Analysis on effective reservoirs and length optimization of horizontal wells in the Sulige Gasfield

AbstractBy virtue of unique technical and economical advantages, horizontal well development has become a key technology in the high-efficiency development of tight gas reservoirs, however, this has worked unsatisfactorily in unstratified gas reservoirs. In this paper, the orientation and coverage of gas-bearing sand bodies (in isolated distribution) of Member 8 of Permian Lower Shihezi Fm in the Sulige Gasfield were analyzed by means of outcrop analogy, geostatistical analysis and pilot tests of dense well patterns. Then, four gas-bearing sand distribution patterns suitable for the deployment of horizontal wells in Member 8 were proposed according to the precise geological anatomy results of dense well patterns. These patterns include thick massive isolated pattern, vertically superimposed pattern with physical interlayers, vertically superimposed pattern with argillaceous interlayers and lateral sugar-coated haw string pattern. Based on the statistics on gas-bearing sand bodies drilled by horizontal well drilling, the drilled gas-bearing sand bodies are 670–1300 m long. Based on production data correction, numerical simulation and economic evaluation, the length of rational horizontal sections were optimized by performing a case study of the vertically superimposed reservoirs with physical interlayers in the typical well group SuX-18-36 of Su-X Block. It is indicated that the rational horizontal well length within 1200 m in the Sulige Gasfield under current economic and technical conditions. This paper provides a technical support for the high-efficiency development of the Sulige Gasfield in the future