Numerical Model Analysis of Gas Production

in Unconventional Gas Reservoir

http://www.total.com/en/energies-expertise/oil-gas/exploration-production/strategic-sectors/unconventionalgas/presentation/three-main-sources-unconventional-gas?%FFbw=kludge1%FF

Odunlami Adebayo Adefisayo

PTE 582
Dec 1, 2014

Outline

Introduction
Purpose
Reservoir Model
Case Study
Numerical Model Analysis

Conclusion

Introduction
The convectional representation-elementary-volume is not
accurate in estimating gas flow in unconventional gas reservoir
because they are usually located in hostile environment with high
temperature, high pressure with extremely low permeability and
porosity.
Two examples of common unconventional Gas reservoirs are:
Tight Gas Reservoir
Shale Reservoir
Coalbed Methane

Introduction
Tight gas reservoirs are more compact than brick block with very
low porosity and permeability properties Tight gas reservoir has
permeability in the range of nanoDarcy to microDarcy .
Shale gas reservoir has a lower rock qualities that tight gas
reservoirs and permeability are usually in nanoDarcy.

The use of horizontal completion and

hydraulic fracturing has make it
economically possible to recover gas
from unconventional reservoir
http://www.total.com/en/energies-expertise/oil-gas/exploration-production/strategic-sectors/unconventionalgas/presentation/three-main-sources-unconventional-gas?%FFbw=kludge1%FF

Introduction
Known Unconventional Gas Resources in the Continental United States

North America Unconventional Gas Reserves

Estimated Gas in Place ~ 8,228 TCF
Proved reserves ~ 2,074 TCF
US consumption ~ 23 TCF (EIA)
http://americanenergyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Case-Unconventional-Gas.pdf

Purpose
Quantifying flow in unconventional gas reservoir has been a
significant challenge.
This presentation explains an analysis model that is incorporates
some of the complexities that unconventional reservoirs are
subjected to.

Reservoir Model
In this model, it is assumed that there is no natural fracture
in the formation and only the Stimulated Reservoir Volume
(SRV) around the hydraulic fracture are active. Hydraulic
Fracture will improve the well productivity by:
Increasing pore pressure
Reducing effective stress
Improved permeability

Reservoir Model
Single phase gas flow with Immobile residual liquid phase
Gas flow towards one horizontal well
10-staged hydraulic fracture
Extremely tight reservoir

The effect of the following will be analyzed using the model on SRV:
Klinkenberg
Non-Darcy flow
Geomechanics Effect
Nonlinear adsorption effect

Case Study

From the case study data above, it will deduced that tpf/tpm >>1.
Production is strictly controlled by the hydraulic fracture

Numerical Model Analysis

Klinkenberg Effect

Klinkenberg effect with three

different matrix permeability
Klinkenberg effect is highest
at low pressure and lower
values of permeability

Klinkenberg beta factor estimations for three permeability values

Numerical Model Analysis

Klinkenberg Effect

Klinkenberg effect of Unconventional Gas Flow

2500000

Cummulative Production MScf

The figure shows the difference in

production with and without the
Klinkenberg effect. Including the
Klinkenberg uncertainty in the
simulation improves the
understanding of the unconventional
reservoir and increases the total gas
production by approximately 9%.

2000000

1500000
Case without Klinkenberg

1000000

Case with Klinkenberg

500000

0
0

10

15

20

Time, years

25

30

35

Numerical Model Analysis

Gas Adsorption
Amount of gas adsorbed is determined according to the Langmuir s
isotherm as a function of reservoir pressure. Reservoir pressure drop = more
adsorbed gas released from solid to free gas phase.
Gas production from free gas and adsorbed gas
3500000

Cummulative Production

3000000
2500000
2000000
1500000

Free Gas Produced

1000000

Adsorbed Gas Produced

Total Gas Production

500000
0
0
-500000

10

15

20

TIme, years

25

30

35

Numerical Model Analysis

Geomechanics Effect
The effective porosity, permeability, and capillary pressure of rock are
assumed to correlate with the mean effective stress

Effective stress increases as pore

pressure decreased due to
production. This leads to reservoir
rock deformation and significant
drop in permeability. If
Geomechanics effect is not
consider in the simulation, it will
lead to overestimation of gas
production

Numerical Model Analysis

Non-Darcy Flow
In the early stage production, not considering the non-Darcy flow
leads to overestimation of gas production by approximately 5%.
After 40 years of production, gas flow behaves in the well behaves
exactly as Darcy flow.

Conclusion
The incorporation of the complex
uncertainty associated with unconventional
reservoir in this analysis improves our
understanding of gas flow behavior and
ultimately produce a more accurate
production forecast.

Sources
Cipolla, C.L., E.P. Lolon, J.C. Erdle, and B. Rubin,Reservoir Modeling in Shale-Gas Reservoirs, Reservoir
Evaluation & Engineering, August 2010
Wu, Y.S., "Numerical Simulation of Single-Phase and Multiphase Non-Darcy Flow in Porous and Fractured
Reservoirs,"
Wu, Y.S., et al, "A Generalized Framework Model for Gas Production in Unconventional Gas Reservoir,"
SPE 163609, present at the SPE Reservoir Simulation Symposium held in Woodlands, TX, USA, 18-20
February 2013
Konopczynski, Michael. "Smart Completions, Oilfield Sensors and Sensor Technology Intelligent
Completion". PTE 587, USC. 3 February, 2011. Lecture."4D Reservoir Monitoring
USSI US Seismic Systems Inc. Web. 23 April 2014
Bob Godfrey: "Geophysical monitoring of heavy oil production", June 2010, Schlumberger: Heavy Oil, pp. 1

Thank You