Use of Analytical Solutions To Improve Simulator Accuracy

Summary Analytical solutions previously developed for wellbore design and scoping analysis were utilized in this study to benchmark and modify the existing wellbore models in the reservoir simulator. The analytical solutions were developed for single phase oil or gas flow problems, and they are currently being used for well performance studies covering a wide range of well configurations: vertical, horizontal, deviated, and arbitrary well geometry, and fractured completions in single or multilayered reservoirs. In this paper, some of the analytical solutions are utilized for benchmarking the existing well models in the reservoir simulator. Alternative well models are proposed for improving the accuracy of simulator predictions. Two methods of calculating gridblock-wellbore-connection factors are described. Results show that the new methods impact the simulator accuracy significantly for three-dimensional flow cases and for highly deviated wells.