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3 - SPE-20720-MS - Inflow Performance Relationships For Solution-Gas-Drive PDF
3 - SPE-20720-MS - Inflow Performance Relationships For Solution-Gas-Drive PDF
3 - SPE-20720-MS - Inflow Performance Relationships For Solution-Gas-Drive PDF
SPE 20720
This paper was prepared for presentation at the 65th Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers held in New Orleans, LA, September 23-26, 1990.
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE Program Committee following review.of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper,
as presented, have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The.matenal, as presented: does not necessanly reflect
any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Papers presented at SPE meetings are subject to publication review by Edltonal Committees of the Society
of Petroleum Engineers. Permission to copy is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words. illustrations may not be copied. The abstract should contain conspicuous acknowledgment
of where and by whom the paper is presented. Write Publications Manager, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3836. Telex, 730989 SPEDAL.
Procedures Table 4 presents the normalized Vogel IPR data and the
normalized simulator IPR data when the cumulative oil production
The following procedures were adopted to generate IPR data for (Np/N) has reached 0.1%. More than 160 simulation runs were
slanted and horizontal wells producing from solution-gas drive executed to obtain these data. Also shown in the legend of Table 4
reservoirs. is a brief description of the 16 cases of input data, which differ from
each other by well spacing, absolute formation permeability, skin
1. Select adequate reservoir grid for reliable data generation. effect, fluid PVT, and relative permeability properties. The
2. Compare simulator and Vogel IPR data to verify simulator normaliZed pressure (p') and rate (q') are defined as follows: p' =
capability to reproduce Vogel data. Pwf/Pr and q' = QoIQomax with Qomax = maximum oil flow rate at 14.7
3. Select input data for generation of IPR data for slanted and psia flowing bottomhole pressure, Pwf, and current reservoir
horizontal wells. pressure, Pro Table 5 shows the normalized flow rate (q') deviation
4. Generate IPR data at various cumulative oil production and (DELTAQ) from Vogel data at p',. 0.1, 0.2,..., 0.9, for all 16 cases.
slant angles. Excellent agreement between simUlated q' and Vogel q' was noted in
5. Analyze IPR data. all cases except in cases 4, 5, 6, 9 and 14, for which the q' deviation
6. Perform regression analysis on generated IPR data. was still in the acceptable range from 0.112 to 0.270. Therefore, the
NIPER simulator can produce reliable IPR data at various reservoir
Grid Selection conditions.
Essentially, simulation generation of IPR data for a well is Selection of Input Data
accomplished by recording the related flowing bottomhole pressure
and oil flow rate obtained from single-well depletion simulation runs.
In this project, a well is to be located in the center of a rectangular grid The VogeilPR equation,l q' = 1 - 0.2(p') - 0.8(p')2, was obtained
as much as possible such that it is surrounded by equal drainage by curve fitting the dimensionless IPR curves under the 16 different
areas. As hundreds of simulation runs are required to generate IPR cases with various reservoir conditions described in Table 4. This
data for slanted and horizontal wells, the selection of an appropriate equation is valid for vertical wells producing from solution-gas drive
simulation grid size that can generate reliable resuits with minimal reservoirs. Thus, if a set of reservoir simulator data can reproduce the
computer time is important. In this work, a sensitivity study of areal Vogel equation as close as possible, then the set of data can be
grid size on simulated results of vertical well performance was used to generate IPR data for slanted and horizontal wells. This is the
performed. Three different rectangular grid sizes, 5x5x1, 7x7x1, and underlying principle for selecting the simulator input data for
9x9x1, were tested using the Case 1 reservoir data (Table 1) of generation of IPR data for these wells. Using the 5x5x3 grid
Vogel. 1 Table 2 shows the dimensions of these three grids. A described in Fig. 1, the base case (Case 1) data was fine tuned in the
single-well depletion simulation study was performed for these three simulator by proper well productivity index (or skin factor) adjustment
cases. The well was located in the center of the grid and was on to reproduce the Vogel IPR data within 0.5%. As a result, the
constant rate constraint production (Qo = 50 SOPD) for 605 days. As simulated IPR data represent the empirical Vogel equation: q' = 1 -
the Vogel IPR equation appears to fit the IPR data best in the oil 0.2 (p') - 0.8 (p')2. Accordingly, the base easel (Case 1) fluid PVT,
recovery (NoIN) range between 0 and 10%, a simulation time of 605 relative permeability, and petrophysical data were selected as the
days was chosen because oil recovery would be 10% at that time. principal data to calculate IPR data for slanted and horizontal wells.
The effect of the three different grid dimensions on average reservoir
pressure versus production time is shown in Table 3. The 5x5x1 grid Generation of IPR Data
generates simulated pressure results in close agreement with those
of the 7x7x1 and 9x9x1 grids. Assuming the pressure data from the As the Vogel equation appears to fit the IPR data best in the oil
finer 9x9x1 grid as the most accurate, the maximum error of the recovery (Np/N) range between 0 and 10%, IPR data were
pressure data from the coarser 5x5x1 grid is only 0.52%. Therefore, generated for slanted and horizontal wells that have depleted 0.1, 2,
a reservoir grid of minimum areal size 5x5x1 was selected to generate 4, 6, 8, and 10% of the original oil-in-place. The selected slant angles
IPR data. For comparison of simulated IPR data with Vogel data of a were 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 85, and 88.56 degrees. The IPR data for a
vertical well, a 5x5x1 grid was adopted. For generation of IPR data for horizontal well (slant angle = 90 degrees) penetrated through the
slanted and horizontal wells, a finer and more accurate 5x5x3 grid was middle of the well payzone were generated. Figure 1 Illustrates the
chosen (Fig. 1). well orientation in the reservoir grid. A slant angle of 88.56 degrees
represents the maximum wellbore length draining from the
corresponding grid. A total of 540 simulation runs were executed to
obtain these IPR data.
78
AARON M. CHENG 3
SPE20720
Table 6 presents the average normalized IPR data for Np'N = 0.1, APPLICATION EXAMPLES
2,4, 6, 8, and 10% at each selected slant angle. Figure 2 depicts
these simulator results and the reference Vogel curve. The The following three hypothetical examples demonstrate the use
normalized initial flow rate at maximum pressure drawdown vs. slant of the developed IPR data to predict well productivity for slanted and
angle for Np'N = 0.1% case is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. To test the horizontal wells. Nodal system analysis2 is utilized to account for both
validity of the generated IPR data at various slant angles, q' was also the reservoir inflow and tubing outflow performance of the well.
obtained at p' = 0.5 and Np'N =0.1 % for each selected slant angle for
all the 16 cases of reservoir data presented in Vogel's paper. 1 Table Example 1. Complete venlcal or 4S-degree well
7 shows these data, and Table 8 compares the average q' of the 16 Reservoir A can be completed with conventional vertical or
cases for each slant angle at NplN = 0.1% with that of the base case directional (slant) wells. Determine the well productivity for a vertical
generated earlier. Excellent agreement was noted under various and a 45-degree well at a flowing wellhead pressure of 120 psig.
slant angle cases; the q' deviation was within 0.3%. Close Table 10 shows the basic reservoir properties and the flow test
agreement resuits in this spot test provide strong confidence for the results. Tubing id = 2.441 inches.
generated IPR data to be valid. Detailed IPR data generated in this
study can be found in reference 11. Solution
Analysis of Generated IPR Data Using the Vogel curve for a vertical well and the IPR data or
equation for a 45-degree well (Table 6 or 9), IPR's for these two wells
Examination of the generated IPR data for slanted and horizontal can be generated. The tubing outflow performance data for a vertical
wells presented in Table 6 and Fig. 2 indicates the following and 45-degree well are obtained from reference 14. The inflow and
interpretations. outflow performances are plotted on the same graph (Fig. 5). The
intersections of IPR's and outflow curves indicate well productivity.
1. All IPR curves appear to be parabolic, or Vogel-like. The From Fig. 5, well productivity is 650 BOPD for the vertical well and
parabolic characteristic of IPR of horizontal wells (slant angle = 90 800 BOPD for the 45-degree well. Thus, a 45-degree well delivers
degrees) agrees with field observations 12 and computer 23.1 % more oil at a flowing wellhead pressure of 120 psig.
simulations9 recently presented in the literature.
Example 2. Complete venlcal or 7S-degree well
2. The IPR curve for a slant angle of 15 degrees shifts slightly to Because of the encouraging productivity resuits for completing a
the left of the Vogel curve. All other IPR curves for slant angles of 45-degree well vs. a vertical well in reservoir A presented in example
30, 45, 60, 75, 85, 88.56 and 90 degrees shift to the right of the 1, management will consider a more directional well with a slant angle
Vogel curve. of 75 degrees. Determine the well productivity at this slant angle and
compare its performance with that of a vertical well.
3. The IPR curve for a 15- or 30- degree slanted well is not much
different from the Vogel curve. Solution
4. ObVious shifting of the Vogel curve to the right starts at a slant Following the procedures described in example 1, the total well
angle of 45 degrees. Interestingly, this curvature shift 'ceases' at 75 system analysis plot is obtained (Fig. 6). Well productivity for the
degrees for the slanted wells under study. vertical well is 650 BOPD and 630 BOPD for the 75-degree well.
Thus, even though the 75-degree well has as much as 3 times more
5. The normalized IPR curve of the horizontal well with an inflow efficiency than that of the vertical well, system analysis
equivalent slant angle of 90 degrees represents the maximum indicates the 75-degree slant well produces less than a vertical well.
curvature shift to the right of the Vogel curve. This reduction of oil productivity is due to the increased frictional
pressure drop through the extended length of the 75-degree slant
6. Depending on the well deviation, IPR data generated for well tubing (30,900 ft of 75-degree well vs. 8,000 ft of vertical well).
slanted wells by using the Vogel curve can differ as much as 22% This example indicates that completion of directional wells must be
from that of the current IPR data and 27"10 for horizontal wells. carefUlly planned to obtain maximum well productivity.
7. As the initial productivity of a slanted or horizontal well is Example 3. Drill venlcal or horizontal wells
usually higher than that of a vertical well, the right curvature shift of
the Vogel curve indicates that slanted and horizontal wells are more It is decided to drill horizontal wells to boost oil production in
efficient producers from a subsurface fluid flow viewpoint. Reservoir A presented in example 1. Determine well productiVity for
a horizontal well at a flowing wellhead pressure of 120 psig. Compare
8. In addition, based on Figs. 3 and 4, productivity ratios of this with the vertical well productivity. Assume the horizontal well
slanted/horizontal well productivity to vertical well productivity, qs/qv, penetrates through the middle of the payzone and the well length is
range from 1.00 to 52.93. A minimum slant angle of 45 degrees is 1,000 ft. Also assume the pressure drop for flow through the
required to increase oil productivity by 50% over that of a vertical well. horizontal well is negligible. Tubing id = 2.441 inches.
A slant angle of 60 degrees or greater can increase oil productivity
more than two times that of a vertical well. These resuits are similar to Solution
Joshi's4 findings for a slanted well. If a horizontal well flow test is not available, its productivity can be
calculated using analytical equations or from charts. 4-8 As the
vertical well prOductivity, J v , is known from the flow test, the
Regression Analysis
horizontal well productivity, Jh, is estimated by using charts4 and is
As the average normalized IPR data for each selected slant angle about 7 times more than Jv. Therefore, qomax = 8,750 BOPD for the
appear to be parabolic in nature, they were curved fitted by using a horizontal well, and IPR data can be generated using Table 6 or the
corresponding regression equation. Figure 7 shows that the
quadratic regression model, q' =ao + a1 (p') + a2(p')2, where 80 a1, and
productivity performance of the vertical well is 650 BOPD and that of
a2 are regression coefficients. The regression analysis was
the horizontal well is 1,610 BOPD. Thus, a horizontal well produces
performed by using a sophisticated mathematical software. 13 Table 9 approximately 2.5 times more than a vertical well. To make a final
summarizes the regression equations for IPR's of slanted wells with decision on selecting a vertical or horizontal well, the additional cost
various slant angles of 15,30,45,60,75,85,88.56 and 90 degrees. of drilling horizontal wells must be considered.
Detailed regression resuits of the IPR data can be be found in
reference 11.
79
4 INFLOW PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIPS FOR SOLUTION-GAS DRIVE SLANTED/HORIZONTAL WELLS SPE20720
The following three hypothetical examples demonstrate the use 1. Inflow performance relationships (IPR's) for slanted
of the developed IPR data to predict well productivity for slanted and and horizontal wells under solution-gas drive were generated
horizontal wells. Nodal system analysis2 is utilized to account for both using NIPER's vertical/horizontal/slanted well simulator. These
the reservoir inflow and tubing outflow performance of the well. IPR's are valid for homogeneous and isotropic reservoir systems.
The IPR data are shown in Table 6 and Fig. 2; the related
Example 1. Complete vertical or 45-degree well regression equations are summarized in Table 9.
Reservoir A can be completed with conventional vertical or 2. The IPR's for slanted and horizontal wells are similar to
directional (slant) wells. Determine the well productivity for a vertical the parabolic behavior of the VogeilPR curve. The IPR curve for
and a 45-degree well at a flowing wellhead pressure of 120 psig. a 15-degree slant well shifts slightly to the left of the Vogel curve,
Table 10 shows the basic reservoir properties and the flow test and the IPR curves for 30,45,60,75,85,88.56, and 90 degrees
results. Tubing id = 2.441 inches. (horizontal well) all progressively shift to the right.
80
SPE20720 AARON M. CHENG 5
REFERENCES
1. Vogel, J.V.: "Inflow Performance Relationships for Solution 10. Peaceman, D. W.: "Interpretation of Well-Block Pressures in
Gas Drive Wells," J. Pet. Tech. (January 1968), pp. 83-93. Numerical Reservoir Simulation with Nonsquare Grid Blocks and
2. Mach, J., Proano, E., and Brown, K. E.: "A Nodal Approach for Anisotropic Permeability," Soc. Pet. Eng. J. (June 1983) pp.
Applying Systems Analysis to the Flowing and Artificial Light Oil 531-43.
or Gas Well," SPE paper 8025. 11. Cheng, A. M.: Development of an Inflow Performance
3. Chang, M. M.: "Simulation of Production From Wells with Relationship (IPR) for a Slanted/Horizontal Well, Department of
Horizontal/Slanted Laterals," Department of Energy Report No. Energy Report No. NIPER-458 (March 1990).
NIPER-326 (Revised, October, 1988). 12. Sherrard, D. W., Brice, B. W. and MacDonald, D.G.:
4. Joshi, S. D.: "Augmentation of Well Productivity With Slant "Applications of Horizontal Wells at Prudhoe Bay," J. Pet. Tech.
and Horizontal Wells," J. Pet. Tech. (June 1988) pp. 729-39. (November 1987) pp. 1417-1425.
5. Karcher, B. J., Giger, F.M. and Combe, J.: "Some Practical 13. IMSL Users Manual, Edition 9.2, IMSL, Inc., Houston, TX
Formulas To Predict Horizontal Wells' Behavior," paper SPE (1984).
15430 presented at the 1986 SPE Ann. Tech. Conf. and 14. Brown, K.E.: The Technology of Artifical Lift Methods, v. 4,
Exhibition, New Orleans, Oct 5-8. PennWell Publishing Co., Tulsa (1984).
6. Babu, D. K. and Odeh, A.S.: "Productivity of a Horizontal
Well," paper SPE 18298 presented at the 1988 SPE Ann. Tech.
Conf. and Exhibition, Houston, Oct. 2-5. 81 METRIC CONVERSION FACTORS
7. Mukherjee, H. and Economides, M. J.: "A Parametric
Comparison of Horizontal and Vertical Well Performance," paper acres x 4.046 873 E+03 =m2
SPE18303 presented at the 1989 SPE Ann. Tech. Conf. and bbl x 1.589 873 E-01 =m3
Exhibition, San Antonio, Oct. 2-5. D x 8.640 000 E+04 =s
8. Economides, M. J. et al.: "Performance and Stimulation of degree x 1.745 329 E-02 =rad
Horizontal Wells," World Oil (June 1989) pp. 41-45. ft x 3.048 000 E-01 =m
9. Bendakhlia, H. and Aziz, K.: "Inflow Performance Relationship md x 9.689 233 E-04 =~
for Solution-Gas Drive Horizontal Wells," Paper SPE 19823 psi x 6.894 757 E+OO =kPa
presented at the 1989 SPE Ann. Tech. Conf. and Exhibition,
San Antonio, Oct. 8-11.
81
TABLE 3 Comparison of average reservoir pressure, Pr, versus time, t, under TABLE 5.- q' Deviation from QVOGEL (DELTAQ)
three different grid sizes
Avg
DELTAO 0.001 0.015 0.001 0.270 0.112 0.137 0.003 0.003
p' = Pwt/pr
q' = qoIqomax, simulated data p' OVOGEL q' at various slant angles (degrees)
OVOGEL = Vogel q' data
Case 1 Base case data
Case 2 Similar to Case 1, 40 acre spacing
Case 3 Similar to Case 1, k = 200 md
Case 4 Similar to Case 1, weN is fractured 0.000 15.000 30.000 45.000 60.000 75.000 85.000 88.560 90.000
Case 5 Similar to Case 1, well has is skin
Case 6 Similar 10 Case 1, inHlal pressure above Pb 0.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000
Case 7 Similar to Case 1, less viscous 011 0.100 0.972 0.972 0.970 0.975 0.982 0.986 0.989 0.990 0.990 0.995
Case 8 Similar to Case 1, more viscous 011 0.200 0.928 0.927 0.924 0.935 0.947 0.957 0.962 0.964 0.964 0.974
Case 9 Similar to Case 1, higher Pb 011 0.300 0.868 0.868 0.864 0.879 0.897 0.910 0.918 0.921 0.921 0.935
0.400 0.792 0.791 0.786 0.806 0.828 0.844 0.854 0.856 0.857 0.875
Case 10 Similar to Case 1, diff1erent relative permeabliHy 0.500 0.700 0.700 0.695 0.717 0.742 0.760 0.771 0.774 0.775 0.796
Case 11 Similar to Case 1, different relative permeability 0.600 0.592 0.592 0.587 0.611 0.636 0.655 0.666 0.669 0.669 0.692
Case 12 Similar to Case 1, different PVT and relative permeabilHy 0.700 0.468 0.468 0.464 0.486 0.510 0.527 0.537 0.540 0.540 0.562
Case 13 Similar to Case 1, low GOR oil 0.800 0.328 0.328 0.325 0.343 0.362 0.377 0.385 0.387 0.387 0.405
Case 14 Similar to Case 1, different PVT and relative permeabilMy 0.900 0.172 0.172 0.171 0.182 0.194 0.202 0.207 0.209 0.209 0.219
Case 15 Similar to Case 1, different PVT and relative penneabillly 1.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
Case 16 Similar to Case 1, straight line PVT and relative permeability
TABLE 7 q' at p' =
0.5 and Np/N 0.1 %, for= TABLE 10 Reservoir data for examples I, 2, and 3
various slant angles and 16 reservoir conditions
Avgq' 0.702 0.697 0.709 0.726 0.740 0.749 0.751 0.752 0.769
&yS
TABLE 8 Comparison of base case q' and average q' of all 16 &y4
reservoir conditions, at p' = 0.5 and Np/N = 0.1 % &y3
l:
ql'
q2'
Ll.q
15.000
0.695
0.697
0.288
30.000
0.709
0.709
0.000
45.000
0.727
0.726
0.138
Slant ang,le, degrees
60.000
0.741
0.740
0.135
75.000
0.750
0.749
0.133
85.000
0.753
0.751
0.266
85.560
0.753
0.752
0.133
90.000
0.771
0.769
0.259
~~<
&y:
dx3
mIdx41dx
m
15 q' - 0.9998 0.2210(p') - 0.7763(P')2
/
30
45
60
75
q' = 0.9969 - 0.1254(p')
q' = 0.9946 - 0.0221(p')
0.8682(p')2
- 0.9663(p')2
q' 0.9926 + 0.0549(p') - 1.0395(p')2
q' = 0.9915 + 0.1002(p') - 1.0829(p')2
lEE.
i ~
7 L ~'
85 q' = 0.9915 + 0.1120(p') -1.0942(p'}2 h =pay thickness =Ll.Zl + Ll.z2 + Ll.z3
L = well length
88.56 q' = 0.9914 + 0.1141(p') - 1.0964(p')2
90 (horizontal) q' = 0.9885 + 0.2055(p') - 1.1818(p')2
FIGURE 1. - 5x5x3 reservoir grid and well orientation for slanted and horizontal wells.
1.0
0.8
C. 0.6
""a.
~
60...-------------------,
"
"a.
0.4 50
40
>
c-
0.2 eo 30
c-
20
VERT(IIOOELl
10
0.0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 gO
q' - qo/qomax SLANT ANGLE, degrees
FIGURE 2. " IPR curves for slanted and horizontal wells. FIGURE 3. " Productivity ratio qslqv vs. well slant angle (0 " gO degrees).
3000 . . . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ,
2000
.~
a.
-g
2 a. ........
1000
......
-----
OUTF(VERTj
OUTl'{450EGl
O+-..........,...~"'T'"~"'T'"~_r_-_r_~_r_~...,.~-; O+-~---r-~"'T'"~-~~_,.-~..,...~___I
o 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
SLANT ANGLE, degrees q, SOPO
FIGURE 4. " Productivity ratio qs/qv vs. well slant angle (0 " 75 degrees). FIGURE 5. System analysis for example 1. 45-degree well vs. vertical well.
4000 3000
........ lNF(llE1'lT}
...... lNF(75DEG)
3000
2000
.~
'"
.~
a. lNF(VERT)
2000
t t ',*(HOAZ}
1000
1000 """""""
0 O+-~~~~_r_~~~~___r~~~~___I
84