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Title: Factors controlling production in hydraulically fractured low permeability oil reservoirs

Authors: Palash Panja; Tyler Conner; Milind Deo

Addresses: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Utah, 50 South Central Campus Drive, 3290 MEB, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84102, USA ' Devon Energy, 333 West Sheridan Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102-5015, USA ' Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Utah, 50 South Central Campus Drive, 3290 MEB, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84102, USA

Abstract: Fundamentals of fluid flow in ultra-low permeability reservoirs need to be examined to understand production behaviours. In this paper, we perform sensitivity studies of reservoir properties (matrix permeability, heterogeneity, rock compressibility and reservoir pressure), fluid properties (bubble point pressure and initial dissolved gas oil ratio), rock fluid properties (relative permeabilities), completion parameters (fracture spacing) and operating parameters (bottom hole pressure) on production performances. Matrix permeability, rock compressibility, fluid properties and fracture spacing have major impact on oil recovery and gas oil ratio (GOR). More oil is recovered from higher permeability reservoir in the expense of higher GOR. Recovery increases with increasing rock compressibility since the pressure decline is more gradual in higher compressibility rocks. Oil phase becomes less viscous and more mobile due to higher amount of dissolved gas. Higher initial GOR improves production of oil with higher produced GOR. Closer fracture spacing yields more oil recovery. [Received: April 2, 2015; Accepted: August 26, 2015]

Keywords: hydraulic fracturing; fracking; shale gas; sensitivity studies; oil rate; gas oil ratio; recovery factor; production control; low permeability; oil reservoirs; fluid flow; matrix permeability; heterogeneity; rock compressibility; reservoir pressure; bubble point pressure; initial dissolved GOR; relative permeabilities; bottom hole pressure; oil recovery.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2016.078033

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2016 Vol.13 No.1, pp.1 - 18

Received: 08 Apr 2015
Accepted: 26 Aug 2015

Published online: 31 Jul 2016 *

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