Published quarterly (March, June, September, and December). Contains fundamental research papers on all aspects of E&P engineering.
The application of horizontal-well drilling and multistage fracturing hasbecome a norm in the industry to develop unconventional resources fromultratight formations. A complex fracture network generated in the presence ofstress isotropy and pre-existing natural fractures immensely extends reservoircontact and improves hydrocarbon production. A semianalytical method is presented in this paper to simulate theproduction from such a complex fracture network. This method combines ananalytical reservoir solution with a numerical solution on discretized fracturepanels. The mathematics is briefly introduced. Numerous case studies arepresented, from a simple planar fracture to a real-field example from theBarnett shale. Production behavior and the key flow regimes are discussed. With its simplicity, yet capturing the physics of the transient productionperformance, this approach provides an accessible tool for people from multipledisciplines in unconventional-resource development to rapidly evaluatetreated-well productivity and stimulation effectiveness. |
