Improving Well Completion via Real-Time Microseismic Monitoring: A West Texas Case Study

Abstract

This paper presents a case history of hydraulic fracture stimulation treatments performed on a vertical well completion in the Spraberry-Wolfcamp formations located in Midland County, Texas, in which real-time microseismic Hydraulic Fracture Monitoring (HFM) was utilized to "track" the development of the hydraulic fracture as it propagates through the formation thereby allowing for the implementation of corrective actions to improve the completion efficiency of the well.The case history is presented in three main themes or sections: background, job execution, and post-job evaluation. The background section will provide an overview of the completion design as well as the HFM setup. The job execution section will then address how the real-time HFM observations and interpretations made during the treatment executions were used to identify undesired height growth, which prompted swift and concise actions to optimize the well completion by modifying the perforation scheme and treatment design. Finally the paper will present the results of the integrated HFM post-treatment evaluation and will discuss the observed differences between the planned and actual fracture geometries as observed from the microseismic monitoring results. Comparison of the microseismic fracture geometry to the anticipated fracture geometry showed that even in areas where we think that there might not be anything new to be learned, opportunities exist to apply new technology that can identify some of the complications and challenges involved, improve the success of stimulation treatments, and identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency.Overall, this example clearly shows how real-time microseismic monitoring provides the data required to improve fracture modeling, identify fracture behavior that is not predictable by conventional means alone, and reveals several opportunities to improve completion efficiency.

Horizontal Wells Drilling Activity in South Texas Unconventional Gas Resources and Microseismic Hydraulic Fracturing Monitoring Application to Reduce Risk and Increases the Success Rate

“…In North America the technology is being deployed in both conventional and unconventional resources plays. 25 shows map view of the microseismic events, fracture orientation determined from the microseismic events and the derived fracture orientation from the processed dipole sonic, there is a close match between the two (Ejofodomi et al 2010). 24 is a visual representation of fracture length interpreted from microseismic results .…”

“…In recent years, microseismic monitoring of the hydraulic fracturing treatment has become widely accepted as a critical diagnostic technology to image, quantify and evaluate the fracture geometry (orientation, length, and height) dynamics and to optimize the stimulation treatment in different ways (Warpinski et al 1998;Wolhart et al 2006;Daniel et al 2007;Le Calvez et al 2007;Warpinski et al 2009;Downie et al 2010;Ejofodomi et al 2010;Cipolla et al 2011). In North America the technology is being deployed in both conventional and unconventional resources plays.…”

In Situ Stress Prediction in Subsurface Rocks: An Overview and a New Method

“…It can be seen that if the excess stresses or horizontal strains can be obtained, then the horizontal stresses in the isotropic rock can be calculated from Eqs. ( 7) and (9). It has been found that if the measured excess stresses are available (e.g., [16]), Eq.…”

“…By integrating this method to drilling-induced tensile fractures and wellbore breakouts shown in Figure 9, the maximum horizontal stress 31) for three maximum horizontal strains (dash lines). 9 Geofluids can be obtained. If σ h = 73 MPa and ε H = 1000 microstrains, then the maximum horizontal stress from Figure 10 is σ H = 98:2 MPa.…”

Workflows and Methods to Optimize Well Construction through a Collaborative Environment

“…The authors discuss how microseismic monitoring was introduced as a new technology in the Wolfberry formation to help understand fracture behavior during stimulation treatments. Real-time micro-seismic monitoring helped "identify undesired fracture growth," and as a result, the "perforation scheme and treatment design" was changed, resulting in improved treatment and "operational efficiency" (Ejofodomi et al 2010).…”