An improved technique for estimating permeability, fracture length, and fracture conductivity from pressure-buildup tests in low-permeability gas wells
Long hydraulic fractures are usually required to optimize recovery from low-permeability gas reservoirs. Since these fractures can be quite expensive to create and since there is still a great deal of ''art'' associated with fracture design and creation, it is frequently helpful to use pressure-transient tests to determine created fracture properties. In this way, optimal fracture treatments can be developed for a given area. The specific task of the engineer is to estimate propped fracture length and effective fracture conductivity for treatments in a given geological formation. If the reasons for success or failure of previous fracture treatments can be determined, the engineer can then do a better job in the future when designing fracture treatments for the same area. There are currently four basic techniques used to analyze postfracture pressure-transient tests: (1) semilog (pseudoradial flow) analysis, (2) square-root-of-time (linear flow) analysis, (3) type-curve analysis, and (4) reservoir simulator history matching. No existing technique is without problems or possible ambiguity in some applications; thus, there is a need for still other techniques that may succeed in some situations for which existing techniques are inadequate. The purpose of this paper is to introduce such a new technique for analyzing postfracture pressure-buildup tests. This technique can be particularly helpful when analyzing data from wells in which a finite-conductivity fracture has been created.
- Research Organization:
- Texas A and M Univ.
- OSTI ID:
- 5800197
- Journal Information:
- J. Pet. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Pet. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 35:5; ISSN JPTJA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Plowshare-- (-1989)
58 GEOSCIENCES
580300 -- Mineralogy
Petrology
& Rock Mechanics-- (-1989)
COMMINUTION
CRACK PROPAGATION
FAILURES
FORECASTING
FRACTURE MECHANICS
FRACTURES
FRACTURING
HYDRAULIC FRACTURES
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
MECHANICS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
PERMEABILITY
PRESSURE MEASUREMENT
RESERVOIR PRESSURE
RESERVOIR ROCK
STIMULATION
TESTING
WELL PRESSURE
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS