Investigating Horizontal-Well Interference Test Applications

Abstract

One of the major challenges in reservoir engineering is the accurate description of the reservoir. This description is essential in all aspects of petroleum engineering, and is typically achieved through reservoir characterization by integrating various kinds of information obtained from the reservoir. One reliable source of reservoir information is well testing. Analysis of well tests, especially interference tests in horizontal wells could be very complex but effective in that rock matrix intersected by pressure response cover wider area of the reservoir.

This study extends previous studies on horizontal-well interference testing by applying a modified function for the dimensionless pressure at the horizontal observation well. The work investigates the effects of well lengths, directional permeabilities, and separation distances between active and observation wells on the pressure response at the horizontal observation well. Multiple active horizontal wells have been studied using the superposition principle by considering the influence of the number of active wells, locations and timing of activities of active wells on the pressure responses at a horizontal observation well. Field data have been used to validate the findings of this study and to estimate the equivalent observation points using known correlations. The results obtained from this work can be applied in well placement decisions during field development as well as in understanding the distortions caused by nearby wells during well tests.