Approach Couples Reservoir Simulation With Wellbore Model for Horizontal Wells

Abstract

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 203977, “Coupling a Geomechanical Reservoir and Fracturing Simulator With a Wellbore Model for Horizontal Injection Wells,” by Shuang Zheng, SPE, and Mukul Sharma, SPE, The University of Texas at Austin. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Reservoir cooling during waterflooding or waste-water injection can alter the reservoir stress field significantly by thermoporoelastic effects. Colloidal particles in the injected water decrease the matrix permeability and build up the injection pressure. Fractures may initiate and propagate from injectors. These fractures are of great concern for environmental reasons and are a strong influence on reservoir sweep and oil recovery. The complete paper introduces methods to fully couple reservoir simulation with wellbore flow models in fractured injection wells. Introduction In this study, a fully integrated 3D geomechanical thermal reservoir simulator is presented. This simulator is fully coupled with a wellbore model and allows fracture propagation. The model accounts for multiphase flow, solid mechanics, thermal stresses, filtration, and fracture growth in coupled reservoir- fracture-wellbore domains and can be used for simulations in both conventional and unconventional reservoirs. The simulator allows study of induced fracture propagation in cased- and openhole injectors while fully accounting for thermoporoelastic and particle-filtration effects. It also allows study of hydraulic fracture propagation in unconventional reservoirs considering the complex wellbore dynamics. The complete paper provides a practical simulation tool to maximize well injectivity while minimizing environmental risks, and to analyze and optimize the completion design in unconventional reservoirs.