The effect of skin location, production interval and permeability on performance of horizontal wells

A three-dimensional reservoir simulation study has been carried out based on the production performance of an actual horizontal well completed on an oilrim reservoir. Although the absolute values of the simulation results are applicable to the well and reservoir studied, the main conclusions of the study are pertinent to horizontal well performance in general. The study quantified the detrimental effect of formation damage and low vertical/horizontal permeability ratio on the productivity of a horizontal well, which may be improved by increasing the length of the producing interval. Well productivity is found to be more adversely affected by formation damage near the toe-end than by that near the heel-end. Thus, when stimulating a horizontal well, intervals near the toe-end should not be ignored.