Zongxiao Ren

The reservoir anisotropy, perforating skin, and the compressibility of rock and fluids are important factors affecting horizontal well productivity. In this research, the finite volume method is adopted to develop a three-dimensional unsteady productivity prediction model for horizontal wells. An improved Peaceman well model is used to predict the productivity of horizontal wells. The influence of parameters, including the plane anisotropy, horizontal well length, and perforation skin on productivity were studied and the production law for horizontal wells was further analyzed. The accuracy of the model is verified by CMG reservoir simulation software. The following conclusions are obtained from study: first, the speed of pressure propagation in homogeneous and isotropic reservoir is faster than the anisotropic reservoir. Second, the flow rate of the horizontal well is U-shaped along the horizontal wellbore, and the contribution of perforation sections at both ends of horizontal wells to the total production is greater than that in the middle of horizontal wells. With the continuous production, the contribution of perforation sections at both ends gradually increases. Third, the accumulative production of a horizontal well increases with an increase in rock compressibility. The main reason is that with the increase of the elastic energy in reservoir, the accumulative production of the horizontal well under the same conditions gets higher. The proposed model can be used to predict pressure and production distribution for horizontal well in anisotropic reservoirs.

Unconventional resources have been successfully exploited with technological advancements in horizontal-drilling and multistage hydraulic-fracturing, especially in North America. Due to preexisting natural fractures and the presence of stress isotropy, several complex fracture networks can be generated during fracturing operations in unconventional reservoirs. Using the DVS method, a semianalytical model was created to analyze the transient pressure behavior of a complex fracture network in which hydraulic and natural fractures interconnect with inclined angles. In this model, the complex fracture network can be divided into a proper number of segments. With this approach, we are able to focus on a detailed description of the network properties, such as the complex geometry and varying conductivity of the fracture. The accuracy of the new model was demonstrated by ECLIPSE. Using this method, we defined six flow patterns: linear flow, fracture interference flow, transitional flow, biradial flow, pseudoradial flow, and boundary response flow. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to analyze each of these flow regimes. This work provides a useful tool for reservoir engineers for fracture designing as well as estimating the performance of a complex fracture network.

Gas transport in shale matrix is complex due to multiple mechanisms and is difficult to be investigated by macroscopic experiment. For Gas Research Institute (GRI) method, which is the most accepted one for gas transport investigation in shale matrix, the apparatus was modified by adding an automatic gas supplement and pressurization (AGSP) system, and a numerical model considering the variation of real gas property and the Klinkenberg effect was established for data interpretation. Then, the intrinsic permeability and Klinkenberg coefficient were effectively obtained by maintaining high expanding speed of gas in apparatus and eliminating the negative effect of low filling degree of sample. By analysis, the ideal gas transports faster than real gas due to the viscosity difference at low pressure and the deviation factor difference at high pressure. For Wufeng-Longmaxi shale matrix, the positive influence of Klinkenberg effect on gas transport would attenuate with increasing pressure and is more powerful than bulk shale sample with fractures. Therefore, the gas transport in real shale matrix could be well known, which is meaningful to production forecast and evaluation in oil and gas fields.

Due to a large number of natural fractures in tight oil reservoir, many complex fracture networks are generated during fracturing operation. There are five kinds of flow media in the reservoir: “matrix, natural fracture, hydraulic fracture network, perforation hole, and horizontal wellbore”. How to establish the seepage model of liquid in multiscale medium is a challenging problem. Firstly, this paper establishes the dual medium seepage model based on source function theory, principle of superposition, and Laplace transformation and then uses the “star‐triangle” transform method to establish the transient pressure behavior model in the complex fracture network. After that, perforating seepage model and variable mass flow in horizontal wellbore were established. Finally, continuous condition was used to couple the seepage model of dual medium seepage model, transient pressure behavior model in the complex fracture network, perforation seepage model, and the variable mass seepage model in horizontal wellbore, to establish a semianalytical coupled seepage model for horizontal well in tight reservoir. This paper provides theoretical basis for field application of horizontal well with complex fracture networks.