Wang Lei

Wang Xiao-dong
Ding Xu-min
Zhang Li
Li Chen
School of Energy Resources,
China University of Geosciences,
Beijing 100083, China
Rate Decline Curves Analysis of
a Vertical Fractured Well With
Fracture Face Damage
Rate decline analysis is a signicant method for predicting well performance. Previous
studies on rate decline analysis of fractured wells are all based on homogeneous reser-
voirs rather than homogeneous ones considering fracture face damage. In this article, a
well model intercepted by a nite conductivity vertical fracture with fracture face damage
is established to investigate how face damage factor affects the productivity of fractured
well. Calculative results show that in transient ow, dimensionless rate decreases with
the increase of fracture face damage and in pseudo steady-state ow, all curves under
different face damage factors coincide with each other. Then, a new pseudo steady-state
analytic formula and its validation are presented. Finally, new Blasingame type curves
are established. It is shown that the existence of fracture damage would decrease the rate
when time is relatively small, so fracture damage is an essential factor that we should
consider for type curves analysis. Compared with traditional type curves, new type curves
could solve the problem of both variable rate and variable pressure drop for fractured
wells with fracture face damage factor. A gas reservoir example is performed to demon-
strate the methodology of new type curves analysis and its validation for calculating im-
portant formation parameters. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4006865]
Keywords: fractured wells, fracture conductivity, type curves, fracture face damage,
formation parameters
1 Introduction
Hydraulic fracturing is an effective technique for productivity
enhancement of wells with damaged zones or producing from low
permeability formations. During the last few decades, there has
been a continuous increasing interest [14] in the determination of
formation properties from transient pressure test or ow rate data
analysis. Gringarten had made an extraordinary contribution to
the development of transient pressure data analysis and type
curves analysis of fractured wells [5]. Three basic solutions were
presented: the innite fracture conductivity solution, the uniform
ux solution for vertical fractures, and the uniform ux solution
for horizontal fractures. Since fracture conductivity could not be
ignored, a semi-analytical solution and an analytical solution for
nite conductivity vertical fractured well were presented [6,7].
These solutions were quite signicant to the later analysis of pro-
ductivity and well test data for fractured wells.
It has been shown that the increase in the productivity of a
fractured well depends on fracture characteristics [1,2], such as
fracture conductivity, length, penetration [8,9] and also depends
on a possible damage to the formation surrounding the fracture.
Skin damage concept for fractured wells was rst presented by
Evans [10]. He assumed that the ow from formation to fracture
was linear, passing through two porous media in series, of which
one is damaged zone around the fracture and the other is undam-
aged formation. Seven years later, dimensionless skin damage fac-
tor was redened [11] and then they established a nite
conductivity model including fracture damage.
In terms of productivity analysis and prediction, the most repre-
sentative masterpiece is Arps decline equations [12]. He general-
ized the production decline law into three types: exponential
decline, harmonic decline, and hyperbolic decline. Subsequent
decades, there was no progress in the aspect of productivity
analysis. Later, Fetkovich [13] provided the nature of rate decline
in theory and thus laid the foundation of modern rate decline anal-
ysis. He perfectly combined theoretical decline curves with Arps
decline equations to further analyze rate decline law [13]. How-
ever, Fetkovich type curves could not solve the problem of both
variable rate and variable bottom pressure drop. Blasingame et al.
[14,15] solved this problem skillfully by introducing the concepts
of material balance time and integral average. Later, many schol-
ars extended Fetkovich and Blasingame type curves into other
well types, such as fractured wells and horizontal wells [1626].
However, at present, there is still no literature in which the
effect of fracture face damage on type curves is analyzed and cor-
responding type curves are presented. First, this paper establishes
a mathematical model for a fractured well of nite conductivity
with face damage. Then, we acquire a numerical solution by using
boundary element method and a new pseudo steady-state analytic
formula is obtained by means of asymptotic analysis and multiple
regression methods. Finally, new Blasingame type curves are pre-
sented and then applied to solve a gas reservoir example.
2 Fracture Flow Model
Figure 1 shows the physical model assumed and the assump-
tions of this model are as follows [6].
(1) A homogeneous, isotropic, horizontal, slap reservoir is
bounded by an upper and a lower impermeable stratum.
The reservoir has uniform thickness, h, permeability, k, and
porosity, /, which do not change with pressure.
(2) The reservoir contains a slightly compressible uid of com-
pressibility, c, and viscosity, l, which are constant.
(3) Fluid is produced through a vertically fractured well inter-
sected by a fully penetrating, nite conductivity fracture of
half-length, x
f
, width, w, permeability, k
f
, and porosity, /
f
,
which are also constant.
For the fracture, we also consider that no ow is allowed into
the fracture through the fracture tips and the ow of the uid in
the fracture is linear ow (Fig. 2). Finally, we assume that uid
Contributed by the Petroleum Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL
OF ENERGY RESOURCES TECHNOLOGY. Manuscript received November 28, 2011; nal
manuscript received April 23, 2012; published online June 21, 2012. Assoc. Editor:
Desheng Zhou.
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2012 by ASME
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ow is steady because the fracture is very small compared with
the reservoir.
Under these conditions assumed, the fracture ow model based
on dimensionless variables can be described by
@
2
p
fD
@x
D
2

2
C
fD
@p
D
@y
D

yD=
w
D
2
= 0 0 < x
D
< 1 (1)
Inner boundary condition
@p
fD
@x
D

xD=0
=
p
C
fD
(2)
Outer boundary condition
@p
fD
@x
D

xD=1
= 0 (3)
The ow correlation formula for surface of the fracture
q
fD
=
2
p
@p
D
@y
D

yD=
w
D
2
(4)
We can obtain solutions in Laplace domain through combining
the Eqs. (1)(4), that is
~ p
wD
(s) ~ p
fD
(x
D
) =
p
sC
fD
x
D
s
_
xD
0
_
v
0
~ q(u)dudv
_ _
(5)
where
x
D
=
x
x
f
; y
D
=
y
x
f
; w
D
=
w
x
f
; C
fD
=
k
f
w
kx
f
p
D
=
2pkh(p
i
p)
qu
; p
fD
=
2pkh(p
i
p
f
)
qu
; q
fD
=
2q(x; t)
q
3 Formation Flow Model
As is assumed above, we consider formation ow model as a
plane source in a circular bounded reservoir (Fig. 3), so point
source integral method must be used in Laplace domain. The
mathematical model of point source for formation ow can be
described as follows:
@
2
p
D
@r
2
D

1
r
D
@p
D
@r
D
=
@p
D
@t
D
t
D
> 0 (6)
Initial condition
p
D
r
D
; 0 ( ) = 0 (7)
Inner boundary condition
lim
rD0
r
D
@p
D
@r
D
_ _
= 1 (8)
Outer boundary condition
@p
D
@r
D

rD=reD
= 0 (9)
Combining Eqs. (6)(9) can obtain point source solution. Further,
in order to gain the solution of plane source, point source solution
must be written in form of integral expressions of Bessel functions
[27]. The pressure distribution of this system can be eventually
given by
~ p
D
(x
D
; 0; s) =
1
2
_
1
1
~ q
fD
(a; s)[K
0
[(x
D
a)
2
[
1=2

s
_

K
1
(r
eD

s
_
)
I
1
(r
eD

s
_
)
I
0
[(x
D
a)
2
[
1=2

s
_
[da (10)
where
t
D
=
k t
ulc
t
x
2
f
; r
ed
=
r
e
x
f
; r
D
=
r
x
f
4 Skin Damage Model
As is shown in Fig. 4, the fracture is surrounded by a skin dam-
aged zone. It is easy to know that the total pressure drop of this
fracture is equal to the sum value of normal pressure drop in the
reservoir and the additional pressure drop caused by the damaged
zone, that is
Fig. 1 Finite conductivity vertical fracture in a bounded slap
reservoir
Fig. 2 Fracture ow model
Fig. 3 The reservoir ow model
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~ p
fD
(x
D
) = ~ p
D
(x
D
; y
D
= 0; s) ~ q
fD
(x
D
; s)s
fD
(11)
Introducing dimensionless skin factor dened by Cinco-Ley and
Samaniego [11], that is
s
fD
=
p
2
w
s
x
f
k
k
s
1
_ _
Now putting Eqs. (10) and (11) into Eq. (5), we obtain
~ p
wD
(s)
1
2
_
1
1
~ q(a; s)[K
0
[(x
D
a)
2
[
1=2

s
_

K
1
(r
eD

s
_
)
I
1
(r
eD

s
_
)
I
0
[(x
D
a)
2
[
1=2

s
_
[
~ q
fD
(x
D
; s)s
fD
=
p
sC
fD
x
D
s
_
xD
0
_
v
0
~ q(u)dudv
_ _
(12)
From Eq. (12), we can nd that only ~ p
wD
and ~ q
fD
(x
D
; s) are
unknown. But the problem is that it is hard to gain analytical solu-
tion from Eq. (12), so we must employ numerical algorithm to
solve it.
5 Solution
5.1 Numerical Solution. Assuming the fracture can be
divided into n segments, the right side of Eq. (10) would have the
following transformation,
1
2
_
1
1
~ q(a; s)[K
0
[(x
D
a)
2
[
1=2

s
_

K
1
(r
eD

s
_
)
I
1
(r
eD

s
_
)
I
0
[(x
D
a)
2
[
1=2

s
_
[ =

n
i=1
q
i
(s)

_
xDi1
xDi
K
0
( x
D
x
/
[ [

s
_
) K
0
[(x
D
x
/
)

s
_
[
_

K
1
(r
eD

s
_
)
I
1
(r
eD

s
_
)
(I
0
( x
D
x
/
[ [

s
_
) I
0
[(x
D
x
/
)

s
_
[)
_
dx
/
(13)
And the second-order integral of Eq. (12) can be also transformed
as
_
xDj
0
_
x
/
0
~ q(x
//
; s)dx
//
dx
/
=

j
i=1
~ q
i
(s)
Dx
2
2
Dx(x
Dj
iDx)
_ _

Dx
2
8
~ q
j
(s)
(14)
In addition to the above expressions, by virtue of steady ow, we
also have
Dx

n
i=1
~ q
i
(s) =
1
s
(15)
The unknowns q
i
(s) and p
wD
(s) can be obtained through combing
Eqs. (12)(15). Then, q
i
(t) and p
wD
(t) for any time given t and any
given s
fD
can be gured out by Stehfest numerical algorithm [28].
5.2 Validation of Solution. Riley [29] gave an analytical so-
lution for elliptical nite conductivity fractures without fracture
damage. To validate the solution presented in this paper, we
compared our solution with Rileys results. In our model, S
fD
is
considered to be equal to zero because Rileys results did not con-
sider fracture damage. Figure 5 shows the comparison of the two
solution under different fracture conductivity C
fD
, the good agree-
ment validates the solution obtained in this work.
5.3 Pseudo Steady-State Analytic Solution. Especially, we
further study pseudo steady-state by other method. Since the ana-
lytic formula of pseudo steady-state directly obtained from Eqs.
(12)(15) is very complex, we managed to gain a new pseudo
steady-state analytic formula by means of asymptotic analysis and
multiple regression methods [27]. A pseudoradial formula could
be obtained as follows by combining Eqs. (37)(39) in Ref. [29]
P
wD
(t
Df
) =
1
2
ln t
Df
3 c 2S
f
_ _
f (C
fD
) (16)
By comparing the pseudo steady-state formula of a vertical well
[28] with Eq. (16), a new pseudo steady-state formula of fractured
wells could be obtained as follows:
p
wD
(t
D
) =
2t
D
r
eD
2
1
ln
r
eD
2

3
4
f (C
fD
) S
fD
(17)
where
f (C
fD
) =

n=1
pC
fD
n 2n pC
fD
(n 1)
_
pC
fD
pC
fD
2
(18)
Equation (18) is not convenient to solve practical problems
because it involves a sum of an innite series. Therefore, accord-
ing to Eq. (18), we manage to get a simple regression equation as
follows:
f (C
fD
)
=
0:95 0:56w 0:16w
2
0:028w
3
0:0028w
4
0:00011w
5
1 0:094w 0:093w
2
0:0084w
3
0:001w
4
0:00036w
5
(19)
w = ln(C
fD
)
Equation (19) is a tted function, whose results are compared
with the results of analytic function of Eq. (18) in Fig. 6. The
excellent matching condition fully indicates the validity of the
tted function. It can also be seen from Fig. 6 that the changing
Fig. 4 Fractured well with a damaged zone around the fracture
Fig. 5 The comparison for the results of this paper and Riley [29]
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scope of the conductivity could meet the need of solving real engi-
neering problems.
In particular, we dene b
Dpss
as dimensionless pseudo steady-
state constant, which is given by,
b
Dpss
= ln
r
eD
2
_ _

3
4
f (C
fD
) S
fD
(20)
Figures 7 and 8 show the comparison of numerical solution and
pseudo steady-state solution. We note excellent agreement
between these two solutions. Thus, the validation of the new for-
mula presented is reached.
6 Discussions and Application of Type Curves
6.1 Decline Analysis. According to Duhamel principle [28],
the pressure solution under constant rate and the rate solution
under constant pressure have the following correlation in Laplace
domain
~ q
D
(s) =
1
s
2 ~
P
wD
(s)
(21)
Combining Eqs. (12)(15) and Eq. (21), we can obtain the correla-
tions between dimensionless rate q
D
(t
D
) and dimensionless time
t
D
for any given S
fD
and any given r
eD
(Figs. 9 and 10).
In Fig. 9, it can be seen that in transient ow, dimensionless
rate decreases with the increase of S
fD
at the same time point,
which shows that the more serious the fracture damage, the
smaller the rate. In pseudo steady-state ow, all curves under dif-
ferent skin damage factors coincide with each other. It also dem-
onstrates in Fig. 10 that time of transient ow become longer with
the increase of drainage radius. Besides, transient ow may extend
to innity when drainage radius r
eD
becomes large enough. In
pseudo steady-state ow, productivity declines fast but all curves
under different skin damage factors still coincide. This behavior
can be inferred from Eq. (17). When the ow reaches the
pseudo steady-state, the value of [2t
D
/(r
eD
2
1) ln(r
eD
/2)
3
=4
f(C
fD
)] stem is far more greater than the value of fracture dam-
age factor S
fD
in Eq. (17). Besides, when it is plotted in loglog
coordinate, the inuence of fracture damage factor on dimension-
less pressure and dimensionless rate (Eq. (21)) becomes smaller,
so it seems that all rate curves in pseudo steady-state ow in both
Figs. 9 and 10 are almost normalized. In a strict sense, the rate
curves have some tiny difference.
Fig. 7 Comparison of numerical solution and pseudo steady-
state solution for a well with a nite conductivity vertical frac-
ture (C
fD
50.1, S
fD
= 0)
Fig. 8 Comparison of numerical solution and pseudo steady-
state solution for a well with a nite conductivity vertical frac-
ture (C
fD
50.1, S
fD
= 0.5)
Fig. 9 Rate decline curves for a well with a nite conductivity
vertical fracture at different values of S
fD
(r
eD
54, C
fD
50.5)
Fig. 10 Rate decline curves for a well with a nite conductivity
vertical fracture at different values of r
eD
(S
fD
50.5 and S
fD
50,
C
fD
50.5)
Fig. 6 The comparison for analytic function and tted function
of f(C
fD
)
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6.2 Blasingame Type Curves and Discussions. The general
denitions of the base decline for type curve variables can be
given by
q
Dd
= q
D
b
Dpss
(22)
t
Dd
=
2
b
Dpss
(r
eD
2
1)
t
D
(23)
The denitions of Eqs. (22) and (23) were presented by Fetkovich
[13]. However, to introduce material balance time, we use
Eq. (12) as a constant rate solution [14] and then use 1/p
wD
result
as q
D
. To eliminate multiple solutions and errors, integral average
method of rate was created by Blasingame et al. [15]. The auxil-
iary variables in this method typically used for decline type curve
analysis are given by
(1) Rate integral function: q
Ddi
q
Ddi
=
N
pDd
t
Dd
=
1
t
Dd
_
tDd
0
q
Dd
(s)ds (24)
(2) Rate integral derivative function: q
Ddid
q
Ddid
=
dq
Ddi
d ln(t
Dd
)
= t
Dd
dq
Ddi
dt
Dd
= q
Ddi
q
Dd
(25)
Now incorporating Eqs. (22)(25) with the ow model assumed
previously, we can consequently establish new Blasingame type
curves for a nite conductivity vertical fractured well with frac-
ture face damage, which are shown in Figs. 1114.
From Figs. 11 and 12, we can nd that in transient ow, under
the same fracture conductivity C
fD
, the values of q
Ddi
and q
Ddid
both decrease with the increase of skin damage factor S
fD
. In
pseudo steady-state ow, curves of both groups normalize, respec-
tively. Contrast Fig. 13 with Fig. 14, we note that under the same
skin damage factor S
fD
, the value of q
Ddi
and q
Ddid
both increase
with conductivity C
fD
in transient ow and the curves of two
groups also normalize, respectively, in pseudo steady-state ow.
Figures 1517 show the effect of fracture damage factor S
fD
(S
fD
=0 and 1) on dimensionless rate integral q
Ddi
and rate inte-
gral derivative q
Ddid
for the same dimensionless drainage radius
r
eD
but different fracture conductivity C
fD
values of 0.5, 5, and 50,
respectively. It can be seen from all of these three plots that, when
dimensionless decline time is relatively smaller (t
Dd
_ 1) the
curves of q
Ddi
and q
Ddid
with fracture damage are always lower
than the ones without fracture damage, which shows the existence
of the fracture damage decreases the rate. When the values of
time become larger (t
Dd
>1), the two kinds of curves all reach
good agreement and the effect of fracture damage becomes not
obvious. These features are similar to the results presented in
Fig. 9. Besides, by comparing Figs. 1517, we nd that the larger
the value of C
fD
, the greater the difference between curves with
fracture damage and curves without fracture damage. This is
because for the case of low conductivity, fracture ow is dominant
and the effect of damage region on ow is weak while for the case
of high conductivity, reservoir ow is dominant, and thus, the
effect of damage region on ow is relatively strong.
Figures 1820 show the effect of fracture damage factor S
fD
(S
fD
=0 and 1) on dimensionless rate integral q
Ddi
and rate inte-
gral derivative q
Ddid
for the same fracture conductivity C
fD
but
different dimensionless drainage radius r
eD
values of 5, 25, and
Fig. 11 New Blasingame type curves for fractured wells with
fracture face damage (C
fD
510, S
fD
50)
Fig. 12 New Blasingame type curves for fractured wells with
fracture face damage (C
fD
= 10, S
fD
50.5)
Fig. 13 New Blasingame type curves for fractured wells with
fracture face damage (C
fD
50.5, S
fD
50.1)
Fig. 14 New Blasingame type curves for fractured wells with
fracture face damage (C
fD
55, S
fD
50.1)
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100, respectively. From these three plots, we can get the same
conclusion with Figs. 1517 that the existence of the fracture
damage decreases the rate when time is relatively smaller.
Besides, by comparing Figs. 1820, we nd that the smaller the
value of r
eD
, the larger the difference between curves with fracture
damage and curves without fracture damage. This is because the
smaller the dimensionless drainage radius, the larger the ratio of
area of fracture damage region and area of reservoir drainage
region, and thus, fracture damage can exert more serious effect on
the rate of smaller dimensionless drainage radius. From the study
above, we can conclude that fracture damage is an important fac-
tor for type curves analysis and it is essential for us to consider it.
6.3 Application
6.3.1 Analysis Procedures for Rate Decline Curves. Taking
gas reservoir as an example, type curve matching procedures are
given below.
(1) For data of gas well, we should adopt the next four special
functions presented by Blasingame et al. [14,15], the mate-
rial balance pseudotime function, the pseudopressure drop
normalized rate function, the pseudopressure drop normal-
ized rate integral function and the pseudopressure drop nor-
malized rate integral derivative function, which are,
respectively, given by

t
a
=
l
gi
c
gi
q
g
_
t
0
q
g
(s)
l
g
(
p

)c
g
(
p

)
ds (26)
Fig. 15 The effect of fracture damage factor on type curves for
r
eD
515 and C
fD
50.5
Fig. 16 The effect of fracture damage factor on type curves for
r
eD
515 and C
fD
55
Fig. 17 The effect of fracture damage factor on type curves for
r
eD
515 and C
fD
550
Fig. 18 The effect of fracture damage factor on type curves for
r
eD
55 and C
fD
550
Fig. 19 The effect of fracture damage factor on type curves for
r
eD
525 and C
fD
550
Fig. 20 The effect of fracture damage factor on type curves for
r
eD
5100 and C
fD
550
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q
g
Dp
p
=
q
g
p
pi
p
p
(27)
q
g
Dp
p
_ _
i
=
1

t
a
_
ta
0
q
g
Dp
p
ds (28)
q
g
Dp
p
_ _
id
=
d
d ln(

t
a
)
q
g
Dp
p
_ _
i
_ _
=
1

t
a
d
d

t
a
q
g
Dp
p
_ _
i
_ _
(29)
where
p
p
=
l
gi
c
gi
q
g
_
p
pref
p
l
g
z
dp
(2) Based on Eqs. (26)(29), the following data functions
should be plotted on a scaled loglog coordinate for type
curve matching:
(a) q
g
_
Dp
p
_ _
i
versus

t
a
(b) q
g
_
Dp
p
_ _
id
versus

t
a
(3) We now match the depletion data trends onto the Arps b =1
stem for each of the new Blashingame type curves being
used: q
Ddi
, q
Ddid
. Once the best matching is obtained, we re-
cord the time and rate axis match points as well as the r
ed
transient ow stage.
(a) Rate axis matching point
q
g
_
Dp
p
_ _
i
_ _
MP
~ q
Ddi
[ [
MP
q
g
_
Dp
p
_ _
id
_ _
MP
~ q
Ddid
[ [
MP
(b) Time axis match point

t
a
( )
MP
~ t
Dd
( )
MP
(c) Transient ow stem (r
ed
)
Select the best matching points between practical data and type
curves to gain the transient ow stem.
(d) Calculate the b
Dpss
value using Eq. (20).
6.3.2 A Gas Reservoir Example. In this section, we present
gas eld data analysis using the procedures of previous section.
Table 1 shows reservoir uid properties and production data of
the chosen gas eld.
Figure 21 shows the matching result of eld data and new type
curves. We get the best match of the data when S
fD
=0.1,
C
fD
=20 and r
eD
=20. Using the obtained match points, we then
calculate estimates of gas in place, reservoir drainage area, effec-
tive permeability to gas, and fracture half-length. Table 2 shows
the summary of results.
Matching results: S
fD
=0.1, C
fD
=20, r
eD
=20
t
M
=

t
a
( )
MP
= t
Dd
( )
MP
= 245 days
p
M
= q
g
=Dp
p
_ _
MP
= q
Dd
( )
MP
= 1:25 10
3
m
3
=day=Mpa
Calculations
(1) Gas in place
G =
1
c
gi

t
a
( )
MP
t
Dd
( )
MP
q
g
=Dp
p
_ _
MP
q
Dd
( )
MP
(30)
G =
245 days 1:25 10
3
m
3
=day=Mpa
8:2 10
3
=MPa
= 3:73 10
8
m
3
(2) Gas reservoir drainage area and equivalent drainage radius
The drainage area is estimated using Eq. (31)
A =
100GB
gi
/h(1 S
wi
)
(31)
Therefore
A =
100 3:73 10
8
m
3
1:45 10
4
m
3
=m
3
0:15 9:7m (1 0:23)
= 4:82 10
6
m
2
We then calculate the equivalent drainage radius, r
e
, using
Eq. (32)
r
e
=

A=p
_
(32)
r
e
=

4:82 10
6
m
2
=3:14159
_
= 1239 m
Table 1 Gas reservoir, uid properties, and production data of
a gas well
Name of parameters Basic data
Estimated net pay thickness, h 9.7 m
Average porosity, / 0.15
Water saturation, S
wi
0.23
Volume factor at p
i
, B
gi
1.45 10
4
m
3
/m
3
Gas viscosity at p
i
, l
gi
0.03 cp
Gas compressibility at p
i
, c
gi
8.2 10
3
/MPa
Initial reservoir pressure, p
i
24 MPa
Initial reservoir pseudopressure, p
pi
17.17 MPa
Fig. 21 Match of production data for an example on the new
Blasingame decline type curve for a well of a nite conductivity
vertical fracture with face damage (S
fD
50.1, C
fD
= 20)
Table 2 Summary of calculative results
Name of parameters Results
The match point, t
M
245 days
The match point, p
M
1.25 10
3
m
3
/day/MPa
The conductivity factor, C
fD
20
Fracture skin factor, S
fD
0.1
Gas in place, G 3.73 10
8
m
3
Equivalent drainage radius, r
e
1293 m
Effective gas permeability, k
g
0.98 mD
Fracture half-length, x
f
61.95 m
Journal of Energy Resources Technology SEPTEMBER 2012, Vol. 134 / 032803-7
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(3) Effective gas permeability
k
g
=
542:8B
gi
l
gi
h
b
Dpss
(q
g
=Dp
p
)
MP
(q
Dd
)
MP
_ _
(33)
From Eq. (33), we note that before calculating effective gas per-
meability, we should rst calculate b
Dpss
. According to Eq. (20),
we have
b
Dpss
= ln
20
2
_ _

3
4

[0:95 0:56 ln(20) 0:16 (ln(20))
2
0:028 (ln(20))
3
0:0028 (ln(20))
4
0:00011 (ln(20))
5
[
[1 0:094 ln(20) 0:093 (ln(20))
2
0:0084 (ln(20))
3
0:001 (ln(20))
4
0:00036 (ln(20))
5
[
0:1 = 3:22
k
g
= 542:8 1:45 10
4
0:03cp 3:47
1:25 10
3
m
3
=day=MPa=9:7m = 0:98mD
(4) Facture half-length
x
f
=
r
e
r
ed
(34)
x
f
=
1239 m
20
= 61:95 m
7 Conclusions
The following conclusions are derived from this study:
We have successfully constructed fracture ow model, forma-
tion ow model and skin damage model for a vertical fractured
well with fracture face damage centered in a closed, circular
reservoir.
Based on all established models, we manage to obtain numeri-
cal solution of the whole ow process and analytic solution for
pseudo steady-state. Fortunately, the two solutions exhibit excel-
lent agreement, which shows the correctness of the two solutions.
According to the relationship between pressure solution and
rate solution in Laplace domain, a set of rate decline curves are
presented. From the curves, we note that rate of the well decreases
with the increase of fracture face damage.
New Blasingame type curves are established for different frac-
ture skin damage factors and different fracture conductivity. It is
shown that rate integral function decreases with the increase of
skin damage factor. The effect of fracture damage on type curves
is also discussed in details in this paper. We conclude that fracture
damage is an important consideration for type curves analysis.
This set of decline type curves are then applied to interpret gas
production data which contains both variable rate and variable
pressure. We successfully get the relevant parameters.
As the practitioner we require additional cases, the procedures
and governing relations presented above are completely general
and should be readily reproducible. In other words, the theoretical
methods presented in this paper could be extended and we can
gain more decline type curves to meet the needs of practical
problems.
Acknowledgment
This article was supported by Important National Science and
Technology Specic Projects of the Twelfth Five Year Plan
Period (Grant No. 2011ZX05013-002) and the National Basic
Research Program of China (Grant No. 2011ZX05009-004).
Nomenclature
Dimensionless Variables: Real Domain
b
Dpss
= dimensionless pseudo steady-state constant
C
fD
= dimensionless fracture conductivity
p
wD
= dimensionless well bottom pressure
p
fD
= dimensionless fracture pressure
q
Dd
= dimensionless decline rate
q
Ddi
= dimensionless decline rate integral
q
Ddid
= dimensionless decline rate integral derivative.
s
fD
= dimensionless fracture damage skin
t
Dd
= dimensionless decline time
x
Dj
= midpoint of the j segment
c = Euler canstangt, 0.5771
Dimensionless Variables: Laplace Domain
~ p
D
= the pressure p
D
in Lapace domain
~ p
wD
= bottom pressure p
wD
in Lapace domain
~ p
fD
= fracture pressure p
fD
in Lapace domain
~ q(u) = fracture rate q(x,t) in Lapace domain
~ q
fD
= the fracture rate q
fD
in Lapace domain
s = time variable in Lapace domain, dimensionless
Field Variables
A = reservoir drainage area, m
2
c = compressibility, 1/Mpa
c
gi
= initial compressibility for gas, 1/MPa
G = gas in place, m
3
k = effective permeability, mD
k
s
= permeability of the damaged zone, mD
k
g
= effective gas permeability, mD
p = formation pressure, MPa
p
i
= initial formation pressure, MPa
p
p
= reservoir pseudopressure for gas, Mpa
p
pi
= initial reservoir pseudopressure, MPa
Dp
p
= pseudopressure drop, MPa
p
ref
= reference pressure, Mpa
q = rate of per unit fracture length from formation, m
3
/d
q
g
= production rate for gas, m
3
/d
l = uid viscosity, cp
l
gi
= initial viscosity for gas, cp
/ = porosity, fraction
r = reservoir radius, m
r
e
= equivalent drainage radius, m
t = time variable, days
~
t
a
= normalized pseudotime function, days
x
f
= fracture half-length, m
w
s
= width of the damaged zone, m
a = integral variable
Special Functions
K
0
(x) = Modied Bessel function (2nd kind, zero order)
K
1
(x) = Modied Bessel function (2nd kind, rst order)
I
0
(x) = Modied Bessel function (1st kind, zero order)
I
1
(x) = Modied Bessel function (1st kind, rst order)
Special Subscripts
Dd = dimensionless decline variable
i = integral function (or initial value)
id = integral derivative function
pss = pseudo steady-state
032803-8 / Vol. 134, SEPTEMBER 2012 Transactions of the ASME
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