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Unconventional Oil and Gas Well Monitoring and Development

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "H1: Petroleum Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 9067

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Dr. Shiqing Cheng

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Guest Editor

College of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
Interests: horizontal wells; transient pressures; tight gas

Dr. Wenyang Shi

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Guest Editor

College of Petroleum Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China
Interests: well testing analysis; heavy oil thermal recovery and foam flooding; oil reservoir electrical resistance tomography
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Yang Wang

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Guest Editor

State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
Interests: pressure/rate transient analysis; fracture characterization and simulation; unconventional oil and gas development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Unconventional oil and gas, including shale oil/gas, tight oil/gas, heavy oil, oil sand, coalbed methane, and natural gas hydrates are gradually playing a more important role in oil industry. Due to the low permeability and complicated flow mechanism, the monitoring and development of unconventional oil and gas face lots of difficulties. Over recent decades, advanced evaluation techniques proposed in laboratories, simulation, and field scale. Recently, researchers present the new developments on hydraulic fracturing, fracture characterization and simulation, micro/nano scale pore characterization, etc., to promote the global unconventional oil and gas development.

This Special Issue aims to present the latest findings and developments of reservoir description, monitoring, interpretation, and simulation in unconventional oil and gas resources. Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to:

Micro/nano pore characterization and evaluation;
Oil and gas flow mechanism;
Drilling, completion, hydraulic fracturing, and related reservoir damage and stimulation;
Fracture characterization and simulation;
Well testing analysis;
Production data analysis;
Big data in oil and gas development;
Heavy oil and oil sand thermal recovery;
Heavy oil enhanced oil recovery;
Reservoir monitor and evaluation by electrical resistance tomography (ERT);
Natural gas hydrates flow behaviour used electrical tomography

Dr. Shiqing Cheng
Dr. Wenyang Shi
Dr. Yang Wang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

unconventional oil and gas development
pressure/rate/temperature monitoring
pressure/rate/temperature/ transient analysis
heavy oil thermal recovery
heavy oil eor
reservoir ert

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 4355 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Initial Occurrence State and Movability Evaluation of the Gulong Shale Oil Reservoir, Songliao Basin

by Guozhong Zhao, Linsong Cheng, Pin Jia, Yong Liu, Haoran Feng, Tie Kuang and Qingzhen Wang

Energies 2024, 17(6), 1358; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17061358 - 12 Mar 2024

Viewed by 417

Abstract

The Qing-1 layer of the Gulong Depression in the northern Songliao Basin is a liquid-rich shale oil reservoir that has the characteristics of nanopores, high maturity, high gas/oil ratio (GOR), etc. The production performance of wells in the Gulong shale oil reservoir shows the characteristics of “single gas production followed by oil-gas production”. It is difficult to analyze the initial occurrence state and movability of fluid in the shale nanopores using conventional methods. In this study, a comprehensive method, including phase behavior analysis, physical experiments, and molecular simulation, was established to analyze the initial occurrence state and movability of fluid in the Gulong shale oil reservoir. The phase state of the fluid was calculated by the equation of state (EOS), considering nano-confinement effects, and the initial occurrence state was quantitatively evaluated by combining two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and molecular dynamics simulation. The movable fluid saturation was quantitatively determined by centrifugal experiments. The results show that the condensate gas state was in small pores, while the volatile oil state was in large pores. The occurrence states of oil were mainly adsorbed oil and free oil. The proportion of adsorbed oil in inorganic pores was about 24.4%, while the proportion of absorbed oil in organic pores was about 57.8%. Based on the cutoff value of T₂ before and after the centrifuged laboratory experiments, the movable limit of oil was determined to be 4.5 nm, and the movable fluid saturation was about 11%. The research method proposed in this study has important guiding significance for the initial occurrence state and movability evaluation of similar liquid-rich shale reservoirs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Unconventional Oil and Gas Well Monitoring and Development)

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16 pages, 5410 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study on Microscopic Water Flooding Mechanism of High-Porosity, High-Permeability, Medium-High-Viscosity Oil Reservoir

by Yang Li, Pin Jia, Ming Li, Haoran Feng, Cong Peng and Linsong Cheng

Energies 2023, 16(17), 6101; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16176101 - 22 Aug 2023

Viewed by 849

Abstract

After the development of high-porosity, high-permeability, medium-high-viscosity oil reservoirs enters the high-water-cut stage, the remaining oil is highly dispersed on the microscopic scale, which leads to a change in the oil-water-flow law. If the enrichment and mobilization laws of the microscopic remaining oil cannot be truly and objectively described, it will ultimately affect the production of oil fields. At present, few studies have directly revealed the microscopic water flooding mechanism of high-porosity, high-permeability, medium-high-viscosity oil reservoirs and the main controlling factors affecting the formation of remaining oil. Starting with micro-physical simulation, this study explores the water flooding mechanism on the microscale, the type of remaining oil and its evolution law, and analyzes the main controlling factors of different types of remaining oil so as to propose effective adjustment and development plans for different types of remaining oil. It is found that this type of reservoir has a serious jet filtration phenomenon in the early stages of water flooding and is accompanied by the penetration of injected water, detouring flow, pore wall pressing flow, the stripping effect, and the blocking effect of the rock skeleton. The remaining oil is divided into five types: contiguous flake shape, porous shape, membrane shape, striped shape, and drip shape. Among them, the transformation of flake-shape and porous-shape remaining oil is greatly affected by the viscosity of crude oil. The decrease effect of crude oil viscosity on contiguous residual oil was as high as 33.7%, and the contiguous residual oil was mainly transformed into porous residual oil. The development of membrane-shape, striped-shape, and drip-shape remaining oil is more affected by water injection intensity. The decrease in water injection intensity on membrane residual oil was as high as 33.3%, and the membrane residual oil shifted to striped and drip residual oil. This paper classifies remaining oil on the microscopic scale and clarifies the microscopic water flooding mechanism, microscopic remaining oil evolution rules, and the main controlling factors of different types of remaining oil in high-porosity, high-permeability, medium-high-viscosity oil reservoirs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Unconventional Oil and Gas Well Monitoring and Development)

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14 pages, 5130 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization of Flow Parameters in Shale Nano-Porous Media Using Pore Network Model: A Field Example from Shale Oil Reservoir in Songliao Basin, China

by Qingzhen Wang, Zhihao Jia, Linsong Cheng, Binhui Li, Pin Jia, Yubo Lan, Dapeng Dong and Fangchun Qu

Energies 2023, 16(14), 5424; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16145424 - 17 Jul 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 786

Abstract

The pore-throat radius of the shale oil reservoir is extremely small, and it is difficult to accurately obtain the absolute permeability and oil–water two-phase relative permeability of the actual oil reservoir through conventional core experiments. However, these parameters are very important for reservoir numerical simulation. In this paper, a method for characterizing flow parameters based on a pore network model that considers differential pressure flow and diffusion flow is proposed. Firstly, a digital core was reconstructed using focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) from the Gulong shale reservoir in the Songliao Basin, China, and a pore network model was extracted. Secondly, quasi-static single-phase flow and two-phase flow equations considering diffusion were established in the pore network model. Finally, pore-throat parameters, absolute permeability, and oil–water two-phase permeability curves were calculated, respectively. The results show that the pore-throat distribution of the Gulong shale reservoir is mainly concentrated in the nanometer scale; the mean pore radius is 87 nm, the mean throat radius is 41 nm, and the mean coordination number is 3.97. The calculated permeability considering diffusion is 0.000124 mD, which is approximately twice the permeability calculated without considering diffusion. The irreducible water saturation of the Gulong shale reservoir is approximately 0.4, and the residual oil saturation is approximately 0.35. The method proposed in this paper can provide an important approach for characterizing the flow parameters of similar shale oil reservoirs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Unconventional Oil and Gas Well Monitoring and Development)

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14 pages, 4922 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Research on Integrated Disassembly Equipment of Super Large Offshore Oilfield Facilities

by Changjiang Li, Wensheng Xiao, Junguo Cui, Quan Li, Lianghuan Fan and Liping Tan

Energies 2023, 16(7), 3200; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16073200 - 01 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1180

Abstract

Based on the key module-lifting arm system, based on the principle of similarity and the hydrodynamic experimental method of a multi-dimension vibration test platform, an experimental platform for dismantling equipment is designed and built. Subsequently, the motion control model of the six-degrees-of-freedom platform is established. The three-ring control model of a servo electric cylinder is established, and the active heave compensation control of a servo electric cylinder is realized by combining position control theory. Based on the co-simulation of ADAMS and Simulink, the co-simulation system of the integrated dismantling equipment experimental platform is designed and built, and the simulation system is tested and verified. Finally, simulation and experimental verification are carried out based on the experimental platform and co-simulation system. The results show that the heave compensation rate reaches 58.3% in third-class sea conditions, 61.2% in fourth-class sea conditions, and 62.4% in fifth-class sea conditions. The integrated dismantling scheme of super large offshore oilfield facilities is feasible but, in order to ensure the safety and reliability of the operation, a heave compensation system needs to be added. The error between the simulation results and the experimental results is about 15%. Based on the analysis of external interference factors in the experiment, the error results are within a reasonable range, which proves that the experimental platform, the co-simulation system of the experimental platform, and the heave compensation strategy are accurate and effective. This study, for the first time in China, provides an effective experimental platform and co-simulation platform for the design and optimization of the integrated dismantling equipment of super large offshore oilfield facilities and lays a good research foundation for the construction and engineering demonstration of subsequent equipment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Unconventional Oil and Gas Well Monitoring and Development)

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15 pages, 10416 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pressure Transient Analysis for the Fractured Gas Condensate Reservoir

by Lijun Zhang, Fuguo Yin, Bin Liang, Shiqing Cheng and Yang Wang

Energies 2022, 15(24), 9442; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15249442 - 13 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1407

Abstract

Gas condensate reservoirs exhibit complex thermodynamic behaviors when the reservoir pressure is below the dew point pressure, leading to a condensate bank being created inside the reservoir, including gas and oil condensation. Due to natural fractures and multi-phase flows in fractured gas condensate reservoirs, there can be an erroneous interpretation of pressure-transient data using traditional multi-phase models or a fractured model alone. This paper establishes an analytical model for a well test analysis in a gas condensate reservoir with natural fractures. A three-region composite model was employed to characterize the multi-phase flow of retrograde condensation, and the fractured formation was described by a dual-porosity medium. In the first region, both the gas and condensate phases were mobile. In the second region, the gas was mobile whereas the condensates were immobile. In the third region, the only moving phase was the gas phase. The analytical solution was solved by a Laplace transformation to change the partial differential equations to ordinary differential equations. The Stehfest numerical inversion technique was then used to convert the solution of the proposed model into real space. Subsequently, the type curve was obtained and six flow regimes were determined. The influence of several factors on the pressure performance were studied by a sensitivity analysis. Finally, the accuracy of the model was verified by a case study. The model analysis results were in good agreement with the actual formation data. The proposed model provides a few insights toward the production behavior of fractured gas condensate reservoirs, and can be used to evaluate the productivity of such reservoirs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Unconventional Oil and Gas Well Monitoring and Development)

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20 pages, 10205 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improvement of Gas Compressibility Factor and Bottom-Hole Pressure Calculation Method for HTHP Reservoirs: A Field Case in Junggar Basin, China

by Yun Xia, Wenpeng Bai, Zhipeng Xiang, Wanbin Wang, Qiao Guo, Yang Wang and Shiqing Cheng

Energies 2022, 15(22), 8705; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15228705 - 19 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1301

Abstract

Gas reservoirs discovered in the southern margin of the Junggar Basin generally have high temperatures (up to 172.22 °C) and high pressures (up to 171.74 MPa). If using the PVT laboratory to get the gas compressibility factor, data from the laboratory are so little that it will not satisfy the demands of reservoir engineering calculations. There are many empirical correlations for calculating the Z-factor; however, these correlations give large errors at high gas reservoir pressures. The errors in estimating the Z-factor will lead to large errors in estimating all the other gas properties such as gas formation volume factor, gas compressibility, and gas in place. In this paper, a new accurate Z-factor correlation has been developed based on PVT data by correcting the high-pressure part of the most commonly used Dranchuk-Purvis-Robinson Correlation. Multivariate nonlinear regression is used to establish the independent variable function of pseudo-critical temperatures and pressures. By comparing it with the PVT data, the DPR correlation is continuously corrected to be suitable for ultra-deep gas reservoirs with HTHP. The new correlation can be used to determine the Z-factor at any pressure range, especially for high pressures, and the error is less than 1% compared to the PVT data. Then, based on the corrected Z-factor, the Cullender-Smith method is used to calculate the bottom hole pressure in the middle of the reservoir. Finally, the Z-factor under reservoir conditions of well H2 is predicted and the Z-factor chart at different temperatures is provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Unconventional Oil and Gas Well Monitoring and Development)

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17 pages, 15245 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Correction Method for Logging Curves in Clay-Rich Tight Glutenite Reservoir: Upper Wuerhe Formation in Mahu Oilfield, China

by Linsheng Wang, Qian Xiong, Qingping Jiang, Zhifeng Wang, Zigang Qiu, Kai Liu, Chuixian Kong, Canhua Liu and Xiaoli Zhang

Energies 2022, 15(19), 7119; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15197119 - 28 Sep 2022

Viewed by 944

Abstract

Mahu Oilfield is the largest tight glutenite oilfield in the world, and the upper Wuerhe formation is an important succeeding exploration horizon. However, the upper Wuerhe formation in the Mahu 1 zone has a high clay content, which can lead to serious wellbore collapse. Meanwhile, the horizontal well logging is not corrected. These factors lead to the inconsistency between the logging interpretation results and the oil test results. The interpretation precision of the clay content, water saturation, and porosity, which are crucial to reservoir evaluation, is very low. In this paper, a workflow of logging curve correction using multiple methods is proposed. The multiple linear fitting is used to correct boreholes, and then histogram frequency distribution matching is used to standardize multi-well logging curves. Finally, the optimization method is used to build a volume model based on skeleton analysis, and the results are calibrated with core analysis results. Horizontal well density logs are corrected using adjacent vertical well logs. The interpretation results of clay content, water saturation, and porosity with high precision are obtained. The reservoir interpretation is more in line with the oil test results than the original interpretation. The clay content distribution is more reasonable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Unconventional Oil and Gas Well Monitoring and Development)

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14 pages, 3035 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rate Transient Behavior of Wells Intercepting Non-Uniform Fractures in a Layered Tight Gas Reservoir

by Chengwei Zhang, Shiqing Cheng, Yang Wang, Gang Chen, Ke Yan and Yongda Ma

Energies 2022, 15(15), 5705; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15155705 - 05 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1186

Abstract

RTA (Rate Transient Analysis) is a valuable method for obtaining reservoir parameters and well performance, but current RTA models hardly consider the MLVF (Multi-Layer Vertical Fractured) well in a layered tight gas reservoir. To capture the production response caused by the fracture with non-uniform length and conductivity, a novel RTA model for an MLVF well in a layered tight reservoir was presented. In this paper, we present a novel tight gas reservoir RTA model, an extended MLVF well with non-uniform fracture length and conductivity to investigate the production decline feature by the combined RTA type curves. After that, the proposed RTA model is verified to ensure calculation accuracy. Sensitivity analysis is conducted on the crucial parameters, including the formation transmissibility, formation storability, fracture length, fracture conductivity, and fracture extension. Research results show that there are three rate decline stages caused by a multi fracture with non-uniform conductivity. The wellbore storage and formation skin can be ignored in the rate transient analysis work. The formation transmissibility affects the rate transient response more than the formation storability. The increase in fracture length, fracture conductivity, and the extension of a high conductivity fracture will improve the well’s production rate in a tight gas reservoir’s early production stage. Therefore, it is significant to incorporate how the effects of the MLVF well intercepting with non-uniform length fractures change conductivity. The RTA model proposed in this paper enables us to better evaluate well performance and capture the formation of complex fracture characteristics in a layered tight gas reservoir based on rate transient data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Unconventional Oil and Gas Well Monitoring and Development)

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