Prediction of Production Performance of Refractured Shale Gas Well considering Coupled Multiscale Gas Flow and Geomechanics

Abstract EN

Production simulation is an important method to evaluate the stimulation effect of refracturing.

Therefore, a production simulation model based on coupled fluid flow and geomechanics in triple continuum including kerogen, an inorganic matrix, and a fracture network is proposed considering the multiscale flow characteristics of shale gas, the induced stress of fracture opening, and the pore elastic effect.

The complex transport mechanisms due to multiple physics, including gas adsorption/desorption, slip flow, Knudsen diffusion, surface diffusion, stress sensitivity, and adsorption layer are fully considered in this model.

The apparent permeability is used to describe the multiple physics occurring in the matrix.

The model is validated using actual production data of a horizontal shale gas well and applied to predict the production and production increase percentage (PIP) after refracturing.

A sensitivity analysis is performed to study the effects of the refracturing pattern, fracture conductivity, width of stimulated reservoir volume (SRV), SRV length of new and initial fractures, and refracturing time on production and the PIP.

In addition, the effects of multiple physics on the matrix permeability and production, and the geomechanical effects of matrix and fracture on production are also studied.

The research shows that the refracturing design parameters have an important influence on the PIP.

The geomechanical effect is an important cause of production loss, while slippage and diffusion effects in matrix can offset the production loss.