The Model Coupling Fluid Flow in Reservoir with Flow in Horizontal Wellbore

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, the 3D steady-state pressure distributions are derived of oil flow in a reservoir due to a horizontal well for several kinds of reservoirs, And based on the principle of conservation of matter and momentum theorem a new formula is also derived to calculate pressure drop along the horizontal wellbore. This formula considers the effect of influx into the horizontal wellbore from the reservoir on pressure drop in the wellbore. A mathematical model is presented to couple fluid flow in the reservoir with the flow in the horizontal wellbore. Example calculations showed that prediction results using the proposed model are in good agreement with test or experimental data. The pressure drop in wellbore has influence on performance of well. Because of the pressure loss in horizontal wellbore IPR curve for single-phase liquid flow in wellbore is not straight line, and production rate does not increase with increasing wellbore length when the length exceeds a certain value. The productivity indices per unit length for all segments along horizontal wellbore are not the same.