This article focuses on interpretation of well test data from wells completed in naturally fractured reservoirs. Because of the presence of two distinct types of porous media, the assumption of homogeneous behavior is no longer valid in naturally fractured reservoirs. This article discusses two naturally fractured reservoir models, the physics governing fluid flow in these reservoirs and semilog and type curve analysis techniques for well tests in these reservoirs. Naturally fractured reservoirs are characterized by the presence of two distinct types of porous media: matrix and fracture. Because of the different fluid storage and conductivity characteristics of the matrix and fractures, these reservoirs often are called dual-porosity reservoirs.

Michael J. Fetkovich, SPE Distinguished Member and developer of the widely used Fetkovich type curve analysis for oil and gas well production forecasts, died 3 February. Fetkovich started his career as a gas well test engineer at Phillips Petroleum and retired from the company as senior principal reservoir engineer. He was a Phillips Fellow Emeritus, Phillips Petroleum Co. in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Fetkovich was the first to develop and use what is now called the "nodal analysis." This work was done for the Hewett gas field in the UK sector in the North Sea and was later presented at the Tulsa SPE Mid-Continent Section as a continuing education course in well test analysis.

Many wells, particularly gas wells in low-permeability formations require hydraulic fracturing to be commercially viable. Interpretation of pressure-transient data in hydraulically fractured wells is important for evaluating the success of fracture treatments and predicting the future performance of fractured wells. This page includes graphical techniques for analyzing post-fracture pressure transient tests after identifying several flow patterns that are characteristic of hydraulically fractured wells. Often, identification of specific flow patterns can aid in well test analysis. Five distinct flow patterns (Figure 1) occur in the fracture and formation around a hydraulically fractured well.[1]

A technology initiative is changing more than the digital landscape at Murphy Oil. Since its deployment in November 2018, Murphy Labs is changing the very culture of the corporation. Murphy Labs, known as mLabs, is a centralized content-management portal through which users navigate content developed within Murphy Oil. It uses virtual project teams from around the globe, integrating the vertical and horizontal expertise of individual members with an aptitude for technology. The result is a growing bank of cross-discipline, cross-functional solutions organized by different business units.

"All the problems of the world could be settled if people were only willing to think. The trouble is that people very often resort to all sorts of devices in order not to think, because thinking is such hard work." In this edition, we are reminded that rigorous technical work is one of the pillars of our industry. ChristineEhlig-Economides, through her eventful career, has been there when many breakthroughs were made that have created a step change in our understanding of the mechanisms that govern the recovery of hydrocarbons. The people listed in her article have all subscribed to the rigorous analysis that was necessary, and they, as she has, have left their mark in the improved understanding we now often take for granted.

"All the problems of the world could be settled if people were only willing to think. The trouble is that people very often resort to all sorts of devices in order not to think, because thinking is such hard work." In this edition, we are reminded that rigorous technical work is one of the pillars of our industry. ChristineEhlig-Economides, through her eventful career, has been there when many breakthroughs were made that have created a step change in our understanding of the mechanisms that govern the recovery of hydrocarbons. The people listed in her article have all subscribed to the rigorous analysis that was necessary, and they, as she has, have left their mark in the improved understanding we now often take for granted.

A type curve is a quick way to answer a critical question--what does a typical well produce over time in a given place? On the plus side this simple calculation can be done using only basic math skills. "The conventional approach is to determine the arithmetic average of production during a given month from different wells in a reservoir of interest to create a type well," according to SPE 178525. On the downside, the next sentence is: "This method is deeply flawed." The flaws include "different results by different evaluators" that are "overestimates or underestimates (usually over estimates" of future production, according to the paper, whose authors include John Lee, a professor at Texas A&M University who is well known for his work on reservoir production analysis.

Summary We propose a novel method for estimating average fracture compressibility during flowback process and apply it to flowback data from 10 multifractured horizontal wells completed in Woodford (WF) and Meramec (MM) formations. We conduct complementary diagnostic flow-regime analyses and calculate by combining a flowing-material-balance (FMB) equation with pressure-normalized-rate (PNR)-decline analysis. Flowback data of these wells show up to 2 weeks of single-phase water production followed by hydrocarbon breakthrough. Plots of water-rate-normalized pressure and its derivative show pronounced unit slopes, suggesting boundary-dominated flow (BDF) of water in fractures during single-phase flow. Water PNR decline curves follow a harmonic trend during single-phase- and multiphase-flow periods. Ultimate water production from the forecasted harmonic trend gives an estimate of initial fracture volume. The estimates for these wells are verified by comparing them with the ones from the Aguilera (1999) type curves for natural fractures and experimental data. The results show that our estimates (4 to 22×10psi) are close to the lower limit of the values estimated by previous studies, which can be explained by the presence of proppants in hydraulic fractures.

Chesapeake Energy is partnering with RS Energy Group to improve operational efficiency and capital discipline by employing advanced analytics and machine learning. RS Energy is a Calgary-based energy research firm founded in 1998 covering more than 150 operators in the major North American and international oil and gas regions, including the US shale plays. It provides technical analysis of basins, including completions and production, as well as asset evaluations for operators considering acreage additions. All of this is done within the context of shifting capital markets. Chesapeake announced the pact fresh off its $4-billion merger with WildHorse Resource Development, which bolstered its position in the Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas.

Decline-curve analysis (DCA) is one of the more widely used forms of data analysis that evaluates well behavior and forecasts future well and field production and reserves. In the complete paper, the authors develop and deploy technologies that apply DCA methods to wells in an unbiased, systematic, intelligent, and automated fashion. This method contrasts with manual DCA, the common practice of the industry. DCA is used commonly to estimate reservoir and well productivity and ultimate recovery and evaluate reserves. Such analyses are usually performed manually through a curve-fitting process by reservoir and production engineers using their best judgement and experience.