FORMATION DAMAGE MECHANISMS AND NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF PERMEABILITY IMPAIRMENT IN HORIZONTAL WELLS

Abstract

Puzzling circumstance associated with formation damage near wellbore occur frequently, resulting in permeability impairments and increased pressure losses. Potential damage phenomenon usually starts from drilling to completion via production and such mechanisms have been fully considered. Most of the existing tasks to mitigate the near oil wellbore damages involve use of empirical models, conducting experiments, frequent shut down of wells for proper well tests and pressure maintenance are highly expensive and time consuming. Permeability impairments have been simulated by modifying Darcy’s equation to optimize reservoir pressure for improved near wellbore in horizontal wells. The model, transient linear partial differential equation (TLPDE) for impaired permeability is developed and numerically resolved using finite difference method. The model was implemented by writing codes in MATLAB language and the solution obtained was validated using synthetic/ field data. The results obtained for TLPDE model indicated pressure depletion over time. This was also shown for every values of coefficient of anisotropy until 400 days when the anisotropy became insignificant approaching isotropy condition, suggesting permeability impairment. Numerical simulation proved to be effective in simulating near oil wellbore damages. This paper describes the detailed mechanisms of formation damage and provided a numerical approach to model impaired permeability in horizontal wells. This approach allowed us to study the impact of various damage mechanisms related to drilling, completion conditions and significant improvement of near oil wellbore for well performance.