PNG 579B: Unconventional Gas Reservoirs

Spring 2016
Assignment #5
Date: Apr. 05, 2016

Due Date: May 03, 2016

Analyzing transient linear flow associated with HFs in a tight gas condensate reservoir:
For this assignment, which is an implementation of the rate-transient analysis (RTA) technique,
the goal is to extract the hydraulic-fracture (HF) attribute N f x f k from the transient linear flow
period for a well producing at variable flow-rates and flowing pressures. Pseudo-variable
transforms (for both pressure and time) are used to linearize the diffusivity equation under twophase flow conditions. Then a computational workflow is employed to compute x f k using Black
Oil PVT data as well as a saturation-pressure relationship.

Schematic of the problem

xf

x-direction
Schematic showing linear flow toward two fractures in multi-fractured horizontal well. The shaded
rectangle indicates the element of symmetry. The following mathematical derivation is based on
twice the area of shaded rectangular. Note that the gas production (q gsc ) from one lateral
corresponds to 2 N f A k = 4 N f x f h k , where N f is number of hydraulic fractures.

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Spring 2016

H. Emami-Meybodi

x f k calculation for a gas-well producing at a constant flow-rate (analytical solution)

General diffusivity equation for gas flow in a two-phase system:

R k
k
Rs S o S g

+
s ro + rg p =

Bg
o Bo g Bg 0.00633k t Bo
Diffusivity equation for linear flow (1D):

k p
Rs k ro

Rs S o S g
+ rg =
+

x o Bo g Bg x 0.00633k t Bo
Bg

p
b
a =
x x 0.00633k t

R
1
Rs
1
, b = S o s + (1 S o )
+ k rg
Bo
Bg
o Bo
g Bg

where a = k ro

b p b S o

+
a =
x x 0.00633k p t S o t
2 p pg
x

( g ct )i p pg
0.00633k t pg

p pg ( x,0 ) = p pgi

p pg

0.001127 Ak
x

p pg (, t pg ) = p pgi

where p pg =

adp

t pg =

pbase

( c )

g t i

b p p

t
p

= q gsc where A = 2 x f h
x =0

The dimensionless form of this equation is

Ppg2
X 2

Ppg
pg

Ppg = 2

Ppg ( X ,0 ) = 0

dPpg dX (0, ) =

Ppg (, ) = 0

0.001127 kh( p pgi p pg )

q gsc

where

pg =

0.00633k
t ,
( g ct )i x 2f pg

X =

x
xf

Analytical solution for the above differential equation with the given initial and boundary
conditions is:

X2
pg

exp
Ppg (X , pg ) = 4
4

pg

X 1 erf X

4 pg

The pressure at the wellbore can be obtained by (at x = 0)

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 pg

Ppg (0, pg ) = 2
p pgi p pgwf

qgsc

39.82
1
h ( g ct )i x f k

t pg

Determining x f k from the slope of (p pi p pwf )/q gsc vs.

p pgi p pgwf

= m t pg

q gsc

where m =

t ps

39.82
1
, therefore
h ( g ct )i x f k

xf

k =

39.82

mh ( g ct )i

Computational Workflow (numerical simulation and programing)

1) Calculate pseudo-pressure using:
p

adp

pp =

pbase

2) Plot (p pi -p pw )/q gsc versus

p pi p pw
qsc

t in Cartesian coordinate and obtain slope of the plot (m):

39.82
t =m t
h ( g ct )i x f k

3) As an initial guess, determine x f k using initial rock and fluid properties and:
xf k =

39.82
mh ( g ct )i

4) Using material balance, evaluate the average pressure in DOI:

p np
p
= i 1
Z tp Z i
ni

where ni = ( gsc + osc Rvi )G , G =

2 x f y DOI h
Bgi

osc
kt
, n p = gsc +
q gsc ( )d
GOR( )
(g ct )i
0
t

y DOI = 0.113

A numerical method (Secant method) should be used to obtain

average pressure in an iterative scheme.

5) Calculate average oil saturation at the average pressure found in Step 4 using S o (p) data,
6) Calculate pseudo-time using:
tp =

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( c )

g t i

b p p

t
p

Spring 2016

H. Emami-Meybodi

b = So

Rs
1
+ (1 S o )
Bo
Bg

b
d Rs
d 1
+ (1 S o )
= So
p
dp Bo
dp Bg

7) Obtain superposition pseudo-time using:

t ps (n )

n q
q gsc ( j 1)
= gsc ( j )
q gsc (n )
j =1

8) Plot (p pi -p pw )/q gsc versus

p pi p pw
qsc

(t p (n ) t p ( j1) )

t ps in Cartesian coordinate and obtain slope of the plot (m p ):

= m ps t ps

9) Determine x f k using:
xf k =

39.82
m ps h ( g ct )i

10) Repeat Steps 4 to 9 until x f k converges.

Input data
1) Reservoir initial pressure and saturation pressure,
2) Reservoir porosity and formation thickness,
3) Initial total compressibility,
4) Oil and gas density at SC for gas reservoirs,
5) Relative permeability table: k ro (S o ) and k rg (S o ),
6) PVT data table: R s , R v , B o , B gd , o , g ,
7) P-S data table: S o (p)
8) P-Z data table: Z tp (p) for gas reservoirs,
9) Production data table: t, p wf (t), q gsc (t), GOR(t)

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Use the above information and the given data in the Excel file (Assignment_5_Data.xlsx) to:
a) Plot p ave (psia) and So ave vs. time (day).
b) Plot final (p pi p pwf )/q gsc vs.

t ps .

c) Determine N f x f k .
d) If the formation permeability is 0.0011 md, determine x f (ft).

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H. Emami-Meybodi