Buildup Evaluation of a Tight Overpressured Naturally Fractured Carbonate Reservoir with the Use of a Semi-Empirical Model

Abstract

Summary This paper examines the buildup (BU) pressure response of a vertical well that penetrates an unconventional tight naturally fractured carbonate reservoir in Mexico. Four BUs in the same well over a period of 4 months, with intermediate flow periods, suggest partial closure of natural fractures. Radial flow is dominant in the four BUs. This is recognized in semilogarithmic and pressure derivative crossplots. However, the formulations require a consistent empirical component to match the BU data. The four BU tests are evaluated with a semi-empirical dual porosity model with restricted interporosity flow. The restricted flow between matrix and fractures is the result of partial secondary mineralization (cementation) within the fractures, which can be visualized as a natural positive skin that reduces the oil flow from the matrix to the fractures. The empirical part of the method is provided by a severity exponent (SE), which helps improve the match between the BU semilog and derivative plots. The BU evaluations permit estimating several parameters of interest, including fracture capacity (k2·h), skin, storativity ratio (ω), and the extrapolated pressure (p*). Results suggest that although natural fractures are present, they tend to close once the well goes on production. Thus, the conclusion is reached that the carbonate reservoir is tight and likely stress dependent. The calculated skin goes from an improved condition around the wellbore to slightly damaged conditions, probably due to fracture closure. The value of ω increases continuously, suggesting a tendency of the reservoir to move from dual to single porosity behavior. The reservoir is overpressured (0.87 psi/ft) and the extrapolated pressures (p*) decrease because of the tight characteristics of the reservoir. However, given the large size of the reservoir, the likelihood of depletion is low. The novelty of this study is the development of a new easy-to-use semi-empirical well testing model for matching the BU pressure response of four tests performed in a well that penetrates an overpressured, unconventional, tight, naturally fractured carbonate reservoir. The tests could not be matched with conventional methods currently available in the literature.