A Study of Reservoir Parameters Affecting Gas Well Spacing in West Virginia

Abstract

Abstract Well spacing has a significant effect on gas reservoir deliverability optimization. A single well seldom provides the desired rate of production from a given reservoir. Generally, the total rate of gas production increases with the number of the wells completed in the gas reservoir. At the same time, inter-well interference tends to reduce this increase in total rate of production as the number of producing wells are increased. Consequently, there must exist a well-spacing which will result in the most efficient recovery from a natural gas reservoir. This optimum well spacing depends upon the producing formation characteristics as well as economics of field development. The overall objective of this paper is to provide a general guideline based on reservoir engineering principals for efficient well spacing pertaining to gas producing formations in West Virginia. The objective was achieved by developing a general reservoir model which simulates the flow of gas in a reservoir containing several wells. The model was then used to study the parameters which affect well interference and spacing. The model has the advantage of also accounting for the inertial component of pressure drop in gas flow through porous media, a factor which was found to affect well interference. Reservoir data pertaining to Big Injun and Benson formations were collected and interpreted. The interpreted data were statistically analyzed and the results were utilized in conjunction with the model to provide general guidelines pertaining to spacing for gas wells producing from these two horizons in West Virginia.