Reviewer: Rasheed Bello

October 30, 2006.

Warren, J.E. and Root, P.J.: The Behavior of Naturally Fractured Reservoirs, Society
of Petroleum Engineers Journal (Sept. 1963) 245 - 255.
Problem
The objective was to develop a model for behavior of an intermediate reservoir (dual
porosity reservoir) during single phase flow.
Approach
The assumptions are:
a. Homogeneous and isotropic material contains primary porosity and is contained within
a systematic array of identical, rectangular parallelopipeds
b. All of secondary porosity is contained within an orthogonal system of continuous,
uniform fractures
c. Flow can occur between primary and secondary porosities but flow through primary
porosity elements cannot occur
Continuity equations were developed for the reservoir and the local matrix and fracture
and solved with the appropriate boundary equations to obtain expressions for the
dimensionless pressure drop. For the continuity equation on a local basis
p
k
1c1 1 1 p2 p1 where is the shape factor
t

A Quasi-steady state was assumed to exist in the primary porosity elements at all times
Solutions
The solutions were found to approach the asymptotic solution obtained by Van
Everdingen and Hurst as approaches 1.0 and indicates homogeneous behavior as
approaches infinity. For finite values of plots of dimensionless pressure drop vs
dimensionless time reveal two parallel lines.
Conclusions
1. Two parameters sufficient to characterize the dual porosity reservoir were proposed:
is a measure of the fluid capacitance of the secondary porosity and is related to the
scale of heterogeneity present in the system
2. A relation for the shape factor was developed
3. These parameters can be evaluated by the proper analysis of pressure buildup data
4. Methods which utilizes differences obtained from pressure data recorded during the
final stages of a build-up test should be used with extreme caution
Application
Characterization of dual porosity reservoirs