SchoolofPetroleumEngineering

HydraulicFracturesandHorizontal
Wells
Furqan Hussain

PTRL2019.RESERVOIRENGINEERINGA

10/8/2012

Flowregimesforhydraulicfracture

10/8/2012

2
Cinco-Ley and Samaniego-V 1981

Flow regimes for horizontal wells

Early time radial flow

Early time linear flow

Late time radial flow

Late time linear flow

Horizontal Wells

'

j.-----L----1
OIL

Horizontal wells
R eservoir het erogeneity

- Horizontal wells contact a larger area of the reservoir than vertical

wells. In reservoirs which display complex and difficult to predict
heterogeneity (carbonates, channel point bar sands, braided stream
systems and
reservoirs) , horizontal wells can connect regions
of high permeability rock which are separated by regions of low p ermeability.

UNSW
THE

LINIV~SITV Of MW SOUTH WALES

Horizontal wells
R eservoir flow problem s

- The greater length of horizontal wells may result in smaller pressure

gradients (increased productivity) when compared to vert ical wells
flowing at the same rate. This can be important in allowing product ion of heavier crudes at economical rat es and reducing or complet ely
elimination the detrirnental effect s of water and gas coning.
- In sands where water coning is a problem horizontal wells can be placed
near the top of the sand increasing the vertical dist ance between the
perforations and the water-oil contact and therefore increasing recovery when compared with a vertical well in the sa1ne sand. Recovery is
also increased because the cone for a similar sit uation exist s in a sand
subject to gas coning with the horizontal well being placed at the base
of the sand.
- In low permeability reservoirs it is possible to place multiple t ransverse
fractures along the length of the well and greatly increase product ivit y
over that possible with a vertical well.
~

UNSW
THE

LINIV~SITV Of MW SOUTH WALES

Horizontal well in a compartmentalized reservoir

OIL

; UNSW

lH[ VNf\. tR.SITV Of N[\1 SOUTH \"vAlfS.

Horizontal wells in stratified reservoirs

<1200
~

4240

a.
Cl)

"0
(6

4280

.Q

t: 4320

Cl)

:::>

t=

4360
4400

500

750

1000

1250

1500

Distance along the section. It

1750

2000

Long-reach horizontal wells

O.A "designer" well with turns in the horizontal plane.

(Adapted from Teel. reference 2.)

UNSW

Drainage areas for horizontal and vertical wells in a fractured reservoir

r---l

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L___ J

L;_
kx
ky>>kx

VERTICAL WELL
FRACTURES

UNSW
TH

\~1\.'fRSIW or M\'1/ ~ TH WI\LCS

Drainage areas for isotropic reservoirs

Horizontal well

Vertical well

Drainage areas for isotropic reservoirs

VERTICAL WELL

2xe
xe = ye
2ye

A v = (2xe)(2ye)

xe

HORIZONTAL WELL

xe
I'
I
I

I
I
I
I
I

I
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I
I

2ye

I
I

A h = L(2ye) + A v

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-.!

UNSW

TH liNI\'Ul.Sin or 1\,(W SOlilH V.."LES

Drainage areas for horizontal wells

,...

2K8

2490'

------1

1.

2y, 1490

WELL LENGTH 1000 ft

DRAINAGE AREA74ocres
Jt 8 /~8 I. 6 7

WELL LENGTH 2000 ft

DRAINAGE AREA 10 8 acres

ly,

:1

2.34