An integrated multi-scale approach for transient analysis of multi-well horizontal pad with well interference in shale gas reservoirs: Methodology and case study

Abstract

Shale gas, as a clean, low-carbon, and abundant unconventional natural gas resource, plays a crucial role in achieving clean energy transformation and carbon neutrality. The Fuling shale gas reservoir in Sichuan Basin stands out as China's most promising area for shale gas exploration and recovery. However, the continuous recovery of shale gas in the southern Sichuan Basin has led to well interference events in hundreds of wells, with the furthest well distance reaching over 2000 m. This study introduces a multi-scale approach for transient analysis of a multi-well horizontal pad with well interference in shale gas reservoirs. The approach utilizes Laplace transform technology, boundary element theory, and the finite difference method to address the complexities of the system. Well interference is managed using the pressure superposition principle. To validate the proposed multi-scale method, a commercial numerical simulator is employed. The comprehensive pressure behavior of a multi-well horizontal pad in a shale gas reservoir is analyzed, encompassing wellbore storage effect, skin effect, bilinear flow, linear flow, pseudo-radial flow of primary fractures, well interference period, dual-porosity flow, pseudo-radial flow of the total system, and boundary-dominated flow. A case study is conducted on the typical well, the well with the longest production history in the Fuling shale gas reservoir. The rate transient analysis is conducted to integrate up to 229 days of shale gas production daily data and wellhead pressure data, enabling the generation of pressure behavior under unit flow rate. The results indicate that the linear flow, transitional flow, and boundary-dominated flow are more likely to be observed in the actual data. Secondary fractures are considered to be the primary pathways for fluid migration during well interference events. The evaluated formation permeability is 2.58 × 10⁻² mD, the well spacing is 227.8 m, the diffusion coefficient is 1.49 × 10⁻⁴, and the skin factor is 0.09.