Methodology for horizontal well pattern design in anisotropic oil reservoirs

Abstract

Anisotropic permeability has major effects on horizontal well networks. Well lines, horizontal sections of the wells, and the principal direction of anisotropic permeability should be parallel or perpendicular to each other, in which the horizontal well sections are perpendicular to the direction of the maximum principal permeability. The geometric parameters of the well pattern are calculated with the degree of anisotropy. Numerical reservoir simulation results are consistent with the theoretical analyses. The development results of the optimized well pattern, considering the effects of anisotropy are remarkably better than those of the not-optimized well pattern. Following the selection of the area of the well pattern unit, with lateral well spacing and horizontal well length as the independent parameters, 84 kinds of model cases are provided as references for practical reservoir engineering designing. Key words: fractured reservoir, horizontal well network, well spacing method, numerical simulation, reservoir engineering