Optimizing Type Well Construction: A New Approach for Scaling in Multiply Fractured Horizontal Wells

Abstract

This paper outlines a straightforward method to standardize production histories from analog wells to common reference conditions, including average permeability in the stimulated reservoir volume, fracture half-length, stage spacing, and lateral length. The scaling technique addresses variations among analog wells in a region, crucial for constructing representative type wells and reducing uncertainty in statistical analyses. Grounded in well-established analytical solutions for constant bottom hole pressure production and transient linear flow in multiply fractured horizontal wells, the study introduces the "A-root k" analysis for estimating average fracture length and a depth of investigation equation for average permeability in the stimulated reservoir volume. Scaling involves expressing transient linear flow variables in dimensionless terms, enabling the normalization of rate-time profiles to selected reference conditions. Averaged scaled profiles yield mean, P90, P50, and P10 type wells, which can be further rescaled to design conditions for undrilled wells. The workflow, demonstrated with field examples, facilitates type well construction at desired probability levels from analog wells grouped into a few bins based on scaled production profile similarities. This approach proves effective, typically requiring one or two bins for a given resource play area.

Keywords

• Scaling technique
• Multiply fractured horizontal wells
• Type well construction
• Transient linear flow

References

1. Harkouss, R., Jha, H., & Lee, W. J. (2024). Optimizing type well construction: A new approach for scaling in multiply fractured horizontal wells. The Eurasia Proceedings of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (EPSTEM), 29, 81-91.