Title: Identifying Candidates for Horizontal Drilling Through Understanding Reservoir Heterogeneity: ABSTRACT
Abstract: Horizontal drilling has proven to be a successful technology for exploiting unrecovered mobile oil in existing fields. Planning a successful horizontal drilling program requires a detailed understanding of reservoir heterogeneity while remembering that a horizontal well is basically a controlled, directional, completion technique. Also, in any reservoir being considered for horizontal drilling, heterogeneity has prevented the efficient and economic development of the pool by vertical wells. Reservoir heterogeneity can be of two basic types: operational and depositional. Operational heterogeneites are inherent in pool-producing practices such as coning or operator bias. Depositional heterogeneities compartmentalize the reservoir through some form of permeability anisotropy such as fractures or mud drapes. All reservoir complexities can be classified into either of these two major types or a combination of them. These two groups of complexities can be subdivided into 20 categories based on depositional architecture, hydrocarbon type, and reservoir drive mechanism. This system of classification simplifies the identification process.Heterogeneous high-permeability reservoirs with good vertical permeability make excellent horizontal drilling candidates. In general, low-permeability reservoirs do not make good candidates. Lithology also plays an important role in screening potential reservoir candidates for redevelopment using horizontal drilling. Top priority should be given to carbonates, lower priority tomore » sandstones, and lowest priority should be given to shales. The use of this classification scheme as illustrated can significantly improve overall performance and recovery efficiencies in most reservoirs.« less
Publication Year: 1994
Publication Date: 1994-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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