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Numerical and analogue modelling studies |
1 Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
3 Golder Associates Ltd, 500-4260 Still Creek Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5C 6C6
Different conceptualizations of fracture networks have been generated in order to simulate well tests in fractured reservoirs. These models have two purposes: firstly to investigate whether the behaviour of realistic fracture networks can be emulated with more simple models; and secondly to assess whether different sources of anisotropy have characteristic and recognizable influences on the pressure derivative. The anisotropy of the fracture networks was increased by decreasing the angle between two originally orthogonal fracture sets, and by increasing the permeability contrast between two orthogonal fracture sets. Results indicate that simple models can capture the first-order behaviour of more realistic examples. However because early time data are strongly influenced by the connectivity of the fracture network, the degree of anisotropy can only be assessed at later times in a test. Increasing anisotropy results in increasing heterogeneity and compartmentalization, and permeability anisotropy in an orthogonal system can only partially replicate the behaviour of a geometrically anisotropic system.
