Nuances and Frequently Asked Questions in Field-Scale Hydraulic Fracture Modeling

McClure, Mark; Picone, Matteo; Fowler, Garrett; Ratcliff, Dave; Kang, Charles A.; Medam, Soma; Frantz, J. H.

doi:10.2118/199726-ms

Cited by 39 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 34 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Note that the fracture in the schematic figure is rectangular; however, in this work the 3D fracture geometry (2D extent plus variable aperture) from GEOS is used. Note the plane of symmetry at the fracture face (this is a 1 2 -space problem). No-flow boundaries at the left and right edges imply that the well is part of a series of parallel wells with spacing X max .…”

Section: Preliminary Producton Simulations With Tough+mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Historically, reservoir modeling tools have been limited to a subset of processes operating at a specific scale in order to reduce algorithmic complexity and increase computational performance. For example, fast-running models for hydraulic fracture design-such as ResFrac [1]-typically focus on flow and mechanics at larger scales in order to provide a rapid solution. Reservoir production models-such as Eclipse [2] or CMG-STARS/GEM [3]-solve for multiphase flow, with somewhat limited consideration of chemistry and mechanics, in order to achieve a timely solution.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Simulation stencil representing a single fracture in a single stage along the production well. Note the plane of symmetry at the fracture face (this is a1 2 -space problem). No-flow boundaries at the left and right edges imply that the well is part of a series of parallel wells with spacing X max .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

A New Modeling Framework for Multi-Scale Simulation of Hydraulic Fracturing and Production from Unconventional Reservoirs

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper describes a new modeling framework for microscopic to reservoir-scale simulations of hydraulic fracturing and production. The approach builds upon a fusion of two existing high-performance simulators for reservoir-scale behavior: the GEOS code for hydromechanical evolution during stimulation and the TOUGH+ code for multi-phase flow during production. The reservoir-scale simulations are informed by experimental and modeling studies at the laboratory scale to incorporate important micro-scale mechanical processes and chemical reactions occurring within the fractures, the shale matrix, and at the fracture-fluid interfaces. These processes include, among others, changes in stimulated fracture permeability as a result of proppant behavior rearrangement or embedment, or mineral scale precipitation within pores and microfractures, at µm to cm scales. In our new modeling framework, such micro-scale testing and modeling provides upscaled hydromechanical parameters for the reservoir scale models. We are currently testing the new modeling framework using field data and core samples from the Hydraulic Fracturing Field Test (HFTS), a recent field-based joint research experiment with intense monitoring of hydraulic fracturing and shale production in the Wolfcamp Formation in the Permian Basin (USA). Below, we present our approach coupling the reservoir simulators GEOS and TOUGH+ informed by upscaled parameters from micro-scale experiments and modeling. We provide a brief overview of the HFTS and the available field data, and then discuss the ongoing application of our new workflow to the HFTS data set.

show abstract

Section: Preliminary Producton Simulations With Tough+mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

A New Modeling Framework for Multi-Scale Simulation of Hydraulic Fracturing and Production from Unconventional Reservoirs

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Historically, reservoir modeling tools have been limited to a subset of processes operating at a specific scale in order to reduce algorithmic complexity and increase computational performance. For example, fast-running models for hydraulic fracture design -such as ResFrac (McClure et al, 2020) typically focus on flow and mechanics at larger scales in order to provide a rapid solution. Reservoir production models -such as Eclipse (Kempka et al, 2013) or CMG-STARS/GEM (CMG, 2018) -solve for multiphase flow, with somewhat limited consideration of chemistry and mechanics, in order to achieve a timely solution.…”

Section: List Of Tablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Integrated Multiscale Modeling Framework for Unconventional Stimulation and Production (Final Report)

Birkhölzer¹,

Morris²,

Bargar³

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The production of oil and gas from unconventional reservoirs largely depends upon two main features operating at different scales: (1) the establishment of a reservoir scale stimulated fracture network that effectively communicates with the rock volume, enhancing permeability and transport to the wellbore and (2) the coupled multi-phase flow, chemical and mechanical processes affecting the migration of hydrocarbons from the low permeability country rock adjacent to the stimulated fracture network. To date, there has been no simulation framework that allows seamless and integrated prediction of these features across spatial scales extending from the pore structure of the reservoir rock to the volume of the reservoir. In addition, there has been a lack of suitable field measurements to test such models, as stimulation and production data are often proprietary and not freely available to national laboratories and academic institutions. New multi-scale simulation capabilities are needed that are validated against suitable field-based research experiments on hydraulic fracturing and shale production.

show abstract

“…One big handicap of type-curves generated with data analytics is that these are based on the physical attributes of past well completion technology [7,8]. In practice, most operators will continually want to adapt their well design to improve recovery factors by altering the well spacing fracture treatment parameters (such as fracture spacing, fracture heights, fracture half-length, well length) of future infill well locations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimization of Fracture Spacing and Well Spacing in Utica Shale Play Using Fast Analytical Flow-Cell Model (FCM) Calibrated with Numerical Reservoir Simulator

Weijermars

2020

Energies

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Recently, a flow-cell model (FCM) was specifically developed to quickly generate physics-based forecasts of production rates and estimated ultimate resources (EURs) for infill wells, as the basis for the estimation of proven undeveloped reserves. Such reserves estimations provide operators with key collateral for further field development with reserves-based loans. FCM has been verified in previous studies to accurately forecast production rates and EURs for both black oil and dry gas wells. This study aims to expand the application range of FCM to predict the production performance and EURs of wells planned in undeveloped acreage of the wet gas window. Forecasts of the well rates and EURs with FCM are compared with the performance predictions generated with an integrated reservoir simulator for multi-fractured wells, using detailed field data from the Utica Field Experiment. Results of FCM, with adjustment factors to account for wet gas compressibility effects, match closely with the numerical performance forecasts. The advantage of FCM is that it can run on a fast spreadsheet template. Once calibrated for wet gas wells by a numerical reservoir simulator accounting for compositional flow, FCM can forecast the performance of future wells when completion design parameters, such as fracture spacing and well spacing, are changed.

show abstract

Nuances and Frequently Asked Questions in Field-Scale Hydraulic Fracture Modeling

Cited by 39 publications

References 34 publications

A New Modeling Framework for Multi-Scale Simulation of Hydraulic Fracturing and Production from Unconventional Reservoirs

A New Modeling Framework for Multi-Scale Simulation of Hydraulic Fracturing and Production from Unconventional Reservoirs

An Integrated Multiscale Modeling Framework for Unconventional Stimulation and Production (Final Report)

Optimization of Fracture Spacing and Well Spacing in Utica Shale Play Using Fast Analytical Flow-Cell Model (FCM) Calibrated with Numerical Reservoir Simulator

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About