Petroleum Production Systems

Chapter 5. Production from Horizontal Wells

5.1. Introduction

Starting in the 1980s, horizontal wells began capturing an ever-increasing share of hydrocarbon production. They proved to be successful in a great number of applications which include thin reservoirs (h < 50 ft), heavy oil, tight formations (k < 0.1 md) with multiple hydraulic fractures, highly heterogeneous reservoirs, or even thick reservoirs with good vertical permeability, k_V. Figure 5-1 presents the drainage pattern of a horizontal well with a length, L. The concept of horizontal wells is extending the contact with the reservoir, thus changing the drainage pattern from radial flow in vertical wells to a combination of radial, linear, and elliptical flows. Reducing water or gas ...