If the productivity of a well is low due to low permeability, how is this overcome?

If the productivity of a well is low due to low permeability, how is this overcome?

• A. Hydraulic Fracturing
• B. Increasing the well size
• C. Lowering reservoir pressure
• D. Installing a gas lift

Answer: (A)

Low permeability means the rock won’t transmit fluids easily, so production is limited by the formation’s ability to move hydrocarbons to the wellbore. Hydraulic fracturing addresses this bottleneck directly by injecting fluid at high pressure to crack the rock and create new pathways. The fractures are kept open with proppants, expanding the drainage area around the well and dramatically increasing the paths through which fluids can flow. This boosts the effective permeability around the well and lowers flow resistance, leading to a higher production rate. The other options don’t fix the underlying flow bottleneck. Increasing the well size doesn’t change the rock’s ability to transmit fluids. Lowering reservoir pressure is a production strategy that doesn’t create new flow paths. Installing a gas lift helps move fluids to the surface but doesn’t enhance the rock’s permeability to improve flow from the formation.

Low permeability means the rock won’t transmit fluids easily, so production is limited by the formation’s ability to move hydrocarbons to the wellbore. Hydraulic fracturing addresses this bottleneck directly by injecting fluid at high pressure to crack the rock and create new pathways. The fractures are kept open with proppants, expanding the drainage area around the well and dramatically increasing the paths through which fluids can flow. This boosts the effective permeability around the well and lowers flow resistance, leading to a higher production rate.

The other options don’t fix the underlying flow bottleneck. Increasing the well size doesn’t change the rock’s ability to transmit fluids. Lowering reservoir pressure is a production strategy that doesn’t create new flow paths. Installing a gas lift helps move fluids to the surface but doesn’t enhance the rock’s permeability to improve flow from the formation.