Stratal movement and microseismic events induced by multi-well hydrofracturing under varying well spacings and initiation sequences

Abstract

PurposeMulti-well hydrofracturing is a key technology in engineering, and the evaluation, control and optimization of the fracturing network determine the recovery rate of unconventional oil and gas production. In engineering terms, altering well spacing and perforation initiation sequences changes fracture propagation behavior. Fracture propagation can result in fracture-to-fracture and well-to-well interactions. This may be attributed to the interference between fractures caused by squeezing of the reservoir strata. Meanwhile, the stratal movement caused by the propagation of the fractures may lead to either the secondary fracturing of wells with primary fractures or perforation to begin fracturing. Besides, the stratal compression and squeeze of multi-well hydrofracturing will cause earthquakes; the fracture size is different owing to the different fracturing scenarios, and the occurrence of induced microseismic events is still unknown; microseismic events also affect fracture orientation and deflection. If the mechanism of the above mechanical behavior cannot be clarified, optimizing the fracture network and reduce the induced microseismic disaster becomes difficult.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, combined finite element-discrete element models were used to simulate the multi-well hydrofracturing. Numerical cases compared the fracture network, dynamic stratal movement and microseismic events at 50, 75 and 100 m well spacings, respectively, and varying initiation sequence of multiple horizontal wells.FindingsFrom the results, fracture propagation in multi-well hydrofracturing may simulate the propagation and deflection of adjacent fractures and induce fracture-to-fracture and well-to-well interactions. As the well spacing increases, the effect of fracturing-induced stratal movement and squeezing deformation decrease. In alternate fracturing, starting from a well located in the middle can effectively reduce the influence of stratal movement on fracturing, and the fracturing scenario with cross-perforation can minimize the influence of stratal movement. The stratal movement between multiple wells is positively correlated to microseismic events, which behaviors can be effectively weakened by reducing the strata movement.Originality/valueThe fracture network, thermal-hydro-mechanical coupling, fracturing-induced stratal movement and microseismic events were analyzed. This study analyzed the intersection and propagation behavior of fractures in multi-well hydrofracturing, which can be used to evaluate and study the mechanism of hydrofracturing fracture network propagation in multiple horizontal wells and conduct fracture optimization research to form an optimized hydrofracturing scheme by reasonably arranging the spacing between wells and initiation sequences of perforation clusters.

Frac-hits and connections of multi-well hydrofracturing fracture network involving the variable factors: well spacing, perforation cluster spacing and injection rate

“…In the study of microseismic events caused by multi-well hydraulic fracturing, it is found that stratal movement between multiple wells is positively correlated with microseismic events, and microseismic events can be effectively weakened by reducing stratal movement. Under different well spacing, the contact slip events caused by fracturing is obviously smaller than the damage events caused by hydraulic fracturing (Wang et al. , 2023a, b, c).…”

“…In addition, the well spacing also affects the formation deformation in fracture propagation. With the increase of well spacing, the effect of fracturing-induced stratal movement and squeezing deformation decrease (Wang et al. , 2023a, b, c).…”

“…On the contrary, the larger the fracture spacing, the more favorable the fracture propagation (Li et al. , 2023; Wang et al. , 2023a, b, c).…”

“…, 2021). At the same time, increasing the fluid injection rate can delay the deflection of the hydraulic fracture and extend the propagation distance along the fracture (Wang et al. , 2023a, b, c).…”

Unstable propagation of hydraulic fractures under varying well spacing and initiation sequence of multiple horizontal wells considering shear stress shadows

“…The spacing of perforation clusters, fracturing sequence and well spacing are the major factors causing the unstable propagation of parallel fractures to different degrees in the hydrofracturing process of multiple horizontal wells (Ghazal et al. , 2015; Kumar and Ghassemi, 2016; Wang et al. , 2023).…”