Evaluation of Multistage Fracturing Stimulation Horizontal Well Completion Methods in Western Desert, Egypt

Abstract

During the past few years, Khalda Petroleum company (KPC) are looking forward to significant steps toward improving the economic performance of hydrocarbon producing wells in the low-permeability, heterogeneous reservoirs through the application of high impact technologies used in unconventional wells for drilling, perforating, zonal isolation, fracturing and flowback that unquestionably helped improve well performance in an efficient and economical manner. Recently, the well architecture was changed from vertical completion profile to horizontal multistage fracturing, to increase the reservoir contact. This paper reviews and discuss the well completion and stimulation methods being implemented in horizontal wells fracture stimulation in Western Desert of Egypt allowing for multistages to be fractured in one continuous pumping operation including plug-n-perforation, cemented sliding sleeves with degradable isolation drop balls and Coiled tubing deployed abrasive jetting perforating on coiled tubing with annular path pumping of the fracturing treatment and sand plug isolation. This paper provides a comprehensive evaluation and comparison of these different techniques including an overview of these completion types, detailed engineering, post-stimulation flowback/clean out, discuss the benefits and considerations, and comparison of results from the multistage stimulation methods that were applied to improve the efficiency of multistage fracturing operations. Case histories are provided to support the obtained benefits and advantages, and lessons learnt are discussed along with recommendations and what to avoid in field operations. The case history will discourse the completion strategy, operational procedures, adeptness of the isolation and time frame used. On the other hand, operational setbacks encountered during the execution of the multistage fracturing treatment will also be encompassed in the paper; to allow for future improvement; and recommendations for future field operations to achieve faster fracturing and quicker production.

Performance Evaluation of Multistage Fractured Horizontal Wells in Tight Gas Reservoirs at Block M, Ordos Basin

“…Each completion method has its advantages and limitations, and there is no single solution for every application in unconventional reservoirs. Salah et al [29] comparatively analyzed three fracturing technologies, i.e., cemented P-n-P, cemented shiftable sliding sleeves with dissolvable isolation drop ball, and abrasive jetting perforation and annular pumping (AJPAP) with sand plug diversion, in terms of principle, advantages and disadvantages, field application, and effectiveness, and they concluded that there is no fit-for-all fracturing treatment; instead, the fracturing process should be designed comprehensively from economic and technical aspects. Subsequently, Prudskiy et al [30] demonstrated the application effect of horizontal well multistage hydraulic fracturing technology in the Sakhalin Shelf oilfield in contrast to traditional horizontal well completion methods, while Li et al [31] compared the characteristics and application of P-n-P with multi-cluster perforation with early applied fracturing technology and OH hydra-jet multistage fracturing with fixed string in the Sulige gas field.…”