Determining Fracture Orientation From Pulse Testing

Abstract

This paper presents a procedure for determining a complex orientation of a vertical fracture and the formation permeability from pulse testing. Generalized correlations relating the quotient of dimensionless response amplitude and dimensionless cycle period (D.PD/D.tcycD) to dimensionless time lag are presented. The correlations can be used for analyzing pUlse-test pressure response at an unfractured observation well resulting from pulsing a vertically fractured active well. Detailed procedures for the design and analysis of pulse testing of a vertically fractured well are presented.