Author(s)

Hong-Jun Yin, Xiao-Qi Chen, Ming Cai, Jun-Ting Zhang

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As a highly efficient production method, the technique of multi-branch horizontal well is widely used in low permeability reservoirs, heavy oil reservoirs, shallow layer reservoirs and multi-layer reservoirs, because it can significantly improve the productivity of a single well, inhibit coning and enhance oil recovery. Study on sweep efficiency and parameters optimization of multi-branch horizontal well is at the leading edge of research. Therefore, the study is important for enhancing oil recovery and integral exploitation benefit of oil fields. In many applications, streamline simulation shows particular advantages over finite-difference simulation. With the advantages of streamline simulation such as its ability to display paths of fluid flow and acceleration factor in simulation, the flooding process is more visual. The communication between wells and flooding area has been represented appropriately. This method has been applied to the XS9 reservoir in Daqing Oilfield. The production history of this reservoir is about 10 years. The reservoir is maintained above bubble point so that the simulation meets the slight compressibility assumption. New horizontal wells are drilled following this rule.

Streamline Simulation, Multi-Branch Horizontal Well, Optimization, Waterflood, Sweep Efficiency

H. Yin, X. Chen, M. Cai and J. Zhang, "Parameters Optimization of Multi-Branch Horizontal Well Basing on Streamline Simulation," Engineering, Vol. 2 No. 12, 2010, pp. 953-957. doi: 10.4236/eng.2010.212120.