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Physical and Numerical Simulation of Geotechnical Engineering 2nd ISSUE, March 2011

A Stable Productivity Prediction Couple Model of Herringbone Multilateral Wells in Bottom Water Drive Gas Reservoir
YIN Hongjun1,* , CAI Ming1, LV Hang1, MENG Siyuan1
Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education. PRC, Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing 163318, China

ABSTRACT: According to the characteristics of herringbone multilaterals wells, by using pressure superposition and mirror image reflection theory, the mathematical model of steady percolation for herringbone multilaterals wells in bottom water drive gas reservoir is developed on the basis of a threedimensional pseudo-pressure distribution model for horizontal gas wells. The wellbore model is formulated in consideration of friction loss, acceleration loss and mixture loss at the confluence of main borehole and branched one. After mathematic simulation with the couple model, the effects of gas reservoir parameters and well configuration on productivity of the herringbone multilaterals gas wells were analyzed. KEYWORDS: herringbone multilaterals wells, gas reservoir, steady percolation, productivity, wellbore pressure drop, coupling

INTRODUCTION

Herringbone multilaterals wells have advantages in enhancing single well controlled reserves, reducing cost of development and enhancing the ultimate oil recovery and so on. The technical risks and economic risks are much greater in development due to the complicated well drilling and completion. So it is particularly important to study the productivity prediction method of herringbone multilaterals wells. In terms of productivity analysis of herringbone [1] multilaterals wells, Liu, Xiangping et al. studied the inflow performance relationship of herringbone multilaterals wells and provided a method and tool for calculating [2] productivity. Li, Chunlan et al. derived a new productivity formula of herringbone wells with equivalent flow resistance method and the productivity formula of horizontal well. Fan, [3] Yuping et al. established a semi-analytical model of herringbone wells for production prediction. Yang, Xiaosong [4] et al. presented a three-dimensional pseudo-pressure distribution model for horizontal gas wells in an unbounded reservoir and constructed the pressure distribution equations in the formation of the herringbone multilaterals gas wells. The influence of pressure loss at the confluence of main wellbore and branched one was seldom considered in previous studies. For this reason, according to the characteristics of herringbone multilateral wells, by using pressure superposition and mirror image reflection theory, the couple model of steady percolation for herringbone multilateral wells in bottom water drive gas reservoir is developed on the basis of a three-dimensional pseudopressure distribution model for horizontal gas wells.The wellbore model is formulated in consideration of friction loss,
ST. PLUM-BLOSSOM PRESS PTY LTD

acceleration loss and mixture loss at the confluence of main borehole and branched one. After a case study with couple models, the effects of physical property of gas reservoir and well configuration on productivity of the herringbone multilaterals gas wells are analyzed. The couple model of this paper supplies the theoretical foundation for predicting the productivity of the herringbone multilateral wells accurately, and it is vital to guide actual production of herringbone multilateral wells.

MATHEMATICAL MODEL

The herringbone horizontal well is shown in Fig. 1. Suppose the herringbone horizontal well has M branches and each divided into N section. When the value of N is large enough, the length of every section are small. The flow rates of every section are uniformly distributed along the length direction but not equal.

Toe-end

Heel-end

Figure 1. Herringbone horizontal well 2.1 The gas reservoir model


*Yin Hongjun, Dr. Professor of Northeast Petroleum University. Tel: 0459-6504066, Email: yinhj7176@126.com

A Stable Productivity Prediction Couple Model of Herringbone Multilateral Wells in Bottom Water Drive Gas Reservoir DOI: 10. 5503/J. PNSGE. 2011. 02.014 By using mirror image reflection and pressure superposition theory, the flow equations in gas reservoir are developed on the basis of a three-dimensional pseudo[4] pressure distribution model for horizontal gas wells
q

vp Branched wellbore vj pj vj+1 pj+1 Main borehole

i =1

j =1

p sc T 1 2 q ij ij , kl = p e2 p kl Z s c Tsc 2 K

(1)

Where pe is boundary pressure, Pa; K is gas permeability, m2 i is gas viscosity with flowing wellbore pressure in the ith section, Pa s; Z i is gas deviation factor with flowing wellbore pressure in the ith section; pij is gas pressure at the midpoint of the jth section in ith branch, Pa; pwij is wellbore pressure at the midpoint of the jth section in ith branch, Pa; qij is gas production rate at the jth section in ith branch, m3/d; Qij is mainstream flow rate at the end of the jth section in ith branch, m3/d; Lij is the length of the jth section in ith branch, m; (xij1,yij1,zij1) is starting coordinate of the jth section in ith branch; (xij2,yij2,zij2) is final coordinate of the jth section in ith branch. If the gas horizontal permeability does not equal to the vertical permeability, that is anisotropic gas reservoir, we can use K h K v for K in above equations. Use h and z in place of h and z, where equals to K h K v , which is coefficient of anisotropy. ij,kl is the pressure drop at the midpoint of the lth section in kth branch when the jth section in ith branch produces.
ij , k l = Z
L ij
n =

ij ( 4 n h + z w , x , y , z ) + ij ( 4 n h + 2 h z w , x , y , z )

ij ( 4 n h z w , x , y , z ) i j ( 4 n h 2 h + z w , x , y , z )

ij ( , x , y , z ) = l n
r ij = +

ri j + L ij r i j L ij

(3)

( x ij1 x ) 2 + ( y ij1 y ) 2 + ( z ) 2 ( x i j 2 x ) 2 + ( y ij 2 y ) 2 + ( z ) 2

(4)

2.2 The wellbore model From the toe to the heel of the wellbore, the mass flow in horizontal well is increasing continuously. This is because fluid from the reservoir drifts into the well along the horizontal wellbore. The pressure drop of horizontal wellbore mainly consists of friction loss, acceleration loss and mixture loss. For non-confluence of the well segment, there are friction loss and acceleration loss. The pressure gradient equation is
dpw f v = dx 2D
2

where vp is the rate of branched wellbore, m/s; qij is the influx rate of the jth section in main borehole, m3/d; Qj is the influx rate of branched wellbore, m3/d; is the angle between the main borehole and the branch, (). At the confluence of main borehole and branched one, the pressure drop equation is
2 2 p w j +1 p w j = f j

M air g 1 6 p s2c ( Q i2 + Q j2 )T Z R
2 2 D 4 Tsc 2 2 D 5 Ts c

lj (1 + cos 2 )

+ 64

2 M a ir g p sc ( Q i co s + Q j ) q j T Z

+ 32

2 M a ir g p sc q 2 TZ j

2 2 D 4 Tsc

8 vvR 16 v + D D 2

2 R

dx

(5)

In the non-convergence of the section, the pressure drop equation is


2 p i2( j + 1 ) p ij = f ij

a ir

2 g 1 6 p s2c Q ij T Z 2 2 D 5Ts c

2 2 D 4T sc

2.3 The couple model

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By using the formula in No.6 reference, the value of f is calculated. As shown in Fig. 2, there is gas mixed at the confluence of main borehole and branched one.

l ij + 6 4

+ 32

a ir

2 g p s2c q ij T Z

( i = 1, 2 , L L M

j = 1, 2 , L L , N )

Figure 2. Gas mixed in herringbone multilaterals wells According to the mass conservation theory considering the loss of gas mixture, the equation is
v
D 4
2

+ vp cos

D 4

v D v + dx x 4

= 0

(6)

According the momentum principle, the equation is

2 dpw 4 w v v = + 2v + dx x x dx D

(7)

In Eq. (7), w is defined as =fv2/8. By combining Eq. (6) and Eq. (7), we get

2 2 vvp co s vp co s 2 f v2 dpw = + + dx 2D dx dx

(8)

where is gas density, defined as:


=
M
a ir

RTZ

(9)

and according the gaseousness equation, the parameters are defined as:
v = p sc Q T Z p r w2 T s c vp = p s c Q 1T Z p r w2 T s c vR = p sc q T Z 2 rw p T s c x

(2)

(10)

(11)

a ir

g p s2c Q ij q ij T Z
2 2 D 4 T sc

(12)

Physical and Numerical Simulation of Geotechnical Engineering 2nd ISSUE, March 2011

The following coupling relationships are made for the couple model: (1) Volumetric flow balance In the non-convergence of the section, keep a balance between the mainstream flow rate at the end of every section and the inflow rate from gas reservoir.
q ij
k = j +1

Q i N = q iN

( i = 1, 2 , L L M )

Q1 j =

k = j +1

q1 j + Q i
(14)

At the confluence of the 1th main borehole and the ith branched one, the balance relationship is (2)Pressure continuity The gas reservoir pressure and the wellbore pressure are equal at wellface, that is
q ij
k = j +1

The jth section is the confluence of the 1th main borehole and the ith branched one, and the balance relationship is
p w i 0 = p w 1j ( i = 1, 2 , L L M )

(16)

SOLUTION OF MATHETICAL MODEL

Gas compressibility factor Z Formation temperature T (K) Gas reservoir pressure pi (MPa) Bottomhole pressure pwf (MPa)

q n +1 = A 1 p n ,

p n +1 = F ( q n +1 )

(17)

pwf is the pressure at the heel of main horizontal wellbore, which is assumed known. From the initial value p0 = [pwf, pwf, , pwf] started, the new pressure vector and the radial flow rate vector are obtained by the iterative forms until the change of p, q is less than a certain value, that is
1 i M ,1 j N

m ax

q inj + 1 q inj < 1 ,

1 i M ,1 j N

m ax

n n p ij + 1 p ij < 2

(18)

MATHEMATICS SIMULATION

The parameters of herringbone horizontal gas wells are listed in table 1. Fig. 3 shows the distribution of inflow rate along the wellbore. As shown in Fig. 3, there are mutual interference between different sections when the main borehole and branched one produce at the same time. The distance between ends of main borehole and branched wellbore is longer than

After a gas confluence of branched wellbore with main one, the pressure drop is more obvious due to the influx rate of main borehole significantly increased. Fig. 5 shows the distribution of mainstream flow along the wellbore. As shown in Fig. 5, the influx rate is increasing along the gas flow direction, and the wellbore is variable mass flow. At the confluence of main borehole and branched one, the flow of main borehole jumping increases since gas of branched wellbore flows into the main borehole. Fig. 6 shows the effect of net thickness of gas layer on productivity index of herringbone multilaterals gas wells. Gas productivity index decreases continuously with the increase in net thickness of gas reservoir. This is because as the reservoir thickness increases, gas flow filtrational resistance increases and the gas deliverability per unit thickness reduces. Therefore, herringbone multilaterals wells are more suitable for exploitation of thin layer gas reservoir. Fig. 7 shows the effect of horizontal permeability in productivity of herringbone multilaterals gas wells. As the horizontal permeability increases, gas production

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By using wellbore model Eq. (11) and Eq. (12), gas reservoir model Eq. (1) and the coupling relationships, the couple model is obtained. The couple model is made up of M N equations, which is solved by iterative method, and the following iterative forms are made:

Q iN = q iN

( i = 1, 2 , L L M )

Q ij =

( i = 1 2 , L L M ; j = 1, 2 , L L , N 1) (15)

Q ij =

( i = 1 2 , L L M ; j = 1 , 2 , L L , N 1 ) (13)

other locations of main borehole. So ends of main borehole show less interference and higher inflow rate. The confluence of main borehole and branched one which has highest interference shows lowest inflow rate. Similarly, various parts of branched wellbore can be analyzed. Fig. 4 shows the distribution of pressure along the wellbore. There is pressure drop along the wellbore because of the existence of friction loss, acceleration loss and mixture loss. Table 1. Gas reservoir and fluid parameters
Parameter Horizontal permeability Kh (m2) Vertical permeability Kv (m2) Fluid viscosity (mPas) Gas relative density g Value 0.4710-3 Parameter Gas reservoir thickness h(m) Distance from the bottom of the well zw (m) Wellbore radius rw (m) Wellbore coarseness E (m) Main borehole length L0 (m) 1st branch length L1 (m) 2nd branch length L2 (m) Angel between main borehole and branch ( ) Value 10

0.15510-3 0.02241 0.5855

5 0.07 0.00001

1.01137

480

353.15 22 20

180 180 45

A Stable Productivity Prediction Couple Model of Herringbone Multilateral Wells in Bottom Water Drive Gas Reservoir DOI: 10. 5503/J. PNSGE. 2011. 02.014 continuously increases and the rate of descent of productivity which pressure drop lead to also increases.

1.96 1.76 Q (10 4 m 3/d)


Q (10 4m 3/d)

300

1.56 1.36 1.16 0.96 0.76 0.56 0.36 0 100 200 300 L (m) 400

Main Borehole 1st Branched Wellbore 2nd Branched Wellbore

250 200 150 100 50 0 0 5 10 15 K h (10 -3m2) 20 Pressrue Loss Non-pressure Loss

500

25

Figure 3. Distribution of inflow rate along the wellbore

Figure 7. Effect of horizontal permeability in productivity Fig. 8 shows the effect of angle between main and branched wellbore in productivity of herringbone multilaterals gas wells. As the angel between main and branched wellbore increases, gas production increases continuously but the rate of increase of productivity reduced. When the angel is 90, the herringbone multilaterals gas wells have the highest production (35.36104m3/d). However, when the angel is 15, the herringbone multilaterals gas wells have the lowest production (32.19104m3/d). On a highest basis, the difference between the highest and the lowest values is 8.96%. It can be seen that the angel between main and branched wellbore should be as large as possible in designing well configuration.
2 1.8 Q (10 4m3 /d) 1.6 1.4 1.2 15 30 45 60 90 0 100 200 L (m) 300 400 500

20.0003 20.0003 20.0002 p w(MPa) 20.0002 20.0001 20.0001 20.0000 20.0000 0 100 200 300 L (m) 400 500 1st Branched Wellbore 2nd Branched Wellbore Main Borehole

Figure 4. Distribution of pressure along the wellbore


40 35 30 Q (10 4m 3/d) 25 20 15 10 5 0 0 100 200 L (m) 300 400 500 Main Borehole 1st Branched Wellbore 2nd Branched Wellbore

Figure 5. Distribution of mainstream flow along the wellbore


0.020 m 3 d-1Pa -1 m -1

Figure 8. Effect of angel between main and branched wellbore in productivity In order to study the effect of well configuration in productivity of herringbone multilaterals gas wells, 8 different well configurations which have the same total wellbore length are designed. As shown in Fig. 9, the angel between main and branched wellbore is 45 and the total wellbore length is 840m. L0 and L1 are respectively the length of main borehole and branched one. The gas production rate of different well configurations is listed in table 2. From the results of calculation, in the same total wellbore length, the more the number of branches, the smaller gas production. This is because in the same total wellbore length, the more the

0.000 0 20 40 60 h (m) 80 100 120

Figure 6. Effect of net thickness of gas layer on productivity index

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0.016 0.012 0.008 0.004

Physical and Numerical Simulation of Geotechnical Engineering 2nd ISSUE, March 2011

number of branches, the shorter of each wellbore length. That leads to the distance between different sections of wellbore closer and more serious interferes. In the same total wellbore length and the number of branched wellbore, the gas production rate decrease in order of heteronomous branch, homolateral branch and symmetric branch. Table 2. Gas Production Rate of Different Herringbone Configurations
Production 104m3/d Well Configuration Single branch 2 Homolateral Branches 2 Symmetric Branches 2 Heteronomous Branches 3 Homolateral Branches 3 Heteronomous Branches 4 Symmetric Branches 4 Heteronomous Branches Main Borehole Branched Wellbores Total Gas Production

25.454 19.952 19.992 19.952 19.605 19.604 14.140 13.820

9.995 14.861 14.679 14.866 14.582 14.603 19.117 19.525

35.449 34.814 34.670 34.818 34.187 34.207 33.258 33.344

(2) The wellbore model is formulated in consideration of friction loss, acceleration loss and mixture loss at the confluence of main borehole and branched one. It presents real situation in wellbore. (3) When the gas reservoir permeability is comparatively small, the effect of pressure loss is small. As the horizontal permeability increases, gas production continuously increases and the rate of descent of productivity which pressure drop lead to also increases. With the increase of reservoir permeability, the pressure loss plays an increasingly important role in reducing gas production. Therefore, the impact of pressure loss should be considered for the high permeability gas reservoir in determining the herringbone multilaterals wells productivity. (4)The result of mathematic simulation shows that as the angel between main and branched wellbore increases which causes the increases in distance and the weak in interference, the production of herringbone multilaterals wells increases. (5) The result of mathematic simulation shows that, for the same total wellbore length, the more the branches, the more serious interferes between different sections of wellbore. These led to the decrease of herringbone multilaterals wells productivity.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This author gratefully acknowledges financial support from Heilongjiang Provincial Science and Technology Plan Project (Grant No: GZ09A407) and Research Program of Innovation Team of Science and Technology in Enhanced Oil and Gas Recovery (Grant No: 2009td08).

L0=600m L1=240m L0=480m L1=180m L0=480m L1=120m L0=360m L1=120m

L0=480m L1=180m L0=480m L1=180m L0=480m L1=120m L0=360m L1=120m

REFERENCES
[1]. Liu Xiang-ping, Zhang Zhao-shun and Cui Gui-xiang, Inflow performance relationship of a herringbone multilateral well, Acta Petrolei Sinica, Vol. 21, 2000, pp. 57-60. Li Chun-lan, Cheng Lin-song and Sun Fu-jie, Derivation of productivity formulae of a fishbone well, Journal of Southwest Petroleum Institute, Vol. 7, 2005, pp. 36-37. Fan Yu-ping, Han Guo-qing and Yang Chang-chun, Prodcution forecast for herringbore well and optimum configuration of lateral holes, Acta Petrolei Sinica, Vol. 27, 2006, pp. 101-104. Yang Xiao-song, Liu Chuan-xi and Yan Jin, Research on productivity law of herringbone multilateral gas well, Acta Petrolei Sinica, Vol. 29, 2008, pp. 727-733. Li Song-quan, Lian Pei-qing and Li Xiu-sheng, An unsteady coupling model of gas reservior and horizontal wellbore, Journal of Southwest Petroleum Institute, Vol. 31, 2009, pp. 53-57. Ouyang Liang-biao and Aziz K, A simplified approach to couple wellbore flow and reservior inflow for arbitrary well configurations , SPE 48936, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, 1998, pp. 1-8. Cheng Linsong and Li Chunlan, Branch Horizontal Well

[2].

[3].

Figure 9. Different herringbone configurations

[4].

CONCLUSION

[5].

From the study of this paper, the following conclusions can be drawn: (1) The coupling model of herringbone multilaterals wells considers variable mass flow in wellbore. In theory, this model reflects the production characteristic of herringbone wells more accurately.

[6].

[7].

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A Stable Productivity Prediction Couple Model of Herringbone Multilateral Wells in Bottom Water Drive Gas Reservoir DOI: 10. 5503/J. PNSGE. 2011. 02.014
Productivity Calculating Method by Straight Wells, Petroleum Geology & Oilfield Development in Daqing, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 27-31, 1998. [8]. Li Dang, Wang Weihong, and Su Yanchun, A Study on the Productivity Calculation of Wells, Acta Petrolei Sinica, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 89-92, July 1998. [9]. D. Zhu and A.D.Hill, Evaluation of Crossflow Effects in Multilateral Wells, SPE 75250-MS, 2002. [10]. Chen Junbin, Li Dang, and Zhou Fangde, The Productivity Formula of Branch Horizontal Well of Uniform Flux, Chinese Journal of Applied Mechanics, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 135-137, June 2004. [11]. Chen Yaohui, et al, Theoretical Research on the Pressure Distribution in the Wellbore of Multilateral Horizontal, Drilling & Production Technology, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 1-3, 2004. [12]. Yang Xiaosong, et al, Research on Productivity Law of Herringbore Multilateral Gas Well, Acta Petrolei Sinica, vol. 29, no. 5, pp. 727-733, September 2008.

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