing equation-of-state compositional simulator is extended to include proppant transport. The simulator determines the final location of the proppant after fracture closure, which allows the computation of the permeability along the hydraulic fracture. The simulation then continues until the end of the production. During hydraulic fracturing, proppant is injected in the reservoir along with water and additives like polymers. Hydraulic fracture gets created due to change in stress caused by the high injection pressure. Once the fracture opens, the bulk slurry moves along the hydraulic fracture. Proppant moves at a different speed than the bulk slurry and sinks down by gravity. While the proppant flows along the fracture, some of the slurry leaks off into the matrix. As the fracture closes after injection stops, the proppant becomes immobile. The immobilized proppant prevents the fracture from closing and thus keeps the permeability of the fracture high. All the above phenomena are modelled effectively in this new implementation. Coupled geomechanics simulation is used to model opening and closure of the fracture following geomechanics criteria. Proppant retardation, gravitational settling and fluid leak-off are modeled with the appropriate equations. The propped fracture permeability is a function of the concentration of immobilized proppant. The developed proppant simulation feature is computationally stable and efficient. The time step size during the settling adapts to the settling velocity of the proppants. It is found that the final location of the proppants is highly dependent on its volumetric concentration and slurry viscosity due to retardation and settling effects. As the location and the concentration of the proppants determine the final fracture permeability, the additional feature is expected to correctly identify the stimulated region. In this paper, the theory and the model formulation are presented along with a few key examples. The simulation can be used to design and optimize the amount of proppant and additives, injection timing, pressure, and well parameters required for successful hydraulic fracturing.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josef R. Shaoul ◽  
Jason Park ◽  
Andrew Boucher ◽  
Inna Tkachuk ◽  
Cornelis Veeken ◽  
...  

Abstract The Saih Rawl gas condensate field has been producing for 20 years from multiple fractured vertical wells covering a very thick gross interval with varying reservoir permeability. After many years of production, the remaining reserves are mainly in the lowest permeability upper units. A pilot program using horizontal multi-frac wells was started in 2015, and five wells were drilled, stimulated and tested over a four-year period. The number of stages per horizontal well ranged from 6 to 14, but in all cases production was much less than expected based on the number of stages and the production from offset vertical wells producing from the same reservoir units with a single fracture. The scope of this paper is to describe the work that was performed to understand the reason for the lower than expected performance of the horizontal wells, how to improve the performance, and the implementation of those ideas in two additional horizontal wells completed in 2020. The study workflow was to perform an integrated analysis of fracturing, production and well test data, in order to history match all available data with a consistent reservoir description (permeability and fracture properties). Fracturing data included diagnostic injections (breakdown, step-rate test and minifrac) and main fracture treatments, where net pressure matching was performed. After closure analysis (ACA) was not possible in most cases due to low reservoir pressure and absence of downhole gauges. Post-fracture well test and production matching was performed using 3D reservoir simulation models including local grid refinement to capture fracture dimensions and conductivity. Based on simulation results, the effective propped fracture half-length seen in the post-frac production was extremely small, on the order of tens of meters, in some of the wells. In other wells, the effective fracture half-length was consistent with the created propped half-length, but the fracture conductivity was extremely small (finite conductivity fracture). The problems with the propped fractures appear to be related to a combination of poor proppant pack cleanup, low proppant concentration and small proppant diameter, compounded by low reservoir pressure which has a negative impact on proppant regained permeability after fracturing with crosslinked gel. Key conclusions from this study are that 1) using the same fracture design in a horizontal well with transverse fractures will not give the same result as in a vertical well in the same reservoir, 2) the effect of depletion on proppant pack cleanup in high temperature tight gas reservoirs appears to be very strong, requiring an adjustment in fracture design and proppant selection to achieve reasonable fracture conductivity, and 3) achieving sufficient effective propped length and height is key to economic production.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Hadinata Prasetio ◽  
Hanny Anggraini ◽  
Hendro Tjahjono ◽  
Aditya Bintang Pramadana ◽  
Aulia Akbari ◽  
...  

Abstract This paper describes the evolution of the hydraulic fracturing approach and design in the Alpha reservoir over the past years. Alpha reservoir in XYZ field is a laminated sandstone reservoir with low permeability in the range of 20 to 140 md at a depth of approximately 4,000 to 4,500 ft true vertical depth (TVD). XYZ field is located in Rokan block, Riau, Central Sumatra region. Due to Alpha reservoir's nature, producing from this reservoir commercially requires stimulation. Hydraulic fracturing has been applied as the selected stimulation method to increase productivity from this reservoir. However, several challenges were recognized during the initial period, such as depleted reservoir pressure, indication of fracture height growth, and low to medium Young's modulus, which leads to few screened-out cases as well as low production gain after the fracturing treatment. The fracturing job in Alpha reservoir has been applied since 2002. However, pressure depletion was observed through this time until waterflood optimization started in May 2018 by converting commingled injection to injection dedicated to the Alpha reservoir. The pressure responded and increased from 350 psi to approximately 800 psi. Hence this reservoir still cannot be produced in single completion without the hydraulic fracturing job due to laminated reservoir and low-permeability character. A detailed look at the mechanical earth model (MEM) was done to revise the elastic properties and stress profile considering reservoir pressure change. The revised model was later used as an input for fracture geometry simulation. Calibration injection tests were performed and analyzed prior to the main fracturing treatments to determine fracture closure pressure and leakoff characteristics, which led to fracturing fluid efficiency. Results of these tests were used in job modifications regarding pad percentage, fracturing fluid rheology, proppant volume, and proppant concentration. Pressure history matching both after fracturing and in real time as well as the temperature log were used to validate the MEM and fracture geometries. Each change, approach, and impact were documented and statistically analyzed to determine a generic trend and design envelope for the Alpha reservoir. Between 2019 and 2020, nine wells were stimulated that specifically targeted the Alpha reservoir, with continuous improvement in fracturing design and geomechanics properties with each well. After fracturing, the 30-day oil recovery was superior, higher than previous fractured wells, reaching more than 255 BFPD on average. The successful development of the Alpha reservoir with hydraulic fracturing led to further milestones to maximize oil recovery in XYZ field.


ICIPEG 2014 ◽  
2015 ◽  
pp. 69-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed A. Ayoub ◽  
Berihun M. Negash ◽  
Ismail M. Saaid

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