Reduction of Wellbore Effects on Gas Inflow Evaluation Under Underbalanced Conditions

摘要

Wellbore storage effects have been identified to significantly smear the accuracy of evaluating reservoir productivity through the fluid outflow rate from the annulus during underbalanced drilling. Such effects have continuously introduced considerable errors in characterizing the reservoir during underbalanced drilling. Conceptually, because of the ready volume-changing ability of the gas, wellbore storage becomes a determining factor during underbalanced drilling of a gas reservoir. Wellbore storage could either cause decrease (unloading effects) or increase (loading effects) in the annular gas density, depending on the choke opening procedures. Correspondingly, annular fluid outflow rate is considerably affected. Because it is practically difficult to deduct the fluid-flow rate attributable to the wellbore storage from the total fluid outflow rate, reducing the influence of wellbore effects on the evaluation of gas-reservoir productivity is presented in this study. Volumetric production analysis at the wellbore-sand face is introduced through a mathematical modeling of inflow of gas bubbles into the wellbore. This mathematical modeling utilizes forces such as the viscous force, drilling fluid ejecting forces from the bit nozzles, buoyancy, interfacial tension, and gas-reservoir forces for its analyses. Some analytical results that are overshadowed by wellbore storage are presented and supported by extensive experimental studies.