Investigation of the Effect of Discrete Fracture Network on the Pressure Transient Response of Fractured Porous Media

Document Type : Research - Paper

Authors

1 M.Sc, Dept. of Petroleum Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran polytechnic), Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Dept. of Petroleum Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran polytechnic), Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The interpretation of the pressure data of naturally fractured reservoirs (NFRs) has particular significance. The most famous theory for analyzing the pressure data of NFRs is the dual-porosity model presented by Warren and Root. Recent studies have shown that the dual-porosity model may not be appropriate for interpreting well test from all NFRs because this model has limits. In this study, the pressure transient response of naturally fractured reservoirs was investigated by using numerical simulation without considering analytical and semi-analytical methods. To this end, a set of models including connected and disconnected fracture networks was simulated in the numerical simulator. The Warren and Root well-testing signature was observed in all simulations but it was highly evident for a well was located in the matrix and was negligible for a well that was intersected by fractures. The results of the simulation for the well that was intersected by fractures showed the bilinear flow regime with the slope of 1/4. The period of this flow regime increased in the unconnected fracture network and changed to the linear flow regime with a slope of 1/2 in two cases: firstly, by increasing fracture permeability in the connected fracture network, secondly, in the small-unconnected fractures. Moreover, the sensitivity analysis was performed on the well location in the connected fracture network. This research showed that by decreasing the distance between well and fracture network, the transition period becomes deeper and appears earlier.

Highlights

[1] Firoozabadi, A. (2000). “Recovery mechanisms in fractured reservoirs and field performance”. Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology, 39(11). DOI: https://doi.org/10.2118/00-11-DAS.

[2] Cinco-Ley, H. (1996). “Well-test analysis for naturally fractured reservoirs”. Journal of Petroleum Technology, 48(01): 51-54,.

[3] Kiani, M., Alamdari, B. B., and Kazemi, H. (2014). “Modeling of Viscous Displacement in Dual-Porosity Naturally Fractured Reservoirs: Application to Surfactant Enhanced Oil Recovery”. In SPE Improved Oil Recovery Symposium, Society of Petroleum Engineers.

[4] Lemonnier, P., and Bourbiaux, B. (2010). “Simulation of naturally fractured reservoirs. state of the art-part 1–physical mechanisms and simulator formulation”. Oil & Gas Science and Technology–Revue de l’Institut Français du Pétrole, 65(2): 239-262.

[5] Lemonnier, P., and Bourbiaux, B. (2010). “Simulation of naturally fractured reservoirs. state of the art-Part 2–matrix-fracture transfers and typical features of numerical studies”. Oil & Gas Science and Technology–Revue de l’Institut Français du Pétrole, 65(2): 263-286.

[6] Biryukov, D., and Kuchuk, F. J. (2012). “Transient pressure behavior of reservoirs with discrete conductive faults and fractures”. Transport in Porous Media, 95(1): 239-268.

[7] Egya, D. O., Geiger, S., Corbett, P. W. M., March, R., Bisdom, K. , and Bertotti, G. (2019). “Analysing the limitations of the dual-porosity response during well tests in naturally fractured reservoirs”. Petroleum Geoscience, 25(1): 30-49.

[8] Pulido, H., Samaniego, F. V., Rivera, J., Díaz, F., and Galicia, G. (2006). “On a well-test pressure theory of analysis for naturally fractured reservoirs, considering transient interporosity matrix, microfractures, vugs, and fractures flow”. In International Oil Conference and Exhibition in Mexico, Society of Petroleum Engineers.

[9] Warren, J., and Root, P. J. (1963). “The behavior of naturally fractured reservoirs”. Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal, 3(03): 245-255.

[10] Gringarten, A. C. (1984). “Interpretation of tests in fissured and multilayered reservoirs with double-porosity behavior: theory and practice”. Journal of Petroleum Technology, 36(04): 549-564.

[11] Gringarten Alain, C. (1987). “How To Recognize “Double-Porosity” Systems From Well Tests”. Journal of Petroleum Technology, 39(06): 631-633.

[12] Bourdet, D. (2002).“Well Test Analysis: The Use of Advanced Interpretation Models”. Elsevier Science, 1-426.

[13] Wei, L., Hadwin, J., Chaput, E., Rawnsley, K., and Swaby, P. (1998). “Discriminating fracture patterns in fractured reservoirs by pressure transient tests”. In SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Society of Petroleum Engineers.

[14] Izadi, M., and Yildiz, T. (2009). “Transient flow in discretely fractured porous media”. SPE Journal, 14(02): 362-373.

[15] Morton, K. L., Nogueira, P. d. B., Booth, R., and Kuchuk, F. J. (2012). “Integrated interpretation for pressure transient tests in discretely fractured reservoirs”. In SPE Europec/EAGE Annual Conference, Society of Petroleum Engineers.

[16] Corbett, P., Geiger, S., Borges, L., Garayev, M., and Valdez, C. (2012). “The third porosity systemunderstanding the role of hidden pore systems in well-test interpretation in carbonates”. Petroleum Geoscience, 18(1): 73-81.

[17] Abdassah, D., and Ershaghi, I. (1986). “Triple-porosity systems for representing naturally fractured reservoirs”. SPE Formation Evaluation, 1(02): 113-127.

[18] Kuchuk, F., and Biryukov, D. (2015). “Pressure-transient tests and flow regimes in fractured reservoirs”. SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering, 18(02): 187-204.

[19] Egya, D., Sebastian, G., and Corbett, P. W. (2018). “Effect of Variation in Fractures Conductivity and Well Location on Pressure Transient Response from Fractured Reservoirs”. In SPE Europec featured at 80th EAGE Conference and Exhibition, Society of Petroleum Engineers.

[20] Egya, D., Geiger, S., and Corbett, P. W. (2019).“Pressure-Transient Responses of Fractures With Variable Conductivity and Asymmetric Well Location”. SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering, 22(02): 745-755.

[21] Mirzaalian Dastjerdi, A., Eyvazi Farab, A., and Sharifi, M. (2019). “Possible pitfalls in pressure transient analysis: Effect of adjacent wells”. Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology, 9: 3023-3038. DOI: 10.1007/s13202-019-0701-2.

[22] Ghalamghash, J., Mousavi, S. Z., Hassanzadeh, J., and Schmitt, A. K. (2016). “Geology, zircon geochronology, and petrogenesis of Sabalan volcano (northwestern Iran)”. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 327: 192-207.

 

Keywords

References

[1] Firoozabadi, A. (2000). “Recovery mechanisms in fractured reservoirs and field performance”. Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology, 39(11). DOI: https://doi.org/10.2118/00-11-DAS.
[2] Cinco-Ley, H. (1996). “Well-test analysis for naturally fractured reservoirs”. Journal of Petroleum Technology, 48(01): 51-54,.
[3] Kiani, M., Alamdari, B. B., and Kazemi, H. (2014). “Modeling of Viscous Displacement in Dual-Porosity Naturally Fractured Reservoirs: Application to Surfactant Enhanced Oil Recovery”. In SPE Improved Oil Recovery Symposium, Society of Petroleum Engineers.
[4] Lemonnier, P., and Bourbiaux, B. (2010). “Simulation of naturally fractured reservoirs. state of the art-part 1–physical mechanisms and simulator formulation”. Oil & Gas Science and Technology–Revue de l’Institut Français du Pétrole, 65(2): 239-262.
[5] Lemonnier, P., and Bourbiaux, B. (2010). “Simulation of naturally fractured reservoirs. state of the art-Part 2–matrix-fracture transfers and typical features of numerical studies”. Oil & Gas Science and Technology–Revue de l’Institut Français du Pétrole, 65(2): 263-286.
[6] Biryukov, D., and Kuchuk, F. J. (2012). “Transient pressure behavior of reservoirs with discrete conductive faults and fractures”. Transport in Porous Media, 95(1): 239-268.
[7] Egya, D. O., Geiger, S., Corbett, P. W. M., March, R., Bisdom, K. , and Bertotti, G. (2019). “Analysing the limitations of the dual-porosity response during well tests in naturally fractured reservoirs”. Petroleum Geoscience, 25(1): 30-49.
[8] Pulido, H., Samaniego, F. V., Rivera, J., Díaz, F., and Galicia, G. (2006). “On a well-test pressure theory of analysis for naturally fractured reservoirs, considering transient interporosity matrix, microfractures, vugs, and fractures flow”. In International Oil Conference and Exhibition in Mexico, Society of Petroleum Engineers.
[9] Warren, J., and Root, P. J. (1963). “The behavior of naturally fractured reservoirs”. Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal, 3(03): 245-255.
[10] Gringarten, A. C. (1984). “Interpretation of tests in fissured and multilayered reservoirs with double-porosity behavior: theory and practice”. Journal of Petroleum Technology, 36(04): 549-564.
[11] Gringarten Alain, C. (1987). “How To Recognize “Double-Porosity” Systems From Well Tests”. Journal of Petroleum Technology, 39(06): 631-633.
[12] Bourdet, D. (2002).“Well Test Analysis: The Use of Advanced Interpretation Models”. Elsevier Science, 1-426.
[13] Wei, L., Hadwin, J., Chaput, E., Rawnsley, K., and Swaby, P. (1998). “Discriminating fracture patterns in fractured reservoirs by pressure transient tests”. In SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Society of Petroleum Engineers.
[14] Izadi, M., and Yildiz, T. (2009). “Transient flow in discretely fractured porous media”. SPE Journal, 14(02): 362-373.
[15] Morton, K. L., Nogueira, P. d. B., Booth, R., and Kuchuk, F. J. (2012). “Integrated interpretation for pressure transient tests in discretely fractured reservoirs”. In SPE Europec/EAGE Annual Conference, Society of Petroleum Engineers.
[16] Corbett, P., Geiger, S., Borges, L., Garayev, M., and Valdez, C. (2012). “The third porosity systemunderstanding the role of hidden pore systems in well-test interpretation in carbonates”. Petroleum Geoscience, 18(1): 73-81.
[17] Abdassah, D., and Ershaghi, I. (1986). “Triple-porosity systems for representing naturally fractured reservoirs”. SPE Formation Evaluation, 1(02): 113-127.
[18] Kuchuk, F., and Biryukov, D. (2015). “Pressure-transient tests and flow regimes in fractured reservoirs”. SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering, 18(02): 187-204.
[19] Egya, D., Sebastian, G., and Corbett, P. W. (2018). “Effect of Variation in Fractures Conductivity and Well Location on Pressure Transient Response from Fractured Reservoirs”. In SPE Europec featured at 80th EAGE Conference and Exhibition, Society of Petroleum Engineers.
[20] Egya, D., Geiger, S., and Corbett, P. W. (2019).“Pressure-Transient Responses of Fractures With Variable Conductivity and Asymmetric Well Location”. SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering, 22(02): 745-755.
[21] Mirzaalian Dastjerdi, A., Eyvazi Farab, A., and Sharifi, M. (2019). “Possible pitfalls in pressure transient analysis: Effect of adjacent wells”. Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology, 9: 3023-3038. DOI: 10.1007/s13202-019-0701-2.
[22] Ghalamghash, J., Mousavi, S. Z., Hassanzadeh, J., and Schmitt, A. K. (2016). “Geology, zircon geochronology, and petrogenesis of Sabalan volcano (northwestern Iran)”. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 327: 192-207.
 
Journal of Mineral Resources Engineering
Volume 6, Issue 4 - Serial Number 22
December 2021
Pages 27-42

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History

  • Receive Date: 26 June 2020
  • Revise Date: 10 January 2021
  • Accept Date: 10 January 2021

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