Advancing rate-transient analysis for improved characterization and forecasting of Canada's unconventional light oil reservoirs

多裂缝水平井（MFHW）技术已使北美低渗透（致密）非常规轻质油（ULO）油藏的商业开采成为可能。 在加拿大西部，通过该技术实现商业化的非常规区块目前是加拿大石油工业最重要的油气藏目标;一些实例包括Montney粉砂岩/页岩（BC/阿尔伯塔）、Duvernay页岩（阿尔伯塔）和Bakken粉砂岩/页岩（萨斯喀彻温省）等。 ** 从MFHW收集的最重要的数据是生产时的生产和压力数据。 石油工业使用这些数据来1）评估那些储层和水力裂缝特性，控制流向井的流量2）预测未来的井产量，以及其他用途。 这些信息又用于资本规划和储量估计，这是石油工程专业人员在工业中的两个关键职能。 生产数据分析可以使用数值、经验和分析方法进行。 数值模拟方法虽然严格，但设置和运行时间密集，无法应用于少数几口威尔斯井。 经验方法没有物理基础，但易于应用。 分析方法，这代表了物理严谨性和简单性之间的妥协，被广泛使用的行业。 然而，在应用于从ULO储层生产的MFHW时，商业上可用的分析方法不能解释流向MFHW的复杂性。 这项研究建议的重点是开发简单而严格的建模工具，说明流动的复杂性，在ULO水库完成的MHFW在其寿命。 还将研究以实验室为基础的技术，以限制分析/半分析模型的输入。一个重要的目标是提供模型和方法的商业RTA软件供应商的软件被广泛用于工业。 该行业的附加值是改善其威尔斯和油藏的特性，从而实现更准确的生产预测和更明智的资本规划。

Multi-fractured horizontal well (MFHW) technology has enabled commercial exploitation of low-permeability (tight) unconventional light oil (ULO) reservoirs in North America. In Western Canada, unconventional plays made commercial by this technology are currently the most important hydrocarbon reservoir targets for the Canadian oil industry; some examples include Montney siltstone/shale (BC/Alberta), Duvernay shale (Alberta), and the Bakken siltstone/shale (Saskatchewan), amongst others. ** The most important data collected from MFHWs is production and pressure data while producing. These data are used by the oil industry to 1) evaluate those reservoir and hydraulic fracture properties controlling flow to the well 2) forecast future well production, amongst other uses. This information is used in turn for capital planning and reserves estimation, two critical functions of petroleum engineering professionals employed in industry. Production data analysis may be performed using numerical, empirical and analytical methods. Numerical simulation methods, while rigorous, are time-intensive to setup and run, precluding their application to a select few wells. Empirical methods do not have a physical basis, but are easy to apply. Analytical methods, which represent a compromise between physical rigor and simplicity, are extensively used by the industry. However, in application to MFHWs producing from ULO reservoirs, commercially-available analytical methods do not account for the complexities of flow to MFHWs.** This research proposal focuses on the development of simple-yet-rigorous modeling tools that account for the complexities of flow to MFHWs completed in ULO reservoirs over their life span. Lab-based techniques to constrain analytical/semi-analytical model inputs will also be researched. An important objective is to provide the models and methods to commercial RTA software providers whose software is widely used in industry. The value added to the industry is improved characterization of their wells and reservoirs, leading to more accurate production forecasting and better-informed capital planning.