Analysis of Pressure Data from The Horizontal Wells with Multiple Hydraulic Fractures in Shale Gas

Abstract

In the last several years, the unconventional gas reservoirs development has grown tremendously. Most of these unconventional reservoirs have very low permeability and are not able to produce an economic flow rate without stimulation treatments. The common method to improve the production is by a horizontal well with multiple hydraulic fractures. Hydraulic fracturing is a stimulation practice to improve the permeability in order to obtain commercial production. Horizontal wells with multiple hydraulic fracture treatments have proven to be an effective method for development of unconventional reservoirs.

The objective of this paper is to investigate the interpretation of pressure transient responses from horizontal wells with single and multiple hydraulic fractures using the commercial reservoir simulator. In addition, the paper will focus on identifying the impact of the reservoir and fracture properties on the flow regimes of a horizontal well producing from the low permeability reservoirs. The different flow regimes appear during horizontal-well transient flow. However, the existence of these flow regimes is closely associated with the dimensions of the half length of the fracture, fracture permeability, drainage area, horizontal well length, etc. Hence, it is common that some flow regimes are not present.