Methodology to Analyse Long-Term Shale Gas Production

Behavior: Field Cases

Francisco Castellanos Pez. y Jorge Arvalo Villagrn.
Pemex Exploracin y Produccin
Introduction: Due to the complexity of unconventional gas reservoirs (shale, tight, and coalbed methane), various analytical
models have been developed to estimate formation parameters. This work presents the results of the modification and
application of some analytical production data models. These analytical models were developed by Arvalo and Bello and
modified by Castellanos. Dynamic characterization results are presented using a new model that considers the effects of gas
adsorbed in the formation and ultimately improve well production analysis and the evaluation of some formation parameters.

Conceptual model for unconventional gas reservoirs:

Most of the completed vertical and horizontal wells in
unconventional gas reservoirs containing one or several
fracking stages generally show long-term transient flows
(linear and bilinear) as a consequence of the extremely low
permeability in the formations.
Organic material content and adsorbed gas are the governing
factors that have a major influence on the behavior of
unconventional gas reservoirs with low permeability.
1) Storage mechanisms,

Results: I) Dynamic analysis

2) Gas adsorption and desorption

=
+

= cg + =

+ 2

3) Transport in unconventional gas reservoirs.

Permeability
matrix :
fracture :

Without gas
desorption
4

2.15 10
2
1.61 10

With gas
desorption
5

1.28 10
2
2.62 10

II) Forecasting

=

4) Decline analysis
Conclusions
- Pseudotime developed for the characterization of
conventional gas reservoirs can be effectively applied to
unconventional formations.
- Models adjust good taking into account adsorbed and
desorption gas.
-When considering the effects of adsorbed gas
combining the Langmuir model with Dynamic Analysis
and the declinations methods, characterization of the
unconventional gas reservoirs was improved, allowing
for a more accurate estimation of the reservoir
parameters and subsequently the optimal development
and exploitation of these fields.

References: SPE-2014-1928491-MS