Poroelastic Dual-Porosity/Dual-Permeability After-Closure Pressure-Curves Analysis in Hydraulic Fracturing

SPE Journal ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (01) ◽  
pp. 198-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Liu ◽  
Amin Mehrabian ◽  
Younane N. Abousleiman
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Field Data ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Time History ◽  
Natural Fracture ◽  
Dual Porosity ◽  
Fluid Exchange ◽  
Pressure Derivative ◽  
Wellbore Pressure ◽  
The Matrix

Summary The dual-porosity and dual-permeability theory of poroelasticity is used to analyze the wellbore dual-pressure responses of dual-porosity or naturally fractured formations. The pressure decline is analyzed by modeling the dual-pressure regimes of the dual-porosity/dual-permeability medium during the after-closure phase of hydraulic fracturing. The analysis shows that both the matrix and natural-fracture permeability, as well as the developed-fracture length, can be estimated on the basis of the obtained pseudolinear and pseudoradial dual-pressure and dual-flow regimes. The estimations are made by use of the corresponding one-half and −1 slopes in the time-history plots of the wellbore-pressure derivative. The transition period between pseudolinear and pseudoradial regimes is also analyzed. The solution involves three time scales related to the rate of fluid flow through and in between the matrix and fractures network. Findings indicate the possible emergence of an additional −½ slope in the log-log pressure-derivative plot of low-permeability shale formations. It is further shown that the transient-pressure response of the formation could be calibrated by incorporating an appropriate interporosity flow coefficient as a measure of the linear-fluid-exchange capacity between the matrix and fracture porosities. The analytical expressions for the time markers of the upper limit for the pseudolinear regime, lower limit for the pseudoradial regime, and the time at which the dip bases occur in pressure-derivative curves are given to estimate this parameter. The solution is successfully applied to and matched with a published set of field data to provide estimations for the associated reservoir properties. The field-data analysis is elaborated by a corresponding sensitivity analysis, through which the prominent poroelastic parameters of the solution are determined. Last, the definitions of conventional key parameters attributed to solutions of this type, such as formation total compressibility, storage coefficients, and hydraulic diffusivity, are reformulated by use of the presented dual-porosity poroelastic approach to the problem.

An Efficient Numerical Hybrid Model for Multiphase Flow in Deformable Fractured-Shale Reservoirs

SPE Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (04) ◽  
pp. 1412-1437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xia Yan ◽  
ZhaoQin Huang ◽  
Jun Yao ◽  
Yang Li ◽  
Dongyan Fan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Hybrid Model ◽  
Hydraulic Fractures ◽  
Fluid Exchange ◽  
Flow Process ◽  
Numerical Examples ◽  
Fracturing Process ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Shale Reservoirs ◽  
Porosity Model

Summary After hydraulic fracturing, a shale reservoir usually has multiscale fractures and becomes more stress-sensitive. In this work, an adaptive hybrid model is proposed to simulate hydromechanical coupling processes in such fractured-shale reservoirs during the production period (i.e., the hydraulic-fracturing process is not considered and cannot be simulated). In our hybrid model, the single-porosity model is applied in the region outside the stimulated reservoir volume (SRV), and the matrix and natural/induced fractures in the SRV region are modeled using a double-porosity model that can accurately simulate the matrix/fracture fluid exchange during the entire transient period. Meanwhile, the fluid flow in hydraulic fractures is modeled explicitly with the embedded-discrete-fracture model (EDFM), and a stabilized extended-finite-element-method (XFEM) formulation using the polynomial-pressure-projection (PPP) technique is applied to simulate mechanical processes. The developed stabilized XFEM formulation can avoid the displacement oscillation on hydraulic-fracture interfaces. Then a modified fixed-stress sequential-implicit method is applied to solve the hybrid model, in which mixed-space discretization [i.e., finite-volume method (FVM) for flow process and stabilized XFEM for geomechanics] is used. The robustness of the proposed model is demonstrated through several numerical examples. In conclusion, several key factors for gas exploitation are investigated, such as adsorption, Klinkenberg effect, capillary pressure, and fracture deformation. In this study, all the numerical examples are 2D, and the gravity effect is neglected in these simulations. In addition, we assume there is no oil phase in the shale reservoirs, thus the gas/water two-phase model is used to simulate the flow in these reservoirs.

Characterizing the Stimulated Reservoir Volume During Hydraulic Fracturing-Connecting the Pressure Fall-Off Phase to the Geomechanics of Fracturing

2018 ◽  
Vol 85 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erfan Sarvaramini ◽  
Maurice B. Dusseault ◽  
Robert Gracie
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Fracture Network ◽  
Natural Fracture ◽  
Breakdown Pressure ◽  
Pressure Derivative ◽  
Stimulated Reservoir Volume ◽  
Reservoir Volume ◽  
Flow Capacity ◽  
Pressure Fall

Microseismic imaging of the hydraulic fracturing operation in the naturally fractured rocks confirms the existence of a stimulated volume (SV) of enhanced permeability. The simulation and characterization of the SV evolution is uniquely challenging given the uncertainty in the nature of the rock mass fabrics as well as the complex fracturing behavior of shear and tensile nature, irreversible plastic deformation and damage. In this paper, the simulation of the SV evolution is achieved using a nonlocal poromechanical plasticity model. Effects of the natural fracture network are incorporated via a nonlocal plasticity characteristic length, ℓ. A nonlocal Drucker–Prager failure model is implemented in the framework of Biot's theory using a new implicit C0 finite element method. First, the behavior of the SV for a two-dimensional (2D) geomechanical injection problem is simulated and the resulting SV is assessed. It is shown that breakdown pressure and stable fracturing pressure are the natural outcomes of the model and both depend upon ℓ. Next, the post-shut-in behavior of the SV is analyzed using the pressure and pressure derivative plots. A bilinear flow regime is observed and it is used to estimate the flow capacity of the SV. The results show that the flow capacity of the SV increases as ℓ decreases (i.e., as the SV behaves more like a single hydraulic fracture); however, for 0.1m≤ℓ≤1m, the calculated flow capacity indicates that the conductivity of the SV is finite. Finally, it is observed that as ℓ tends to zero, the flow capacity of the SV tends to infinity and the SV behaves like a single infinitely conducting fracture.

scholarly journals Differences in Performance of Models for Heterogeneous Cores during Pulse Decay Tests

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (15) ◽  
pp. 3206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guofeng Han ◽  
Yang Chen ◽  
Min Liu ◽  
Xiaoli Liu
Keyword(s):  
Dual Porosity ◽  
Pressure Derivative ◽  
Permeability Model ◽  
Dual Porosity Model ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Decay Tests ◽  
Decay Testing ◽  
Matrix Shape ◽  
Porosity Model

Shale and fractured cores often exhibit dual-continuum medium characteristics in pulse decay testing. Dual-continuum medium models can be composed of different flow paths, interporosity flow patterns, and matrix shapes. Various dual-continuum medium models have been used by researchers to analyze the results of pulse decay tests. But the differences in their performance for pulse decay tests have not been comprehensively investigated. The characteristics of the dual-permeability model and the dual-porosity model, the slab matrix, and the spherical matrix in pulse decay testing are compared by numerical modeling in this study. The pressure and pressure derivative curves for different vessel volumes, storativity ratios, interporosity flow coefficients, and matrix-fracture permeability ratios were compared and analyzed. The study found that these models have only a small difference in the interporosity flow stage, and the difference in the matrix shape is not important, and the matrix shape cannot be identified by pulse decay tests. When the permeability of the low permeability medium is less than 1% of the permeability of the high permeability medium, the difference between the dual-permeability model and the dual-porosity model can be ignored. The dual-permeability model approaches the pseudo-steady-state model as the interporosity flow coefficient and vessel volume increase. Compared with the dual-porosity model, the dual-permeability model has a shorter horizontal section of the pressure derivative in the interporosity flow stage. Finally, the conclusions were verified against a case study. This study advances the ability of pulse decay tests to investigate the properties of unconventional reservoir cores.

scholarly journals The Similar Structure Method for Solving the Model of Fractal Dual-Porosity Reservoir

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Xu ◽  
Xiangjun Liu ◽  
Lixi Liang ◽  
Shunchu Li ◽  
Longtao Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Value Problem ◽  
Boundary Value ◽  
Dual Porosity ◽  
Well Test ◽  
Well Test Analysis ◽  
Pressure Derivative ◽  
Test Analysis ◽  
Type Curves ◽  
Bessel Equation ◽  
Wellbore Pressure

This paper proposes a similar structure method (SSM) to solve the boundary value problem of the extended modified Bessel equation. The method could efficiently solve a second-order linear homogeneous differential equation’s boundary value problem and obtain its solutions’ similar structure. A mathematics model is set up on the dual-porosity media, in which the influence of fractal dimension, spherical flow, wellbore storage, and skin factor is taken into cosideration. Researches in the model found that it was a special type of the extended modified Bessel equation in Laplace space. Then, the formation pressure and wellbore pressure under three types of outer boundaries (infinite, constant pressure, and closed) are obtained via SSM in Laplace space. Combining SSM with the Stehfest algorithm, we propose the similar structure method algorithm (SSMA) which can be used to calculate wellbore pressure and pressure derivative of reservoir seepage models clearly. Type curves of fractal dual-porosity spherical flow are plotted by SSMA. The presented algorithm promotes the development of well test analysis software.

scholarly journals A numerical investigation on the performance of hydraulic fracturing in naturally fractured gas reservoirs based on stimulated rock volume

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 3333-3345
Author(s):  
Ali Al-Rubaie ◽  
Hisham Khaled Ben Mahmud
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Hydraulic Fracture ◽  
Natural Fracture ◽  
Shear Stresses ◽  
Individual Element ◽  
Natural Fractures ◽  
Gas Reservoirs ◽  
Stimulated Reservoir Volume ◽  
Reservoir Volume ◽  
Naturally Fractured

Abstract All reservoirs are fractured to some degree. Depending on the density, dimension, orientation and the cementation of natural fractures and the location where the hydraulic fracturing is done, preexisting natural fractures can impact hydraulic fracture propagation and the associated flow capacity. Understanding the interactions between hydraulic fracture and natural fractures is crucial in estimating fracture complexity, stimulated reservoir volume, drained reservoir volume and completion efficiency. However, because of the presence of natural fractures with diffuse penetration and different orientations, the operation is complicated in naturally fractured gas reservoirs. For this purpose, two numerical methods are proposed for simulating the hydraulic fracture in a naturally fractured gas reservoir. However, what hydraulic fracture looks like in the subsurface, especially in unconventional reservoirs, remain elusive, and many times, field observations contradict our common beliefs. In this study, the hydraulic fracture model is considered in terms of the state of tensions, on the interaction between the hydraulic fracture and the natural fracture (45°), and the effect of length and height of hydraulic fracture developed and how to distribute induced stress around the well. In order to determine the direction in which the hydraulic fracture is formed strikethrough, the finite difference method and the individual element for numerical solution are used and simulated. The results indicate that the optimum hydraulic fracture time was when the hydraulic fracture is able to connect natural fractures with large streams and connected to the well, and there is a fundamental difference between the tensile and shear opening. The analysis indicates that the growing hydraulic fracture, the tensile and shear stresses applied to the natural fracture.

Application of Heat Treatment to Prevent Fracturing Fluid-Induced Formation Damage and Enhance Matrix Permeability in Shale Gas Reservoirs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingjun Chen ◽  
Peisong Li ◽  
Yili Kang ◽  
Xinping Gao ◽  
Dongsheng Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Treatment ◽  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Shale Gas ◽  
Gas Transport ◽  
Formation Damage ◽  
Transport Capacity ◽  
Fracturing Fluid ◽  
Gas Reservoir ◽  
Shale Gas Reservoir ◽  
The Matrix

Abstract The low flowback efficiency of fracturing fluid would severely increase water saturation in a near-fracture formation and limit gas transport capacity in the matrix of a shale gas reservoir. Formation heat treatment (FHT) is a state-of-the-art technology to prevent water blocking induced by fracturing fluid retention and accelerate gas desorption and diffusion in the matrix. A comprehensive understanding of its formation damage removal mechanisms and determination of production improvement is conducive to enhancing shale gas recovery. In this research, the FHT simulation experiment was launched to investigate the effect of FHT on gas transport capacity, the multi-field coupling model was established to determine the effective depth of FHT, and the numerical simulation model of the shale reservoir was established to analyze the feasibility of FHT. Experimental results show that the shale permeability and porosity were rising overall during the FHT, the L-1 permeability increased by 30- 40 times, the L-2 permeability increased by more than 100 times. The Langmuir pressure increased by 1.68 times and the Langmuir volume decreased by 26%, which means the methane desorption efficiency increased. Results of the simulation demonstrate that the FHT process can practically improve the effect of hydraulic fracturing and significantly increase the well production capacity. The stimulation mechanisms of the FHT include thermal stress cracking, organic matter structure changing, and aqueous phase removal. Furthermore, the special characteristics of the supercritical water such as the strong oxidation, can not be ignored, due to the FHT can assist the retained hydraulic fracturing fluid to reach the critical temperature and pressure of water and transform to the supercritical state. The FHT can not only alleviate the formation damage induced by the fracturing fluid, but also make good use of the retained fracturing fluid to enhance the permeability of a shale gas reservoir, which is an innovative method to dramatically enhance gas transport capacity in shale matrix.

scholarly journals A new slick water system for hydraulic fracturing in tight reservoir to enhance imbibition oil recovery

2021 ◽  
Vol 303 ◽  
pp. 01001
Author(s):  
Yu Haiyang ◽  
Ji Wenjuan ◽  
Luo Cheng ◽  
Lu Junkai ◽  
Yan Fei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Contact Angle ◽  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Water System ◽  
Natural Fracture ◽  
Fracturing Fluid ◽  
The Core ◽  
Ultralow Permeability

In order to give full play to the role of imbibition of capillary force and enhance oil recovery of ultralow permeability sandstone reservoir after hydraulic fracturing, the mixed water fracture technology based on functional slick water is described and successfully applied to several wells in oilfield. The core of the technology is determination of influence factors of imbibition oil recovery, the development of new functional slick water system and optimization of volume fracturing parameters. The imbibition results show that it is significant effect of interfacial tension, wetting on imbibition oil recovery. The interfacial tension decreases by an order of magnitude, the imbibition oil recovery reduces by more than 10%. The imbibition oil recovery increases with the contact angle decreasing. The emulsifying ability has no obvious effect on imbibition oil recovery. The functional slick water system considering imbibition is developed based on the solution rheology and polymer chemistry. The system has introduced the active group and temperature resistant group into the polymer molecules. The molecular weight is controlled in 1.5 million. The viscosity is greater than 2mPa·s after shearing 2h under 170s-1 and 100℃. The interfacial tension could decrease to 10-2mN/m. The contact angle decreased from 58° to 22° and the core damage rate is less than 12%. The imbibition oil recovery could reach to 43%. The fracturing process includes slick water stage and linear gel stage. 10% 100 mesh ceramists and 8% temporary plugging agents are carried into the formation by functional slick water. 40-70 mesh ceramists are carried by linear gel. The liquid volume ratio is about 4:1 and the displacement is controlled at 10-12m3/min. The sand content and fracturing fluid volumes of single stage are 80m3 and 2500 m3 respectively. Compared with conventional fracturing, due to imbibition oil recovery, there is only 25% of the fracturing fluid flowback rate when the crude oil flew out. When the oil well is in normal production, about 50% of the fracturing fluid is not returned. It is useful to maintain the formation energy and slow down the production decline. The average cumulative production of vertical wells is greater than 2800t, and the effective period is more than 2 years. This technology overcoming the problem of high horizontal stress difference and lack of natural fracture has been successfully applied in Jidong Oilfield ultralow permeability reservoir. The successful application of this technology not only helps to promote the effective use of ultralow permeability reservoirs, but also helps to further clarify the role of imbibition recovery, energy storage and oil-water replacement mechanism.

Advancements in Step Down Tests to Guide Perforation Cluster Design and Limited Entry Pressure Intensities - Learnings from Field Tests in Multiple Basins

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Somnath Mondal ◽  
Min Zhang ◽  
Paul Huckabee ◽  
Gustavo Ugueto ◽  
Raymond Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Hydraulic Fracture ◽  
Fracture Propagation ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Pressure Drops ◽  
Wellbore Pressure ◽  
Hydraulic Fracture Propagation ◽  
Step Down ◽  
Cluster Design

Abstract This paper presents advancements in step-down-test (SDT) interpretation to better design perforation clusters. The methods provided here allow us to better estimate the pressure drop in perforations and near-wellbore tortuosity in hydraulic fracturing treatments. Data is presented from field tests from fracturing stages with different completion architectures across multiple basins including Permian Delaware, Vaca Muerta, Montney, and Utica. The sensitivity of near-wellbore pressure drops and perforation size on stimulation distribution effectiveness in plug-and-perf (PnP) treatments is modeled using a coupled hydraulic fracturing simulator. This advanced analysis of SDT data enables us to improve stimulation distribution effectiveness in multi-cluster or multiple entry completions. This analysis goes much further than the methodology presented in URTeC2019-1141 and additional examples are presented to illustrate its advantages. In a typical SDT, the injection flowrate is reduced in four or five abrupt decrements or "steps", each with a duration long enough for the rate and pressure to stabilize. The pressure-rate response is used to estimate the magnitude of perforation efficiency and near-wellbore tortuosity. In this paper, two SDTs with clean fluids were conducted in each stage - one before and another after proppant slurry was injected. SDTs were conducted in cemented single-point entry (cSPE) sleeves, which present a unique opportunity to measure only near-wellbore tortuosity using bottom-hole pressure gauge at sleeve depth, negligible perforation pressure drops, and less uncertainty in interpretation. SDTs were conducted in PnP stages in multiple unconventional basins. The results from one set of PnP stages with optic fiber distributed sensing were modeled with a hydraulic fracturing simulator that combines wellbore proppant transport, perforation size growth, near-wellbore pressure drop, and hydraulic fracture propagation. Past SDT analysis assumed that the pressure drop due to near-wellbore tortuosity is proportional to the flow rate raised to an exponent, β = 0.5, which typically overestimates perforation friction from SDTs. Theoretical derivations show that β is related to the geometry and flow type in the near-wellbore region. Results show that initial β (before proppant slurry) is typically around 0.5, but the final value of β (after proppant slurry) is approximately 1, likely due to the erosion of near-wellbore tortuosity by the proppant slurry. The new methodology incorporates the increase in β due proppant slurry erosion. Hydraulic fracturing modeling, calibrated with optic fiber data, demonstrates that the stimulation distribution effectiveness must consider the interdependence of proppant segregation in the wellbore, perforation erosion, and near-wellbore tortuosity. An improved methodology is presented to quantify the magnitude of perforation and near-wellbore tortuosity related pressure drops before and after pumping of proppant slurry in typical PnP hydraulic fracture stimulations. The workflow presented here shows how the uncertainties in the magnitude of near-wellbore complexity and perforation size, along with uncertainties in hydraulic fracture propagation parameters, can be incorporated in perforation cluster design.

Predicting Hydraulic Fracturing in a Carbonate Gas Reservoir in Abu Dhabi Using 1D Mechanical Earth Model: Uncertainty and Constraints

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manhal Sirat ◽  
Mujahed Ahmed ◽  
Xing Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Hydraulic Fracture ◽  
Natural Fracture ◽  
Abu Dhabi ◽  
Hydraulic Fractures ◽  
Gas Reservoir ◽  
In Situ Stresses ◽  
Tight Carbonate ◽  
Different Depths

Abstract In-situ stress state plays an important role in controlling fracture growth and containment in hydraulic fracturing managements. It is evident that the mechanical properties, existing stress regime and the natural fracture network of its reservoir rocks and the surrounding formations mainly control the geometry, size and containments of produced hydraulic fractures. Furthermore, the three principal in situ stresses' axes swap directions and magnitudes at different depths giving rise to identifying different mechanical bedrocks with corresponding stress regimes at different depths. Hence predicting the hydro-fractures can be theoretically achieved once all the above data are available. This is particularly difficult in unconventional and tight carbonate reservoirs, where heterogeneity and highly stress variation, in terms of magnitude and orientation, are expected. To optimize the field development plan (FDP) of a tight carbonate gas reservoir in Abu Dhabi, 1D Mechanical Earth Models (MEMs), involving generating the three principal in-situ stresses' profiles and mechanical property characterization with depth, have been constructed for four vertical wells. The results reveal the swap of stress magnitudes at different mechanical layers, which controls the dimension and orientation of the produced hydro-fractures. Predicted containment of the Hydro-fractures within the specific zones is likely with inevitable high uncertainty when the stress contrast between Sv, SHmax with Shmin respectively as well as Young's modulus and Poisson's Ratio variations cannot be estimated accurately. The uncertainty associated with this analysis is mainly related to the lacking of the calibration of the stress profiles of the 1D MEMs with minifrac and/or XLOT data, and both mechanical and elastic properties with rock mechanic testing results. This study investigates the uncertainty in predicting hydraulic fracture containment due to lacking such calibration, which highlights that a complete suite of data, including calibration of 1D MEMs, is crucial in hydraulic fracture treatment.

Determination of the Near-Wellbore Pressure Drop for Dual Casing in Hydraulic Fracturing and Refracturing Applications

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joern Loehken ◽  
Davood Yosefnejad ◽  
Liam McNelis ◽  
Bernd Fricke
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Complex Flow ◽  
Cement Layer ◽  
Natural Rock ◽  
Wellbore Pressure ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Coefficient Of Discharge

Abstract Due to the increases in completion costs demand for production improvements, fracturing through double casing in upper reservoirs for mature wells and refracturing early stimulated wells to change the completion design, has become more and more popular. One of the most common technologies used to re-stimulate previously fracked wells, is to run a second, smaller casing or tubular inside of the existing and already perforated pipes of the completed well. The new inner and old outer casing are isolated from each other by a cement layer, which prevents any hydraulic communication between the pre-existing and new perforations, as well as between adjacent new perforations. For these smaller inner casing diameters, specially tailored and designed re-fracturing perforation systems are deployed, which can shoot casing entrance holes of very similar size through both casings, nearly independent of the phasing and still capable of creating tunnels reaching beyond the cement layer into the natural rock formation. Although discussing on the API RP-19B section VII test format has recently been initiated and many companies have started to test multiple casing scenarios and charge performance, not much is known about the complex flow through two radially aligned holes in dual casings. In the paper we will look in detail at the parameters which influence the flow, especially the Coefficient of Discharge of such a dual casing setup. We will evaluate how much the near wellbore pressure drop is affected by the hole's sizes in the first and second casing, respectively the difference between them and investigate how the cement layer is influenced by turbulences, which might build up in the annulus. The results will enhance the design and provide a better understanding of fracturing or refracturing through double casings for hydraulic fracturing specialists and both operation and services companies.

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