FRACTURE LENGTH AND FRACTURE CONDUCTIVITY FROM PRESSURE BUILDUP TESTS IN LOW PERMEABILITY GAS WELLS. IMPROVED TECHNIQUE FOR ESTIMATING PERMEABILITY

To optimize the development of low permeability gas reservoirs, long hydraulic fractures are normally required. When developing a low permeability reservoir, it is imperative that the post-fracture performance of each well be analyzed to determine the effectiveness of the hydraulic fracture. The objectives of this paper are: (1) to review briefly the limitations of existing analysis techniques, and (2) to introduce a new technique which should prove useful for analyzing pressure buildup data from wells containing a finite conductivity vertical fracture. An analysis technique proposed by the authors for short-duration pressure buildup tests is discussed. This technique attempts to give accurate estimates of fracture half-length, fracture conductivity, and formation permeability.

IMPROVED TECHNIQUE FOR ESTIMATING PERMEABILITY, FRACTURE LENGTH AND FRACTURE CONDUCTIVITY FROM PRESSURE BUILDUP TESTS IN LOW PERMEABILITY GAS WELLS. Academic Article