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Effect of Permeability Anisotropy on the Production of Multi-Scale Shale Gas Reservoirs

Author

Listed:
  • Ting Huang

    (Hubei Cooperative Innovation Center of Unconventional Oil and Gas, Yangtze University, Wuhan 430100, China)

  • Zhengwu Tao

    (Tarim Oilfield Company, PetroChina, Korla, Xinjiang 841000, China)

  • Erpeng Li

    (Tarim Oilfield Company, PetroChina, Korla, Xinjiang 841000, China)

  • Qiqi Lyu

    (Hubei Cooperative Innovation Center of Unconventional Oil and Gas, Yangtze University, Wuhan 430100, China)

  • Xiao Guo

    (State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, China)

Abstract

Shales or mudstones are fine grained and layered reservoirs, which leads to strong shale permeability anisotropy. Shale has a wide pore-size distribution, and pores with different diameters contribute differently to the apparent permeability of shales. Therefore, understanding the anisotropy of multiscale shale gas reservoirs is an important aspect to model and evaluate gas production from shales. In this paper, a novel model of permeability anisotropy for shale gas reservoirs is presented to calculate the permeability in an arbitrary direction in three dimensional space. A numerical model which is valid for the entire Knudsen’s range (continuum flow, slip flow, transition flow and free molecular flow) in shale gas reservoirs was developed, and the effect of gas-water flow and the simulation of hydraulic fracturing cracks were taken into consideration as well. The simulation result of the developed model was validated with field data. Effects of critical factors such as permeability anisotropy, relative permeability curves with different nanopore radii and initial water saturation in formation on the gas production rate of multi-stage fractured horizontal well were discussed. Besides, flow regimes of gas flow in shales were classified by Knudsen number, and the effect of various flow regimes on both apparent permeability of shales and then the gas production has been analyzed thoroughly.

Suggested Citation

  • Ting Huang & Zhengwu Tao & Erpeng Li & Qiqi Lyu & Xiao Guo, 2017. "Effect of Permeability Anisotropy on the Production of Multi-Scale Shale Gas Reservoirs," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-23, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:10:y:2017:i:10:p:1549-:d:114385
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    Cited by:

    1. Chenji Wei & Liangang Wang & Baozhu Li & Lihui Xiong & Shuangshuang Liu & Jie Zheng & Suming Hu & Hongqing Song, 2018. "A Study of Nonlinear Elasticity Effects on Permeability of Stress Sensitive Shale Rocks Using an Improved Coupled Flow and Geomechanics Model: A Case Study of the Longmaxi Shale in China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-16, February.

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