Analysis of Pressure Data for Fractured Wells: The Constant-Pressure Outer Boundary
Authors: Raghavan R. , Hadinoto Nico 
Published: December 2007

Analysis of flowing and shut-in pressure behavior of a fractured well in a developed live-spot fluid injection-production pattern is presented. An idealization of this situation, a fractured well located at the center of a constant pressure square, is discussed. Both infinite-conductivity and uniform-flux fracture cases are considered. Application of log-log and semilog methods to determine formation permeability, fracture length, and average reservoir pressure A discussed.

Introduction

The analysis of pressure data in fractured wells has recovered considerable attention because of the large number of wells bat have been hydraulically fractured or that intersect natural fractures. All these studies, however were restricted to wells producing from infinite reservoirs or to cases producing from infinite reservoirs or to cases where the fractured well is located in a closed reservoir. In some cases, these results were not compatible with production performance and reservoir characteristics when applied to fractured injection wells. The literature did not consider a fractured well located in a drainage area with a constant-pressure outer boundary. The most common example of such a system would be a fractured well in a developed injection-production pattern.

We studied pressure behavior (drawdown, buildup, injectivity, and falloff) for a fractured well located in a region where the outer boundaries are maintained at a constant pressure. The results apply to a fractured well in a five-slot injectionproduction pattern and also should be applicable to a fractured well in a water drive reservoir. We found important differences from other systems previously reported. previously reported. We first examined drawdown behavior for a fractured well located at the center of a constant-pressure square. Both infinite-conductivity and uniform-flux solutions were considered. The drawdown solutions then were used to examine buildup behavior by applying the superposition concept. Average reservoir pressure as a function of fracture penetration ratio (ratio of drainage length to fracture length) and dimensionless time also was tabulated. This represented important new information because, as shown by Kumar and Ramey, determination of average reservoir pressure for the constant-pressure outer boundary system was not as simple as that for the closed case since fluid crossed the outer boundary in an unknown quantity during both drawdown (injection) and buildup (falloff).

MATHEMATICAL MODEL

This study employed the usual assumptions of a homogeneous, isotropic reservoir in the form of a rectangular drainage region completely filled with a slightly compressible fluid of constant viscosity. Pressure gradients were small everywhere and Pressure gradients were small everywhere and gravity effects were neglected. The outer boundary of the system was at constant pressure and was equal to the initial pressure of the system. The plane of the fracture was located symmetrically plane of the fracture was located symmetrically within the reservoir, parallel to one of the sides of the boundary (Fig. 1). The fracture extended throughout the vertical extent of the formation and fluid was produced only through the fracture at a constant rate. Both the uniform-flux and the infinite-conductivity fracture solutions were considered.

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