Gas well production analysis with non-Darcy flow and real-gas PVT behavior

Abstract

A rigorous semi-analytical model is developed to study the production rate behavior of wells in gas reservoirs with Forchheimer's non-Darcy flow under constant or varying bottomhole pressure conditions. Rigorous modeling of gas property variation in reservoirs is integrated in this model. Three dimensionless parameters, normalized gas viscosity and compressibility product, Forchheimer number, and normalized viscosity, are introduced to quantify their effects on non-Darcy flow in the reservoir. The variation of viscosity and compressibility product in the gas reservoir depletion process leads to a smaller production decline rate than that of exponential decline. The parameter b in Arps' decline equation under Darcy flow is defined as the base value, b ⁎, that helps identify the production decline caused by reservoir non-Darcy flow. Under the condition of constant pressure drop the more severe the non-Darcy flow, the larger the Forchheimer number. Generally, non-Darcy results in a smaller production rate, a larger decline rate in the boundary-dominated period, and a longer transition period between these two periods. The viscosity variation enhances non-Darcy flow, which lowers the initial production rate but has very little effect on the production decline rate. A larger production decline rate during the boundary-dominated period may help petroleum engineers identify the non-Darcy flow effect from the production data. Analyses show that the traditional quadratic equation is a good approximation only if non-Darcy flow is not severe and that for non-Darcy flow in the reservoir, the traditional Fetkovich's type curves may underestimate reservoir permeability, overestimate well skin factor, and misinterpret reservoir drainage area. A method of using the proposed model to identify the non-Darcy flow from production data is presented. Two examples from the literature are analyzed, and good type curve matches and more reliable results are obtained.