Calculating Production Rate of each Branch of a Multilateral Well Using Multi-Segment Well Model: Field Example

Abstract

Multilateral wells require a sophisticated type of well model to be applied in reservoir simulators to represent them. The model must be able to determine the flow rate of each fluid and the pressure throughout the well. The production rate calculations are very important because they give an indication about some main issues associated with multi-lateral wells such as one branch may produce water or gas before others, no production rate from one branch, and selecting the best location of a new branch for development process easily.                                                                                                        This paper states the way to calculate production rate of each branch of a multilateral well-using multi-segment well model. The pressure behaviour of each branch is simulated dependent on knowing its production rate. This model has divided a multi-lateral well into an arbitrary number of segments depending on the required degree of accuracy and run time of the simulator.                        The model implemented on a field example (multi-lateral well HF-65ML) in Halfaya Oil Field/Mishrif formation. The production rate and pressure behaviour of each branch are simulated during the producing interval of the multilateral well. The conclusion is that production rate of the main branch is slightly larger than a lateral branch.