Propped hydraulic fractures are key to producing tight reservoirs, and knowledge of fracture geometry is fundamental for a proper field development plan. To this end, hydraulic fracture propagation characterization in tight gas reservoirs, pioneered by Amoco during the 1980s, is obtained by combining a dynamic closure test, fracture height determination, and pumping net pressure behavior. The result provides an estimated propped fracture geometry that can then be compared with pressure or rate transient analysis to validate the effective propped geometry. Although surface pressure is generally sufficient to establish bottomhole (BH) pressure decline behavior by correcting for a constant hydrostatic pressure, the inherent uncertainty of friction pressure of crosslinked gel in the tubular does not establish the correct pumping net pressure trend. BH sensor pressure recordings are operationally simple and inexpensive when a fracturing string is required and recovered after the operation (frac-pack operation, well with mechanical pump), but that is not the case with casing fracturing. To remediate this, a high-speed, high-accuracy, and miniaturized BH pressure and temperature sensor, based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), was developed under a project funded by the Mexican Secretary of Energy and combined with an economical and practical way to deploy a BH sensor hung from a slickline or wireline cable thereby enabling pressure recording during the entire operation including, the main proppant fracturing (patent pending). This paper presents the results and analysis of two case studies in Mexico where BH pressure and temperature were recorded with this novel sensor. Both jobs were conducted in vertical wells in tight sandstones. In the first field-test job, a post-fracture wellbore propped height determination using dipole sonic logs and radioactive tracer were used. In addition, the entire operation was monitored with microseismic monitoring. The results of these three measurements enabled validating the fracturing model for an increased confidence for field development. In the second field-test job, the BH gauges enabled visualization of the different events that occurred when proppant of different mesh sizes was used during the treatment, containing the fracture eliminating premature screenouts. Only direct measurement of the fracture behavior net pressure and its associated dimension allow the proper calibration of fracturing models required to correctly predict and optimize propped fracture and thus reduce the cost of hydrocarbons produced. This information is property of PEMEX; partial or total use is strictly prohibited without authorization.

The development of the Ishpingo-Tiputini-Tambococha (ITT) project was extremely important to increase the Ecuadorian oil production curve at least 10%, and to have a low cost per barrel of oil produced, considering Ecuador's oil industry as the primary income source in the national economy. This work presents the experiences, learnings, and results acquired on the first 100 wells drilled for ITT, becoming the integrated project of reference for performance drilling and optimization for the Ecuadorian oilfield industry. The first approach to comply with the reduced budget planned per well was based on dedicated integrated project management to maximize overall efficiency, using basic drilling technology such as downhole motors together with wire-line logs after drilling to acquire a comprehensive formation evaluation data. However, the complexity of the wells would be increased along the project, and basic technology would not be longer effective. Multidisciplinary engineering, based on a cost-benefit analysis, was fundamental to determine the fit-for-purpose advanced drilling and logging-while-drilling technologies and the proper drilling practices to optimize drilling performance. These optimizations enabled delivering wells in a shorter time and with a lower budget than planned. The ITT project started in March 2016. By January 2019 the first 100 wells (3 vertical wells, 7 water injection wells, 71 J type wells, 19 horizontal wells) were finished successfully at an average of 3 wells per month with outstanding results that exceed the proposed objectives. The first 100 wells were delivered in the equivalent time of 80 wells planned time. That outstanding achievement has its main stone on the engineering developed by the integrated drilling services and the operator during the planning and execution phases. Now, the ITT project is recognized as a real example of integrated drilling optimization in Ecuador. It was the second-highest producing oil field with 70,000 barrels produced per day up to April 2019, and with more than 80,000 barrels produced per day up to September 2019, it became the highest producing oil field in Ecuador. This represents around 18% of the total Ecuadorian oil production. That level of production has been reached in less than four years, several years less than the time it took to develop other oil fields in the country. The optimization done has other excellent results, such as creating the lowest cost per barrel of oil produced in Ecuador and having zero environmental impact without affecting the ecosystem of the ecological reserve where the oil fields are located. The latest drilling, measuring, and logging-while-drilling technologies are more expensive than basic technology. However, when the right solutions are properly applied, it's possible to create a correct drilling solution that optimizes the cost-benefit for the project and results in a win-win relationship between operators and drilling service providers. The achievements of the ITT project are documented in this paper as reference for true performance drilling in the Ecuadorian oilfield industry and any environmentally sensitive area around the world.