Horizontal Flow Regimes in Fractured Media

Abstract

Typical flow regimes occurring in a finite fractured reservoir, occupied by a single phase liquid, are discussed. Estimates are provided for the time at the beginning and end of each regime, and of the expected pressure drawdown within each regime. The evolution of flow regimes is problem dependent, and can vary with the fluid and rock parameters, the geometry of the reservoir and the fractures within it. Examples discussed and quantified include radial and linear fracture flows, bilinear parallel flows, block drawdown, and finite fracture regimes. Block flow parallel to the fractures is shown t o be important at intermediate times.