Analysis of Pressure Transient in Multi- Segmented Horizontal Wells

Horizontal wells are usually drilled in the direction that maximizes the production or recovery from a given field. For primary recovery purposes, this direction is normal to the maximum permeability. The proposed pressure transient analysis solutions, however, assume that the entire horizontal well is contributing to flow. Multi-segmented horizontal wells (MSHW) are those which only certain intervals are productive. In this paper we use numerical simulation to show the pressure transient behavior in MSHWs and validate it with the results generated by commercial simulator (analytical solution). The pressure and pressure derivative in MSHWs shows a characteristic behavior and is well matched. The sensitivityanalysis is then conducted for four vital parameters in these wells; Permeability, skin factor, length of inactive interval, and the ratio ofvertical permeability to horizontal permeability.

Keywords:

multi-segmented horizontal well , pressure transient analysis , sensitivity analysis