Decline Curves of a Vertical Well in Stress-Sensitive Reservoir

2013 ◽  
Vol 772 ◽  
pp. 781-788
Author(s):  
Zhang Zhang ◽  
Shun Li He ◽  
Hai Yong Zhang ◽  
Shao Yuan Mo ◽  
Shuai Li

Stress-sensitivity effects have been recognized to have impact on the pressure/rate transient behavior of wells in several reservoirs. Although the effects of stress-sensitivity have been considered in well testing theory in the past thirty years, little has been done to determine their influence on rate decline behavior. This paper presents a single phase flow model considering stress-sensitive formation permeability to investigate the characteristic of production rate decline of a vertical well. The stress-sensitive permeability is considered as an exponential form. The permeability changes with pressure drop are described by a permeability modulus. By introducing two pseudo functions, the equations of the mathematical model are linearized and approximate semi-analytical solutions are obtained. The analytical solutions are carefully verified through numerical simulation. Two sets of new decline type curves are diagramed on a log-log plot for constant rate case and constant bottomhole pressure case respectively. The influence of stress-sensitive permeability on decline curves are analyzed and compared. From this work, we recognized that the rate decline characteristics of stress-sensitive reservoir under constant rate and constant bottomhole producing condition are different. New analysis method should be developed to analyze field variable rate/variable pressure drop data.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chong Cao ◽  
Linsong Cheng ◽  
Xiangyang Zhang ◽  
Pin Jia ◽  
Wenpei Lu

Abstract Permeability changes in the weakly consolidated sandstone formation, caused by sand migration, has a serious impact on the interpretation of well testing and production prediction. In this article, a two-zone comprehensive model is presented to describe the changes in permeability by integrating the produced sand, stress sensitivity characteristics. In this model, inner zone is modeled as a higher permeability radial reservoir because of the sand migration, while the outer zone is considered as a lower permeability reservoir. Besides, non-Newtonian fluid flow characteristics are considered as threshold pressure gradient in this paper. As a result, this bi-zone comprehensive model is built. The analytical solution to this composite model can be obtained using Laplace transformation, orthogonal transformation, and then the bottomhole pressure in real space can be solved by Stehfest and perturbation inversion techniques. Based on the oilfield cases validated in the oilfield data from the produced sand horizontal well, the flow regimes analysis shows seven flow regimes can be divided in this bi-zone model considering stress sensitive. In addition, the proposed new model is validated by the compassion results of traditional method without the complex factors. Besides, the effect related parameters of stress sensitivity coefficient, skin factor, permeability ratio and sanding radius on the typical curves of well-testing are analyzed. This work introduces two-zone composite model to reflect the variations of permeability caused by the produced sand in the unconsolidated sandstone formation, which can produce great influence on pressure transient behavior. Besides, this paper can also provide a more accurate reference for reservoir engineers in well test interpretation of loose sandstone reservoirs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 1359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Guo ◽  
Zhen Sun ◽  
Chao Peng ◽  
Hongfei Chen ◽  
Junjie Ren

Massive hydraulic fracturing of vertical wells has been extensively employed in the development of low-permeability gas reservoirs. The existence of multiple hydraulic fractures along a vertical well makes the pressure profile around the vertical well complex. This paper studies the pressure dependence of permeability to develop a seepage model of vertical fractured wells with multiple hydraulic fractures. Both transformed pseudo-pressure and perturbation techniques have been employed to linearize the proposed model. The superposition principle and a hybrid analytical-numerical method were used to obtain the bottom-hole pseudo-pressure solution. Type curves for pseudo-pressure are presented and identified. The effects of the relevant parameters (such as dimensionless permeability modulus, fracture conductivity coefficient, hydraulic-fracture length, angle between the two adjacent hydraulic fractures, the difference of the hydraulic-fracture lengths, and hydraulic-fracture number) on the type curve and the error caused by neglecting the stress sensitivity are discussed in detail. The proposed work can enrich the understanding of the influence of the stress sensitivity on the performance of a vertical fractured well with multiple hydraulic fractures and can be used to more accurately interpret and forecast the transient pressure.


1981 ◽  
Vol 21 (01) ◽  
pp. 98-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.A. Ehlig-Economides ◽  
H.J. Ramey

Abstract Although constant-rate production is assumed in the development of conventional well test analysis methods, constant-pressure production conditions are not uncommon. Conditions under which constant-pressure flow is maintained at a well include production into a constant-pressure separator or pipeline, steam production into a backpressured turbine, or open flow to the atmosphere.To perform conventional well test analysis on such wells, one common procedure is to flow the well at a constant rate for several days before performing the test. This procedure is not always effective, and often the delay could be avoided by performing transient rate tests instead. Practical methods for transient rate analysis of wells produced at constant pressure are presented in this paper. The most important test is the analysis of the rate response to a step change in producing pressure. This test allows type-curve analysis of the transient rate response without the complication of wellbore storage effects. Reservoir permeability, porosity, and the wellbore skin factor can be determined from the type-curve match. The reservoir limit test is also important. Exponential rate decline can be analyzed to determine the drainage area of a well and the shape factor.The effect of the pressure drop in the wellbore due to flowing friction is investigated. Constant wellhead-pressure flow causes a variable pressure at the sandface because the pressure drop from flowing friction is dependent on the transient rate. Finally, for testing of new wells, the effect of a limited initial flow rate due to critical flow phenomena is examined. Introduction Fundamental considerations suggest that conventional pressure drawdown and buildup analysis methods developed for constant-rate production should not be appropriate for a well produced at a constant pressure. However, a well produced at a constant pressure exhibits a transient rate decline which can be analyzed using techniques analogous to the methods for constant-rate flow. In this paper, analytical solutions for the transient rate decline for wells produced at constant pressure are used to determine practical well test analysis methods.Many of the basic analytical solutions for transient rate decline have been available for some time. The first solutions were published by Moore et al. and Hurst. Results were presented in graphical form for bounded and unbounded reservoirs in which the flow was radial and the single-phase fluid was slightly compressible. Tables of dimensionless flow rate vs. dimensionless time were provided later by Ferris et al. for the unbounded system and by Tsarevich and Kuranov for the closed-boundary circular reservoir. Tsarevich and Kuranov also provided tabulated solutions for the cumulative production from a closed-boundary reservoir. Van Everdingen and Hurst presented solutions and tables of the cumulative production for constant-pressure production. Fetkovich developed log-log type curves for transient rate vs. sine in the closed-boundary circular reservoir. Type curves for rate decline in closed-boundary reservoirs with pressure-sensitive rock and fluid properties were developed by Samaniego and Cinco. A method for determining the skin effect was given by Earlougher. Type curves for analysis of the transient rate response when the well penetrates a fracture were developed by Prats et al. and Locke and Sawyer. SPEJ P. 98^


Author(s):  
Kambiz Razminia ◽  
Abolhassan Razminia ◽  
J. A. Tenreiro Machado

This paper addresses the model, solution, and analysis of fluid flow behavior in fractal reservoirs considering wellbore storage and skin effects (WS–SE). In the light of the fractional calculus (FC), the general form of fluid flow model considering the history of flow in all stages of production is presented. On the basis of Bessel functions theory, analytical solutions in the Laplace transform domain under three outer-boundary conditions, assuming the well is producing at a constant rate, are obtained. Based on the analytical solutions, various examples, discussing the pressure-transient behavior of a well in a fractal reservoir, are presented.


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.


1962 ◽  
Vol 2 (03) ◽  
pp. 225-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Rowan ◽  
M.W. Clegg

Abstract The basic equations for the flow of gases, compressible liquids and incompressible liquids are derived and the full implications of linearising then discussed. Approximate solutions of these equations are obtained by introducing the concept of a disturbed zone around the well, which expands outwards into the reservoir as fluid is produced. Many important and well-established results are deduced in terms of simple functions rather than the infinite series, or numerical solutions normally associated with these problems. The wide range of application of this approach to transient radial flow problems is illustrated with many examples including; gravity drainage of depletion-type reservoirs; multiple well systems; well interference. Introduction A large number of problems concerning the flow of fluids in oil reservoirs have been solved by both analytical and numerical methods but in almost all cases these solutions have some disadvantages - the analytical ones usually involve rather complex functions (infinite series or infinite integrals) which are difficult to handle, and the numerical ones tend to mask the physical principles underlying the problem. It would seem appropriate, therefore, to try to find approximate analytical solutions to these problems without introducing any further appreciable errors, so that the physical nature of the problem is retained and solutions of comparable accuracy are obtained. One class of problems will be considered in this paper, namely, transient radial flow problems, and it will be shown that approximate analytical solutions of the equations governing radial flow can be obtained, and that these solutions yield comparable results to those calculated numerically and those obtained from "exact" solutions. It will also be shown that the restrictions imposed upon the dependent variable (pressure) are just those which have to be assumed in deriving the usual diffusion-type equations. The method was originally suggested by Guseinov, whopostulated a disturbed zone in the reservoir, the radius of which increases with time, andreplaced the time derivatives in the basic differential equation by its mean value in the disturbed zone. In this paper it is proposed to review the basic theory leading to the equations governing the flow of homogeneous fluids in porous media and to consider the full implications of the approximation introduced in linearising them. The Guseinov-type approximation will then be applied to these equations and the solutions for the flow of compressible and incompressible fluids, and gases in bounded and infinite reservoirs obtained. As an example of the application of this type of approximation, solutions to such problems as production from stratified reservoirs, radial permeability discontinuities; multiple-well systems, and well interference will be given. These solutions agree with many other published results, and in some cases they may be extended to more complex problems without the computational difficulties experienced by other authors. THEORY In order to review the basic theory from a fairly general standpoint it is proposed to limit the idealising assumptions to the minimum necessary for analytical convenience. The assumptions to be made are the following:That the flow is irrotational.That the formation is of constant thickness.Darcy's Law is valid.The formation is saturated with a single homogeneous fluid. SPEJ P. 225^


1981 ◽  
Vol 21 (03) ◽  
pp. 390-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.H. Guppy ◽  
Heber Cinco-Ley ◽  
Henry J. Ramey

Abstract In many low-permeability gas reservoirs, producing a well at constant rate is very difficult or, in many cases, impossible. Constant-pressure production is much easier to attain and more realistic in practice. This is seen when production occurs into a constant-pressure separator or during the reservoir depletion phase, when the rate-decline period occurs. Geothermal reservoirs, which produce fluids that drive backpressure turbines, and open-well production both incorporate the constant-pressure behavior. For finite-conductivity vertically fractured systems, solutions for the constant-pressure case have been presented in the literature. In many high-flow-rate wells, however, these solutions may not be useful since high velocities are attained in the fracture, which results in non-Darcy effects within the fracture. In this study, the effects of non-Darcy flow within the fracture are investigated. Unlike the constant-rate case, it was found that the fracture conductivity does not have a constant apparent conductivity but rather an apparent conductivity that varies with time. Semianalytical solutions as well as graphical solutions in the form of type curves are presented to illustrate this effect. An example is presented for analyzing rate data by using both solutions for Darcy and non-Darcy flow within the fracture. This example relies on good reservoir permeability from prefracture data to predict the non-Darcy effect accurately. Introduction To fully analyze the effects of constant-bottomhole-pressure production of hydraulically fractured wells, it is necessary that we understand the pressure behavior of finite-conductivity fracture systems producing at constant rate as well as the effects of non-Darcy flow on gas flow in porous media. Probably one of the most significant contributions in the transient pressure analysis theory for fractured wells was made by Gringarten et al.1,2 In the 1974 paper,2 general solutions were made for infinite-conductivity fractures. Cinco et al.3 found a more general solution for the case of finite-conductivity fractures and further extended this analysis in 1978 to present a graphical technique to estimate fracture conductivity.4 For the case of constant pressure at the wellbore, solutions were presented in graphical form by Agarwal et al.5 In his paper, a graph of log (1/qD) vs. log (tDxf) can be used to determine the conductivity of the fracture by using type-curve matching. Although such a contribution is of great interest, unique solutions are difficult to obtain. More recently, Guppy et al.6 showed that the Agarwal et al. solutions may be in error and presented new type curves for the solution to the constant-pressure case assuming Darcy flow in the fracture. That paper developed analytical solutions which can be applied directly to field data so as to calculate the fracture permeability-width (kfbf) product.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayobami Ezekiel ◽  
Prince Oduh ◽  
Emmanuel Okoh ◽  
Collins Onah ◽  
Michael Ojah ◽  
...  

Abstract In this study, a simpler numerical model for calculating inter-well distance was developed. This model was developed as an alternative to the Ei-function used for computing pressure drops. The mainobjective of developing this model is tomake resolution of pilfering issues easyto resolve. With the developed model, calculations relating to pressure drops and more specifically, inter-well distance, can be done with greater ease and accuracy. In developing this model, the integral equation of the Eifunction in the pressure drop equation was solved numerically. The numerical solution reduced thepressure drop equation to a polynomial equation which is much easier to solve. The developed model was used to solve real problems. Results generated from it were compared with those obtained using previous approaches. Important informationsuch as well configuration, region of the reservoir, and transient history wherethe work is valid are stated. The development of the correlations and tables forthe range of validity and values of the Ei-function is a major quantum leap in well testing and analysis. It will be quite cumbersome to resolve integrals with unknowns, hence, methods of trials and errors have been resorted to over the years. However, this new approach resolved the pressure drop equation into a systemof polynomials which is much easier to solve. Consequently, the distance betweenpossibly interfering wells (which is an important variable during interference test) can now be gotten with ease. The developed model is valid within the range of validity of the Ei-function. Without doubt, this work will help redefine the pressure drop equation into a polynomial equation which can easily be resolved using any of the known approaches to solving problems involving polynomials. More so, getting the correct distance betweenthe two wells in question is pivotal to the test. With the model developed in this work, getting inter-well distance is now easier and more accurate.


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