A Step Change in the Learning Curve for Refracturing in the Eagle Ford

Charry, Lina; Malpani, Raj; Clark, Brian

doi:10.15530/urtec-2016-2461344

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…With the continuous development of unconventional oil and gas wells, the decline in pore pressure, closure of fractures, and reduction in oil saturation contribute to a continuous decline in production from oil and gas wells. Refracturing is identified as a key technology for reactivating unconventional oil and gas wells and enhancing the sustainability of shale oil and gas development to a certain extent [1,2]. Despite the board application prospects of this technology confirmed by theoretical analysis and fields cases, it remains associated with high investment risks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The expansion of hydraulic fracturing fractures in rock is jointly constrained by various factors, primarily including three aspects: (1) Structural geological factors: including stratigraphic morphology, dip, dip direction, fault, etc. ; (2) Engineering geological conditions: mainly including in-situ stress state, natural fractures, proportion of thin interbeds, formation temperature and heterogeneity; (3) Rock and fluid physical factors: mainly including elastic modulus, Poisson's ratio, rock bedding, fracturing fluid viscosity and pumping rate, etc. [4][5][6][7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Study on Fracture Propagation Rules of Shale Refracturing Based on CT Technology

Zhang,

Wang,

Xiao

et al. 2024

Processes

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Reactivating oil and gas wells, increasing oil and gas production, and improving recovery provide more opportunities for energy supply especially in the extraction of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs. Due to changes caused by well completion and production in pore pressure around oil and gas wells, subsequently leading to changes in ground stress, and the presence of natural and induced fractures in the reservoir, the process of refracturing is highly complex. This complexity is particularly pronounced in shale oil reservoirs with developed weak layer structures. Through true triaxial hydraulic fracturing experiments on Jimsar shale and utilizing micro-CT to characterize fractures, this study investigates the mechanisms and patterns of refracturing. The research indicates: (1) natural fractures and the stress states in the rock are the primary influencing factors in the fracture propagation. Because natural fractures are widely developed in Jimsar shale, natural fractures are the main influencing factors of hydraulic fracturing, especially in refracturing, the existing fractures have a greater impact on the propagation of secondary fracturing fractures. (2) Successful sealing of existing fractures using temporary blocking agents is crucial for initiating new fractures in refracturing. Traditional methods of plugging the seam at the root of existing fractures are ineffective, whereas extensive injection of blocking agents, forming large “sheet-like” blocking bodies in old fractures, yields better sealing effects, promoting the initiation of new fractures. (3) Moderately increasing the pumping rate and viscosity of fracturing fluid is advantageous in forming “sheet-like” temporary blocking bodies, enhancing the complexity of the network of new fractures in refracturing. (4) When there is a high horizontal stress difference, after sealing old fractures, the secondary hydraulic fractures initiate parallel to and extend from the old fractures. In cases of low horizontal stress difference, the complexity of secondary hydraulic fractures increases. When the horizontal stress changes direction, the secondary hydraulic fractures also change direction. It is recommended to use high-viscosity fracturing fluid and moderately increase the pumping rate, injecting blocking agents to seal old fractures, thereby enhancing the complexity of the network of refracturing. These findings provide important technical guidance for improving the efficiency of shale oil reservoir development.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study on Fracture Propagation Rules of Shale Refracturing Based on CT Technology

Zhang,

Wang,

Xiao

et al. 2024

Processes

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“…Refracturing is an encouraging way to uplift shale reservoir gas production and ultimate gas recovery by enlarging fracture geometry, creating new fractures, improving pay coverage, reinflating natural fractures, increasing proppant conductivity, and restoring fracture conductivity [8][9][10][11]. Compared to drilling and completing of infill wells, refracturing is an economical alternative to promote well productivity when the right candidate is selected [12][13][14][15][16]. The refracturing process has been developed and applied to Barnett, Haynesville, Bakken, Fayetteville, Eagle Ford, and Woodford shale reservoirs in recent years [6,15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Well Performance Simulation and Parametric Study for Different Refracturing Scenarios in Shale Reservoir

et al. 2018

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Refracturing is an encouraging way to uplift gas flow rate and ultimate gas recovery from shale gas wells. A numerical model, considering the stimulated reservoir volume and multiscale gas transport, is applied to simulate the gas production from a refractured shale gas well. The model is verified against field data from a shale gas reservoir in Sichuan Basin. Two refracturing scenarios: refracturing through existing perforation clusters and refracturing through new perforation zones, are included in the simulation work. Three years after production is determined to be the optimum time for refracturing based on the evolution analysis of reservoir pressure, effective stress, fracture permeability, and gas recovery. The role that the hydraulic fracture conductivity and hydraulic fracture half-length play in gas production for different refracturing cases is explored. Pumping parameters of the refracturing job in Sichuan Basin are discussed combining with sensitivity analysis, and suggestions for pumping parameters optimization are proposed.

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When to Refrac? Combination of Reservoir Geomechanics with Fracture Modeling and Reservoir Simulation Holds the Answer

Pankaj

Gakhar

Lindsay

2016

SPE Asia Pacific Oil &Amp; Gas Conference and Exhibition

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A workflow has been developed for a shale play in North America for the strategic deployment of refracturing in an unconventional reservoir. Although it is clearly understood in the industry that refracturing in tight unconventional reservoirs can have a dramatic impact on the productivity and longevity of economic production, until now there has been no workflow that could be counted on to deliver consistent results. The impact of production and stress re-orientation plays a significant role in adding a fourth dimension of time to the existing three-dimensional problem of hydraulic fracture modeling in these reservoirs. We examined the re-orientation of reservoir stress and the change in stress magnitude with production in a case from the Eagle Ford. The stress redistribution occurring due to poroelastic effects was simulated using a finite element geomechanical simulator and then tied back to predict the new hydraulic fracture growth. Fracture geometry as it relates to draining the unstimulated domain was found to play a significant role in fracturing success. The impact of adding new perforations in the wellbore and application of a suitable diversion technique were also considered in the study. Our numerical investigation of the potential increase in productivity with selection of the optimum refracturing treatment timing and technique led to development of a methodology that solves the complex four-dimensional problem. By adopting the guidelines from the case study application of the end-to-end workflow, operators can avoid the futility of too early or too late fracturing and thereby maximize their return on investment.

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A Step Change in the Learning Curve for Refracturing in the Eagle Ford

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Study on Fracture Propagation Rules of Shale Refracturing Based on CT Technology

Study on Fracture Propagation Rules of Shale Refracturing Based on CT Technology

Well Performance Simulation and Parametric Study for Different Refracturing Scenarios in Shale Reservoir

When to Refrac? Combination of Reservoir Geomechanics with Fracture Modeling and Reservoir Simulation Holds the Answer

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