Date of Graduation

2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Department

Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering

Committee Chair

Khashy Aminian

Committee Co-Chair

Samuel Ameri

Committee Member

Dan Della-Giustina

Abstract

The rise in natural gas global demand is the major factor influencing the increase in exploration and development of the unconventional gas resources. Most of the unconventional gas reservoirs have very low permeability and are not able to produce an economic flow rate without stimulation treatments. The application of the advanced technologies including a horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has been responsible for the economic development of unconventional gas resources. Horizontal wells with multiple hydraulic fracture treatments have proven to be an effective method for development of shale reservoirs. However, there is no simple technique available for the predicting the ultimate gas recovery from the shale reservoir due to complex interaction of horizontal well, hydraulic fracture, and natural fracture present in the shale. Additionally, most shale reservoir such as Marcellus shale have a limited production history available and the long term production is not well established. The objective of this study is to estimate the ultimate gas recovery from horizontal wells with multiple hydraulic fractures completed in a shale formation based on the early production history. Production history and other field data were utilized in this study to develop a model for prediction of the long term production and ultimate gas recovery from the shale reservoirs. The model was then utilized to develop a correlation between early production and the ultimate gas recovery. The impact of the reservoir and hydraulic fracture properties on the correlation was investigated. The number and the half-length of the hydraulic fracture were found to have a significant impact on the correlation.

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