Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Department

Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering

Committee Chair

Khashayar Aminian

Abstract

Unconventional gas reservoirs represent a long-term global source of natural gas. Hydraulic fracturing combined with horizontal drilling has turned unproductive unconventional gas reservoirs into the largest natural gas fields in the world. At the early time of production, due to lack of needed variables, using numerical models is challenging, time consuming, and expensive. Production type curves are a dependable tool for predicting the performance of gas reservoirs.;The goal of this research was to develop a simple and reliable tool to predict the performance of the production of hydraulically fractured horizontal wells in unconventional gas reservoirs. A set of production type curves were developed. Two set of type curves were developed using the reservoir model. They represent the two flow regimes associated with the horizontal wells, the early time liner flow and the late time pseudo-radial (elliptical) flow. The dimensionless well length and the ratio of well length to reservoir length were found to influence the type curves significantly.;The impact of some of the reservoir parameters was reviewed. Drainage area, horizontal permeability, and vertical permeability were found not to impact type curves extensively. Reservoir thickness has a minor effect on type curves. Reservoir porosity has no effect on early production but significant effect on late production.;In addition to the reservoir parameters, a range of hydraulic fracture parameters was studied. Number of hydraulic fractures was found to have impact on type curves particularly with very low permeability. Fracture half length, fracture permeability, and fracture width were found to have no major affect on type curves.

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