Flow in Linear Composite Reservoirs

Abstract

Summary This study presents a fast and accurate closed-form, fully analytical solution for modeling fluid flow in linear composite reservoirs. A linear composite system, as mentioned here, refers to a porous medium that can be represented as a linear assembly of distinct homogeneous regions. It is assumed that adjacent regions are connected along an interface of pressure and flux continuity. The solution presented here differs from known analytical models in literature because it does not contain an infinite series that often takes a toll on computational time, especially when accuracy is of prime importance. Thus, this solution finds great use in inverse problems encountered in both rate and pressure transient analyses primarily because of its accuracy and the relatively short computational time required. Depending on the values of the interface coefficients (key parameters in our solution), infinite boundaries, no-flow boundaries, constant-pressure boundaries, and transition interfaces (that is, partially sealing boundaries) can be represented in our model without much computational effort.