A NEW METHOD OF PREDICTING THE PRODUCTIVITY AND

CRITICAL PRODUCTION RATE CALCULATION OF

HORIZONTAL WELL
D.HONGEN

this article begins on the next page

THE PETROLEUM SOCIETY

PAPER
97-23
A New Method of Predicting the
Productivity and Critical Production
Rate Calculation of Horizontal Well
D.Hongen
Research
Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development
This paper is to be presented at the 48th Annual Technical Meeting of The Petroleum Society in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, June 8 - 11,
1997. Discussion of this paper is invited and, may be presented at the meeting if filed in writing with the technical program chairman prior
to the conclusion of the meeting. This paper and any discussion filed will be considered for publication in CIM journals. Publication rights
are reserved. This is a pre-print and is subject to correction.
proved and
corrected
Chaperon's
equation
and
in
the
ABSTRACT
derived equation
both
can
be
applied
to
deal
with
The
paper
analyzes
some productivity forecast
equations
reservoir engineering calculation in the present.
and critical production
rate
calculation
of
horizontal
wells
especially
Joshi's
equation
.
of
predicting
INTRODUCTION
productivity
and
Chaperon's
equation
of
critical
With
the
increase
in
the
number
of
horizontal
production
rate
calculation
used
in
reservoir
production wells from 30 in 1986 to
ten
thousands
at
engineering
This
paper
suggests
that
the
effective
present, the prediction
of
horizontal
well
productivity
permeability should be
used
in
calculating
horizontal
has
become
very
important
At
the
beginning
of
1980's,
well productivity and points out the error
existing
in
F.M.Giger,
L.H.Reiss,
Renard
and
Dupuy
derived
some
Joshi's equations. It also evaluates and
introduces
equations to predict the horizontal well productivity . In
several equations of critical production
rate
such
as.
1981 , S. D. Joshi re-derived
the
equation
by
using
Chaperon's
equation
and
corrects
the
equation
Also,
complex potential method. Regardless of an
item
of
In
this paper derives two new equations for
predicting
[h/(2r)] in the nominator, which is different from that
horizontal well productivity
and
a
general
prediction
of ln[h/(2r)]
in Renard's equation,
no
difference
had
equation
of
the
calculation
horizontal
well
critical
been made in the accuracy of the results
production rate applying the Mirror
Effect
Theory
Field
in Joshi's equation, he postulated that the fluid flowing
Applications
show
that
the
relative
error
between
could be divided into
vertical
flowing
and
horizontal
practical value and prediction value is less. than
17%
flowing . In fact, these two parts of flows are mutually
using a new method of
prediction
and
the
calculation
perpendicular
and
mutually
contained.
But
in
Joshi's
result is more accurate than that
of Joshi's equation
.
equation, no thought had been directed
to
the
repeated
Moreover the oil and
gas
fields
actual
examples
was
calculation
,
thus
the
calculation
accuracy
was

PAPER 97-23

THE PETROLEUM SOCIETY

.:/

A New Method of Predicting the

Productivity and Critical Production
Rate Calculation of Horizontal Well
D.Hongen
Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development

.:

This paper is to be presented at the 48th Annual Technical Meeting of The Petroleum Society in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, June 8 - 11,
1997. Discussion of this paper is invited and may be presented at the meeting if filed in writing with the technical program chairman prior
to the conclusion of the meeting. This paper and any discussion filed will be considered for publication in CIM journals. Publication rights
are reserved. This is a pre-print and is subject to correction.

proved and corrected Chaperon's equation and in the

derived equation both can be applied to deal with
reservoir engineering calculation in the present.

ABSTRACT

The paper analyzes some productivityforecast equations

and .critical production rate calculation of horizontql
wells especially Joshi's equation of predicting
productivity and Chaperon's equation of critical
production rate calculation used in reservoir
engineering :This .paper suggests that the effictive
permeability should be used in calculating horizontal
well productivity and points out the error existing in
Joshi's equations. It also evaluates and introduces
several equations of critical production rate such as
Chaperon's equation and corrects the equation .Also,
this paper derives two new equations for 'predicting

INTRODUCTION
With the increase in the number of horizontal
production wells from 30 in 1986 to ten'thousands at
present, the prediction of horizontal well productivity
has become very important At the beginning of 1980's,
F.MGiger , L.H.Reiss, Renard and Dupuy derived some
equations to predict the horizontal well productivity . In
1981 , S. D. Joshi re-derived the equation by using
complex potential method. Regardless of an item of In
[b/(2r w)] in the nominator, which is different from that
of In[b/(2r w)] in Renard's equation, no difference had

horizontal well productiVity and a f;eneral prediction

equation of the calculation horizontal well critical
production rate applying the Mirror Effect Theory Field
, Applications show that the relative error between
practical value and prediction value is less. than 17%
using a new method of prediction and the calculation
result is more accurate than that of Joshi's equation .
Moreover ,the oil and gas fields actual examples was

been made in the accuracy of the results

In Joshi's equation, he postulated that the fluid flowing

could be divided into vertical flowing and horizontal
flowing . In fact, these two parts of flows are mutually
perpendicular and mutually contained. But in Joshi's
equation, no thought had been directed to the repeated
calculation thus
1

the calculation accuracy was

, .,

influenced.

in the oil . Although Joshi had used it in the horizontal

In this paper, the equation is corrected by usin~ average

wells , Pemide etc. considered that the definition of

efficient permeability and as a result the Calculation

critical production should be the oil production when the

error is reduced below 58 percent. Also, a new equation

oil and water interface becomes deformed. The author of

derived from mirror image theoIY , which can be used

this paper thinks that this definition conforms to the fact

to predict precisely the horizontal well productivity in a

. What to be noted is , in practice, many scholars think

homogeneous formation, is presented here.

that the critical production rate is that when the first

In the developing of reservoir with water in horizontal

drop of water appears on the surface in the course of

nuiin concern is the reduction of produetjon

developing reservoir with bottom water . Actually ,

because of the water coning . How to control the water

before the first drop of water appears on the sUrface,

coning is a big technological problem which has been

water has broken through into oil and water contact , so

facing petroleum engineers for a long time . Many

this production can not be defined as critical production.

researchers have spent a great deal of effort in studying

the calculation method of critical production rate[3].[S] in

In a word, critical production is the oil production when

horizontal wells with water coning and given their

as to change the production character.

wells, the

bottom water has broken through the oil-water.surface so

equation respectively. However, based on the same

production well data,' .different equation will give

ON SEVERAL PRODUCTMTY

DISCUSSION

different results, which can cause great trouble to the

EQUATION

petroleum engineers in the reservoir calCulation . In this

The reference [1] has given several productivity

paper , a new calculation formulation 'of critical

equations as follow:

production is introduced on the basis of further

Joshi equation

discussion of the concept of critical production and the

detail analysis of several calculation formulations which
are Widely used at present.
Borison equation
STRUCTURE OF: THE STUDY PAPER
Discussion on several productivity predicting equations
Dis~sion ofJoshi equation[l]

(2)

New equation derivation for horizontal well productivity

Actual example correlation of new method v.s. Joshi
Giger equation

equatioh

2trKJIr

A definition on critical production rate of horizontal

well[2)

qh

p,/J

!:1P

In I+~ + l!. In _h_

~TU.

Discussion on critical prOduction"rate of horizontal well

2m"..

(3)

Correction of Chaperon equation

Giger equation[4)

Renard and Dupuy equation

2trKhh

Joshi equation
qh

DEFINITION OF CRITICAL PRODUCTION

p,/J

!:1P

I I+~
n

~a

+7: n 2 m"..
(4)

The concept of critical production has always been used

It is obvious that the only difference between equation

(1) and (4), is that the latter has a constant7Z" in the

in the vertical well production . In reference[ 1] this

concept is expressed as: "the critical production is the

items of its nominator. In addition , the only difference

maximum oil, production when there is no water or gas

between equations of Giger and Joshi is that Giger