Optimal Designs of Well Pattern for the Development of Tight Gas Reservoirs (TGRs)

Abstract

Both horizontal well and fractured-horizontal well have been widely used to develop TGRs. However, the costs of horizontal well and fractured-horizontal well are much higher than the vertical well. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the reservoir conditions for evaluating the potential benefit when choosing well pattern or designing well parameters. In this paper, a simulator of simulating the development of TGRs including slippage flow and stress dependence in matrix, and high-velocity non-Darcy flow and stress effect in hydraulic fractures was firstly developed. Then, it was used to study the development effects of different TGRs using different well patterns and well parameters. Based on the simulation results, the incremental ratio models of horizontal well to vertical well and fractured-horizontal well to horizontal well were achieved. These models can be used to predict the incremental production using horizontal well or fractured-horizontal well. We also obtained the plates of choosing well pattern and designing the corresponding parameters to achieve a good profit in the field.