Title: Application of type curves for pressure transient analysis of multiple fractured horizontal wells in shale gas reservoirs

Authors: Tae Hong Kim; Kanghee Park; Kun Sang Lee

Addresses: Natural Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea ' Natural Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea ' Natural Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea

Abstract: Pressure transient analysis for shale gas reservoirs requires comprehensive understanding related to nonlinear gas flow process as well as hydraulic fracture properties. A major purpose of this study is to demonstrate how this issue is addressed by pressure transient analysis for multiple fractured horizontal wells in shale gas reservoirs. Extensive numerical simulations were conducted to model transient pressure behaviour of a fractured horizontal well and the results were applied to well test analysis in shale gas reservoirs. This paper presents a comprehensive reservoir simulation model to investigate the characteristics of pressure transient responses under the influences of hydraulic fracture properties and nonlinear gas flow mechanism. The numerical simulations provided various type curves for transient pressure responses in fractured horizontal production wells. Results from type-curve matching for synthetic pressure data demonstrate that the conventional analysis approach may still be applicable for analysis of shale gas reservoirs. [Received: April 10, 2015; Accepted: September 19, 2015]

Keywords: shale gas reservoirs; type curves; pressure transient analysis; hydraulic fracturing; nonlinear flow; numerical simulation; fracking; multiple fractured horizontal wells.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2016.077314

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2016 Vol.12 No.4, pp.359 - 378

Received: 17 Apr 2015
Accepted: 19 Sep 2015
Published online: 28 Jun 2016 *

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