Productivity Prediction Method for Fractured Wells in

Extra-Low Permeability Oil Reservoirs

ZENG Ya-qin, HUANG Wei, NIU Cai-yun

ZHAO Zhi-cheng, YANG Li-ping

Oil & Gas Technology Research Institute

Changqing Oilfield Company, Xi'an, China
E-mail: zyq2_cq@petrochina.com.cn

College of Petroleum Engineering

Yangtzeu University, Jingzhou , China
E-mail: zhaozhicheng@263.sina.com

Abstract-Inflow

performance

relationship

(IPR)

is

the

II.

foundation of optimal designing for operation parameters of oil

PRODUCTIVITY PREDICTION

wells. A prediction method is proposed for evaluating the inflow

performance

relationship

permeability-deformed

of

media

fractured
oil

wells

reservoirs.

in

It is assumed that formation fluid flow from oil layer into

fractures homogeneously first and then flow into the bottom of
the well during the inflow process of the fractured well. The
pressure distribution in reservoir outside of the fracture can be
treated as a family of conjugate elliptic isobaric, whose focus
are the endpoints of the fracture. Let a and b be the half-length
and half-width of fracture, respectively, r be the distance from
fracture, the pressure at R the radius of supply boundary be Pr ,
and the average pressure in fracture be Pf.

extra-low

Specifically,

an

elliptic flow mathematical model is constructed in the situation

that the well inflow performance of fractured well are divided
into two parts in which the seepage flow from oil layer goes to the
fracture and seepage flow from fracture heads to bottom-hole.
Additionally, the changes of the permeability and fluid viscosity
with pressure are taken into account. The feasibility of the above
method is shown by an application example.

A.

Keywords-productivity prediction, extra-low permeability

oil reservoirs, fractured well, elliptic flow mathematical model

I.

DERIVATION OF FUNDAMENTAL EQUATIONS FOR

Flow from reservoir into fractures

When the pressure gradient higher than the threshold

pressure gradient in extra-low permeability reservoir, the fluid
began to flow, the flow equation can be written as(3):

INTRODUCTION

Fracturing is used commonly in extra-low permeability

reservoir with low production, while the prediction method of
inflow performance relationship for fractured wells is the
important basis for fracturing techniques parameters
optimization and production parameters optimization of oil
well.

d
d
v= p (1_)=( p -G)
d
p
P
pd r
dr
I
I
dr
Where G is threshold pressure gradient.

Considering the reservoir permeability K and fluid viscosity

change with pressure, they can be expressed as follows,
respectively(3):

The reasonable method to predict the IPR of the extra-low

permeability reservoir should not only consider the seepage of
non-linear in the deformed media oil layer, but also the flow in
the fracture. Up to now, production prediction for fracturing
have been studied by Raymond I. R [1] , Poe B. D. Jr.[2], et al.
But none of them has considered the low velocity non-darcy
percolation the characteristic of the extra-low permeability
reservoir. Song Fuquan[3], Wang Yuying and others have
studied and analysis the production of the extra-low
permeability reservoir by different methods, but their studies
are assumed that the reservoir was homogeneous medium and
fractured well did not enter into calculations.

1.1

(2)
(3)
Then

K
fJ

A prediction method of inflow performance relationship for

fractured wells in extra-low permeability oil reservoirs is given
based on an overall consideration of the seepage flow of non
linear in the deformed media oil layer and the seepage flow in
the fracture.

Kj

e-a(p,-p)

1-4

Considering steady seepage, the seepage velocity can be

expressed as:
V

Q
h7Z"[(a + r) + (b + r)]

= -----.-:::::--:..-

Where Q is well production, h is reservoir thickness.

This work is supported by National Nature Science Foundation
under Grant 60873021

978-1-61284-491-61111$26.00 2011 IEEE

(1)

Combining Equations (2)(4) ,Eq.l can be rewritten as:

382

(4)

distribution along the crack is Q ,therefore Eq.7can be

2

rewritten as:
Taking the boundary conditions: r=R,
integral of Eq.5 can be obtained:

P=Pr;

r=0,

P=Pf,

(8)
Taking the boundary conditions: Po o = Pw integral
of Eq.8 can be obtained the fracture pressure distribution
formular:

(6)
Where

2
P i QI2 (_x + +e-a(Pr-Pw)]
I
[
(
-.!..
)
a
=
n
+
x)
Po x
Pr
a
Kf bh
2a

1
Ao = "21n(a+b)

1
Bo = -[(a+b)-(a+b)ln(a+b)]
4
1 1
Co = -[-(a+b)2-2(a+b)(a+b)
8 2

(9)
Then average pressure of the fracture zone can be obtained
through the following integral equation:
Pf =

+(a+b)21n(a+b)]
1

Do =
_

[.!..(a+b)3-i(a+b)(a+bi
16 3
2

1
A1 = -In(a+b+2R)
2
1
B1 = [(a+b+2R)-(a+b)ln(a+b+2R)]
4

(10)
C.

1 1

+(a+b)21n(a+b+2R)]

III.
A

11
3
D1 =-[-(a+b+2R)3--(a+b)(a+b+2R)2
16 3
2

The inflow performance relationship curve for the well is

obtained by using this paper method, shown in Figure 1. It is
found from figure 1 that, after the bottom pressure is lower than
6 MPa, production almost stopped increase even reduced the
pressure still further. So, the proper bottom-hole flowing
pressure is 6 MPa.

(7)

K Kfe-akf (Pr-Po) ,the relationship between

=

IV.

fluid viscosity and pressure is similar to Eq.3.

Then!5..=
P

permeability,

Po

CONCLUSION

prediction method of inflow performance relationship for

fractured wells in extra-low permeability-defomed media oil
reservoirs is given with elliptic flow mathematical model as the
well inflow performance of fractured well be divided into two
parts that is seepage flow from oil layer head to fracture and
seepage flow from fracture head to bottom-hole and the
changes of the permeability and fluid viscosity with pressure

Kf e-a(P r po) , where Kf is the initial fracture

a

G=O.OIMPal m,

and the flow

The relationship of permeability of fracture K with pressure

can be expressed as

field of fundamental data of a fracturing well are:

R= 150m , a=80m, b=O.Olm , Kf = 45pm2,

aK =0.023MPa-1 ,Pi = 1.0 7mPas ,Pr = 16. 73MPa,
1
akj=0.0277MPa-,all
=-0. 1493MPa-1

The Flow from fractures into the bottom of the well

K dpo
V=--pdx

CASE STUDY

h= 21m, K=0.5 3 X 10-3pm2 ,

+3(a+b)2(a+b+2R)-(a+b)31n(a+b+2R)]
Po,

Predict iriflow performance for oil wells

The relationship between Pw and Pf under some Q value is

calculated by solving Eq.lO with numerical solution; then
combining Eq.6, the relationship between Pw and Q can be
obtained, namely inflow performance relationship.

C1 =-[-(a+b+2R)2-2(a+b)(a+b+2R)
8 2

The pressure at any point x in fracture is

follow the Darcy theorem, then:

fPo (x)dx
f dx

1
2 x2
P
= P + _ _ f1n[a i QI (_ +x)+e-a(Pr-Pw)]dx
r aa
Kf bh 2a

+3(a+b)2(a+b)-(a+b)31n(a+b)]

B.

'

akj - all.

Supposing the end of crack closed, the production of the

crack initiating terminal (i.e well bottom) is Q, production

383

were taken into account. The application example showed that

this new model can be used to calculate the inflow perfonnance
of the fractured well for an extra-low penneability reservoir
and provide a basis for the proper bottom-hole flowing pressure
detennination.

REFERENCES
[I)

Raymond, I. R. and Binder G. G, "Productivity of Wells in Vertically

Fractured Damaged Formations," Paper SPE 1454 (1967).

[2)

Poe, B. D. Jr, "Production Performance Evaluation of Hydraulically

Fractured Wells," Paper SPE 59758, (2000).

[3)

Song Fu quan, "productivity analysis for low permeable reservoirs of

media deformation", Special oil & Gas Reservoirs, vol. 9, 2002, pp. 3336.

[4)

Wang Yu ying, Wang Xiao dong and Wang Yi fei, "Analysis of

reasonable pressure difference and productivity of oil wells in deformed
media reservoirs", Jourmal of Daqing Petroleum Institute, vol. 29, 2005,
pp.51-55.

14 .-----,
12
10

L-________________________.__
o

0.5

1.5

Q (m3/d)

2.5

3.5

Figure I. Inflow performance relationship curvefor the well

384