Numerical Investigation for Developing Conventional Tight-Oil Formations in the Middle East

Mohammed G. Althani, E. Ozkan
{"title":"Numerical Investigation for Developing Conventional Tight-Oil Formations in the Middle East","authors":"Mohammed G. Althani, E. Ozkan","doi":"10.2523/iptc-22178-ms","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"\n The rise in oil production in the United States during the last decade resulted from the development of unconventional tight-oil resources. These are oil accumulations in low permeability formations, which are either source rocks or in a proximity to a source rock. There are other types of tight-oil resources that are located in conventional reservoirs with a low permeability matrix. These can be referred to as conventional tight-oil formations. The objective of this paper is to investigate the characteristics of the development strategies for these formations and how they are compared to unconventional tight-oil resources.\n Using reservoir data representing the properties of the tight-oil formations in the Middle East, a numerical study has been conducted by a commercial simulator with dual-porosity option. The model can simulate the drilling and the hydraulic fracturing in the reservoir. In addition, the model is coupled with geomechanics to capture the stress changes in the formation. The effects of the natural fracture corridors and water production from nearby aquifers on the performance of conventional tight-oil formations are also studied. Sensitivity analysis is conducted on reservoir data, such as the initial reservoir pressure and initial movable water saturation.\n The simulation results show that, as in the unconventional tight-oil plays, horizontal wells with hydraulic fractures are the best approach to develop conventional tight-oil formations. However, wider spacing of these horizontal wells is warranted if they are intersecting the natural fracture corridors. High water production from nearby aquifers or high initial water saturation is a major challenge and could jeopardize the development outcomes. In addition, lower initial pressure compared to unconventional tight-oil plays may undermine the initial rates, and, unless the matrix permeability is high enough for sustained economic rates, conventional tight-oil resources may not have some of the favorable features of unconventional tight-oil project economics.\n This paper illustrates the factors affecting of the development strategies for conventional tight-oil formations. Most of the studies available in the literature focus on the development of conventional high/medium permeability formations or unconventional tight-oil formations. This paper provides insights into the development for a different category of oil resources that has a high potential in the Middle East and other parts of the world.","PeriodicalId":10974,"journal":{"name":"Day 2 Tue, February 22, 2022","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2022-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Day 2 Tue, February 22, 2022","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.2523/iptc-22178-ms","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0

Abstract

The rise in oil production in the United States during the last decade resulted from the development of unconventional tight-oil resources. These are oil accumulations in low permeability formations, which are either source rocks or in a proximity to a source rock. There are other types of tight-oil resources that are located in conventional reservoirs with a low permeability matrix. These can be referred to as conventional tight-oil formations. The objective of this paper is to investigate the characteristics of the development strategies for these formations and how they are compared to unconventional tight-oil resources. Using reservoir data representing the properties of the tight-oil formations in the Middle East, a numerical study has been conducted by a commercial simulator with dual-porosity option. The model can simulate the drilling and the hydraulic fracturing in the reservoir. In addition, the model is coupled with geomechanics to capture the stress changes in the formation. The effects of the natural fracture corridors and water production from nearby aquifers on the performance of conventional tight-oil formations are also studied. Sensitivity analysis is conducted on reservoir data, such as the initial reservoir pressure and initial movable water saturation. The simulation results show that, as in the unconventional tight-oil plays, horizontal wells with hydraulic fractures are the best approach to develop conventional tight-oil formations. However, wider spacing of these horizontal wells is warranted if they are intersecting the natural fracture corridors. High water production from nearby aquifers or high initial water saturation is a major challenge and could jeopardize the development outcomes. In addition, lower initial pressure compared to unconventional tight-oil plays may undermine the initial rates, and, unless the matrix permeability is high enough for sustained economic rates, conventional tight-oil resources may not have some of the favorable features of unconventional tight-oil project economics. This paper illustrates the factors affecting of the development strategies for conventional tight-oil formations. Most of the studies available in the literature focus on the development of conventional high/medium permeability formations or unconventional tight-oil formations. This paper provides insights into the development for a different category of oil resources that has a high potential in the Middle East and other parts of the world.
中东地区常规致密油地层开发数值研究
美国近十年来石油产量的增长是由于非常规致密油资源的开发。这些是低渗透地层中的石油聚集,这些地层要么是烃源岩,要么是在烃源岩附近。还有其他类型的致密油资源位于低渗透基质的常规储层中。这些可以被称为常规致密油地层。本文的目的是研究这些地层的开发策略特征,并将其与非常规致密油资源进行比较。利用代表中东致密油储层性质的储层数据,利用具有双孔隙度选项的商业模拟器进行了数值研究。该模型可以模拟储层的钻井和水力压裂过程。此外,该模型还与地质力学相结合,以捕捉地层中的应力变化。研究了天然裂缝通道和附近含水层产水对常规致密油储层性能的影响。对储层初始压力、初始可动含水饱和度等储层数据进行敏感性分析。模拟结果表明,在非常规致密油储层中,水平井水力压裂是开发常规致密油储层的最佳途径。然而,如果这些水平井与天然裂缝走廊相交,则需要更大的间距。附近含水层的高出水量或高初始含水饱和度是主要挑战,可能会危及开发成果。此外,与非常规致密油相比,较低的初始压力可能会影响初始产量,除非基质渗透率足够高,以维持经济产量,否则常规致密油资源可能不具备非常规致密油项目经济效益的一些有利特征。阐述了影响常规致密油储层开发策略的因素。现有的研究大多集中在常规高/中渗透地层或非常规致密油地层的开发上。本文为中东和世界其他地区具有高潜力的另一类石油资源的开发提供了见解。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
求助全文
约1分钟内获得全文 求助全文
来源期刊
自引率
0.00%
发文量
0
×
引用
GB/T 7714-2015
复制
MLA
复制
APA
复制
导出至
BibTeX EndNote RefMan NoteFirst NoteExpress
×
提示
您的信息不完整,为了账户安全,请先补充。
现在去补充
×
提示
您因"违规操作"
具体请查看互助需知
我知道了
×
提示
确定
请完成安全验证×
copy
已复制链接
快去分享给好友吧!
我知道了
右上角分享
点击右上角分享
0
联系我们:info@booksci.cn Book学术提供免费学术资源搜索服务,方便国内外学者检索中英文文献。致力于提供最便捷和优质的服务体验。 Copyright © 2023 布克学术 All rights reserved.
京ICP备2023020795号-1
ghs 京公网安备 11010802042870号
Book学术文献互助
Book学术文献互助群
群 号:481959085
Book学术官方微信