Abstract
Horizontal wells are used in unconventional oil and gas reservoirs to increase production by creating large drainage surface areas and contact volumes. Production is further improved by applying hydraulic fracture stimulation in horizontal wells. Hydraulic fracturing increases well productivity via the large drainage surface of the fracture and by rejuvenating existing natural fractures as well as creating new fractures in the vicinity of the wellbore. The affected reservoir volume is known as the stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) which includes a complex flow network that creates different flow regimes.
We will present several short and long pressure transient tests conducted in vertical and horizontal wells, to determine critical formation properties of the low-permeability, dual-porosity Middle Bakken and Three Forks reservoirs. Pressure transient test data were obtained via permanent downhole pressure gauges. The bilinear and linear flow regimes of the pressure buildup tests are the focus of the analyses. For this, we have presented an analytical solution using numerical inverse Laplace transform as well as closed-form approximate solutions.
Flow rate transient analysis of long-duration production data were also conducted to compare with the results of the pressure transient analyses. All tests indicated that the field measured permeability is several orders of magnitude greater than permeability measured on core plugs. This indicates the presence of a network of interconnected fractures and microfractures in the stimulated near-well regions without which no significant production would result. The details of the well tests and analyses will be presented for engineering applications.
