Exploration of HPHT Tight Gas Formation: First Application of Propped Fracturing in the Offshore Gulf

F., Al Ameri; F., Al Awadhi; Abbott, Jonathan; Akbari, Aulia; J.L., Daniels

doi:10.4043/25824-ms

All Days 2015

DOI: 10.4043/25824-ms

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Exploration of HPHT Tight Gas Formation: First Application of Propped Fracturing in the Offshore Gulf

Al Ameri F.

Al Awadhi F.

Jonathan Abbott

et al.

Abstract: Exploration of the Palaezoic tight gas sands has been ongoing in Abu Dhabi since the early 1980s. The first discovery of gas in this formation dates back to this period; however commercial rates were not proven due to mechanical issues and the overall tight nature of the Pre-Khuff clastics. This formation is not only of interest as a source of gas, but also because gas shows and production from this formation have shown to be free of hydrogen sulphide.Many wells in the Abu Dhabi Pre-Khuff have resulted in good… Show more

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2023

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Cited by 3 publications

References 17 publications

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First Successful Hydraulic Fracture Treatment Offshore Abu Dhabi – Implementation of Pseudo-Stable Fracturing Fluids as a Key to Awaken Deep Pre-Khuff Clastics Production Performance

Buijs,

Singh,

Nuriakhmetov

et al. 2023

Day 3 Thu, September 14, 2023

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This paper describes the application of pseudo-stable fracturing fluids as a key technology to improve fracture conductivity and production performance in the first successful hydraulic fracture treatment pumped offshore Abu Dhabi. The primary target reservoir is the Pre-Khuff clastics Fm., a deep tight gas sandstone that can be found at depths exciding 16,000 ft with temperatures above 350° F. Even though our industry has a long-standing history in fracture stimulating high temperature reservoirs, the rheological behavior of fracturing fluids for optimum performance still remains to be highly controversial. It is well-known that at elevated temperatures fracturing fluids tend to prematurely break, losing its viscosity alongside the capability to transport proppant and develop fracture width that may lead to early treatment termination. What is rarely mentioned is that fracturing fluids break spontaneously at high temperature in oxygen rich environments (such as in a laboratory) nevertheless, when there is a lack of oxygen, fluids do not break effectively. Reservoirs are strong oxygen reducing environments because of the presence of iron, organic matter and hydrocarbons, having a negative effect on fracturing fluid rheology degradation, fluid cleanup and fracture conductivity. At the same time, there is still little consensus regarding the rate and magnitude of thermal exchange between the fracturing fluid and the reservoir high temperature conditions that will affect its rheological properties. Contrary to popular belief, fracturing fluids do not heat up to reservoir conditions as fast as suggested by many software applications and there is no need for large viscosity stability windows to efficiently transport proppant without premature screenouts. In this case history, a physics-based fracturing fluid design was utilized to successfully place ~ 100 tons treatments implementing a 15 minutes viscosity stability window which, under traditional standards, will not survive harsh downhole conditions and temperatures over 350° F. Post-frac production increased by 500%, reaching stable commercial rates after the first fracture treatment, proving that the implemented fluid design philosophy is correct and extremely efficient in developing high performing fracture treatments.

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First Successful Hydraulic Fracture Treatment Offshore Abu Dhabi – Implementation of Pseudo-Stable Fracturing Fluids as a Key to Awaken Deep Pre-Khuff Clastics Production Performance

Buijs,

Singh,

Nuriakhmetov

et al. 2023

Day 3 Thu, September 14, 2023

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First Implementation of Nano-Proppant Technology in Middle East

Buijs,

Nuriakhmetov,

Bulekbay

et al. 2023

Day 2 Wed, September 13, 2023

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This paper describes the first application of nano-proppant technology in Middle East that was additionally combined with tailored-made smart-proppant to unlock hard to recover reserves in the first successful hydraulic fracture treatment pumped offshore Abu Dhabi. The primary target reservoir is the Pre-Khuff Clastics Fm., a deep tight gas sandstone that can be found at depths exciding 16,000 ft with temperatures above 350º F. Given the reservoir characteristics, primarily its low permeability, hydraulic fracturing is required to achieve commercial production rates. The design of the fracture stimulation treatment presented several challenging conditions including high formation temperature, high closure stress, poroelastic effects and, among others, the potential for post treatment proppant flowback in an offshore environment. The implementation of tailored-made proppant technologies provided the means to overcome such challenges while providing key information to optimize fracture treatments as wells were completed. The primary objectives of nano-proppants were centered on sustaining production performance by propping the formation natural fracture network, mitigation of near wellbore entry friction pressures and fissure leakoff control to assure the successful placement of the frac treatment. In turn, smart-proppant technology was utilized to obtain an accurate fracture height measurement to reduce the uncertainty and non-uniqueness of pressure matching, better determining the placed frac length and width by properly understanding containment. Resin coated proppant was engineered to lock-in conductivity in a high stress and temperature environment based on expected temperature heat-back profiles required to achieve a targeted proppant pack unconfined compressive strength. This paper will provide insights on the results and lessons learned from the application of state-of-the-art proppant technologies that paved the way to reach stable commercial rates after the first fracture treatment by improving production performance by over 500%.

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First Successful Hydraulic Fracture Treatment in Deep Pre-Khuff Clastics: Lessons Learned from the Implementation of Cutting-Edge Technology Offshore Abu Dhabi

Buijs,

Ibrahim,

Basioni

et al. 2023

Day 3 Wed, October 04, 2023

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This paper describes the development and implementation of a multi-frac completion strategy that improved the well performance by more than 500% in the first successful hydraulic fracture treatment pumped in deep Pre-Khuff targets. The primary target reservoir is a deep tight gas sandstone that can be found at depths exciding 16,000 ft with temperatures above 350°F. Given the reservoir characteristics, primarily its low permeability, hydraulic fracturing is required to achieve commercial production rates. The design of the fracture stimulation treatment presented several challenging conditions including high formation temperature, closure stress, and fracture pressure with the potential for post treatment proppant flowback in an offshore environment. The learning curve was collapsed by interdisciplinary evaluation of diverse data sets from legacy and newly drilled wells. Mechanistic models were employed in a grid-oriented planar 3D hydraulic fracture simulator to optimize treatments and to understand changes in production performance related to specific multi-fractured completion strategies, guiding the optimization process. This work led to the successful implementation nano-proppants, pseudo-stable fracturing fluids and, among other technologies, specialized perforation guns designed for low stress anisotropy conditions. This paper will provide insights on the results and lessons learned from the implementation of cutting-edge hydraulic fracturing technology that provided the means to overcome challenges to unlock hard to recover reserves.

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Exploration of HPHT Tight Gas Formation: First Application of Propped Fracturing in the Offshore Gulf

Cited by 3 publications

References 17 publications

First Successful Hydraulic Fracture Treatment Offshore Abu Dhabi – Implementation of Pseudo-Stable Fracturing Fluids as a Key to Awaken Deep Pre-Khuff Clastics Production Performance

First Successful Hydraulic Fracture Treatment Offshore Abu Dhabi – Implementation of Pseudo-Stable Fracturing Fluids as a Key to Awaken Deep Pre-Khuff Clastics Production Performance

First Implementation of Nano-Proppant Technology in Middle East

First Successful Hydraulic Fracture Treatment in Deep Pre-Khuff Clastics: Lessons Learned from the Implementation of Cutting-Edge Technology Offshore Abu Dhabi

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