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A numerical approach for pressure transient analysis of a vertical well with complex fractures

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Abstract

A new well test model for a vertical fractured well is developed based on a discrete-fracture model in which the fractures are discretized as one dimensional (1-D) entities. The model overcomes the weakness of complex meshing, a large number of grids, and instability in conventional stripe-fracture models. Then, the discrete-fracture model is implemented using a hybrid element finite-element method. Triangular elements are used for matrix and line elements for the fractures. The finite element formulation is validated by comparing with the semi-analytical solution of a single vertical fractured well. The accuracy of the approach is shown through several examples with different fracture apertures, fracture conductivity, and fracture amount. Results from the discrete-fracture model agree reasonably well with the stripe-fracture model and the analytic solutions. The advantages of the discrete-fracture model are presented in mesh generation, computational improvement, and abilities to handle complex fractures like wedge-shaped fractures and fractures with branches. Analytical results show that the number of grids in the discrete-fracture model is 10 % less than stripe-fracture model, and computational efficiency increases by about 50 %. The more fractures there are, the more the computational efficiency increases.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 51404232), the National Science and Technology Major Project (Grant 2011ZX05038003), and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant 2014M561074).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China

    Yizhao Wan, Yuewu Liu, Wenchao Liu, Guofeng Han & Congcong Niu

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  1. Yizhao Wan
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  2. Yuewu Liu
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  3. Wenchao Liu
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  4. Guofeng Han
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  5. Congcong Niu
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Correspondence to Yuewu Liu.

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Wan, Y., Liu, Y., Liu, W. et al. A numerical approach for pressure transient analysis of a vertical well with complex fractures. Acta Mech. Sin. 32, 640–648 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10409-016-0568-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10409-016-0568-0

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