Summary of Numerical Models for Predicting Productivity of Shale Gas Horizontal Wells

Shale gas production has gradually achieved high and stable output, which makes it possible to make up for the shortage of oil and gas energy as an alternative energy source. Shale reservoir is compact, with well-developed nano-pore, and has the characteristics of adsorption and desorption, diffusion and slippage. At the same time, there are a large number of natural cracks, bedding and foliation. Hydraulic fractures expand irregularly after volume fracturing in horizontal wells. The whole system has multi-field coupling and cross-scale flow effects. Productivity prediction of shale gas is difficult and uncertain, which restricts the efficient development and evaluation of shale reservoirs. In this paper, the development status of productivity numerical models for shale gas horizontal wells is reviewed in consideration of the multi-scale transport characteristics of shale gas. These models include dual media capacity models, multiple media capacity models, and complex seam productivity models. It is considered that the dual medium and multi-media productivity models weaken the large permeable flow area and channel provided by the complex seam network system after shale reservoir lamination, and cannot comprehensively characterize the full-scale coupled transport characteristics of shale gas. The numerical model for productivity prediction of shale gas horizontal wells based on complex fracture network provides a multi-scale flow embedded fracture network system, which solves the problem of systematic flow without losing the ability to accurately characterize each scale flow. It is necessary to obtain the complex fracture network morphological characterization which conforms to reservoir geological characteristics, rock mechanical behavior and fluid-solid coupling mechanism. Fracture network characterization is the key to the productivity prediction of shale gas horizontal wells.