Far-Field Diversion in Hydraulic Fracturing and Acid Fracturing: Using Solid Particulates to Improve Stimulation Efficiency

Author(s):  
Vanessa Williams ◽  
Elizabeth McCartney ◽  
Andrea Nino-Penaloza
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul Muqtadir Khan ◽  
Denis Emelyanov ◽  
Rostislav Romanovskii ◽  
Olga Nevvonen

Abstract Different applications of fracture bridging and diversion are used regularly in carbonate acid fracturing without an in-depth understanding of the physical phenomena that dominate the processes involved in the bridging and diversion process. The extension of modeling capabilities in conjunction with yard-scale and field-scale experiences will increase our understanding of these processes. A robust multimodal diversion pill and polylactic acid fiber-laden viscous acid were utilized for near-wellbore and far-field bridging, respectively. Numerous field treatments demonstrated the uncertainty of achieving effective diversion. An existing multiphysics model was extended to develop functionalities to model diversions at different scale. Extensive laboratory testing was conducted to understand the scale of bridging and diversion mechanisms. Finally, a bridging yard test was designed, and field case studies were used to integrate all the branches. Field cases showed a diversion pressure up to 4,000 psi depending on perforation strategy, pill volume, and pill seating rate. Correlations showed the interdependence of multiple parameters in diversion processes. The field studies motivated modeling capabilities to simulate the critical diversion processes at high resolution and quality. The model simulates diverting agents that reduce leakoff in the fracture area and their effects on fracture geometry. The approach considers the acid reaction kinetics coupled with geomechanics and fluid transport. Different diverting agent concentrations required for bridging can be modeled effectively. A yard test was designed to confirm the integrity of the pill material through completion valves (minimum inside diameter 9.5 mm) and analyzed with high-resolution imaging. All the theoretical, mathematical, and numerical findings from modeling were integrated with laboratory- and yard-scale experimentation results to develop and validate near-wellbore and far-field diversion modeling. Analytical correlations were formulated from injection rate, particulate material concentration, pill volumes, fracture width, etc., to incorporate and validate the model. This study enhances understanding of the different diversion mechanisms from high-fidelity theoretical modeling approach integrated with a practical experimental view at laboratory and field scale. Current comprehensive research has significant potential to make the modeling approach a reliable method to develop tight carbonate formations around the globe.


Geophysics ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 76 (6) ◽  
pp. WC103-WC116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fuxian Song ◽  
M. Nafi Toksöz

Downhole microseismic monitoring is a valuable tool in understanding the efficacy of hydraulic fracturing. Inverting for the moment tensor has gained increasing popularity in recent years as a way to understand the fracturing process. Previous studies utilize only part of the information in the waveforms, such as direct P- and S-wave amplitudes, and make far-field assumptions to determine the source mechanisms. The method is hindered in downhole monitoring, when only limited azimuthal coverage is available. In this study, we develop an approach to invert for complete moment tensor using full-waveform data recorded at a vertical borehole. We use the discrete wavenumber integration method to calculate full wavefields in the layered medium. By using synthetic data, we find that, at the near-field range, a stable, complete moment tensor can be retrieved by matching the waveforms without additional constraints. At the far-field range, we discover that the off-plane moment tensor component is poorly constrained by waveforms recorded at one well. Therefore, additional constraints must be introduced to retrieve the complete moment tensor. We study the inversion with three different types of constraints. For each constraint, we investigate the influence of velocity model errors, event mislocations, and data noise on the extracted source parameters by a Monte Carlo study. We test our method using a single well microseismic data set obtained during the hydraulic fracturing of the Bonner sands in East Texas. By imposing constraints on the fracture strike and dip range, we are able to retrieve the complete moment tensor for events in the far-field. Field results suggest that most events have a dominant double-couple component. The results also indicate the existence of a volumetric component in the moment tensor. The derived fracture plane orientation generally agrees with that derived from the multiple event location.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Zeng ◽  
Jianchun Guo ◽  
Jichuan Ren ◽  
Fanhua Zeng ◽  
Bo Gou ◽  
...  

Abstract A large proportion of gas and oil resources are trapped in carbonate reservoirs. Efficient development of these formations is crucial for world energy supply. Recently, a novel hybrid volume stimulation (HVS) technique has been proposed and enhanced carbonate reservoir production in the Bohai Bay Basin and the Ordos Basin of China (Cai et al., 2015; Chu, 2017). This technique involves three stages, including pad-fluid fracturing (primary fracture and fracture branch initiation), massive acid fracturing (acid etching and connection of natural and induced fractures), and proppant injection (conductivity maintenance). Compared with conventional acid fracturing, HVS generates a more complex fracture system by taking the advantage of both hydraulic fracturing and acid fracturing, mitigating high-temperature effects, and increasing the acid penetration distance. Currently, no existing models can predict the pressure and rate behavior of wells after HVS treatments due to the complex fracture geometry and the complicated flow pattern. This study presents a multi-region linear flow model to facilitate evaluating well performance of carbonate reservoirs after HVS and obtaining a better understanding of key factors that control well responses. The model incorporates the fundamental characteristics of the complex fracture system generated by HVS. The primary hydraulic fracture is characterized by two flow regions. One is for the propped primary fracture segment (region 1), while the other represents the unpropped but acid-etched primary fracture tip (region 2). The region adjacent to the primary fracture (region 3) denotes acid-etched fracture branches. Because the acid usually cannot fully penetrate the hydraulic-fracturing-induced branches, the fractal theory is employed to depict the properties of the small fracture branches beyond the acid-etched sections. Finally, the unstimulated reservoir is described by a dual-porosity region (region 4) with vug and matrix systems. Specifically, triple-porosity region 3 contains two possible flow scenarios: one is from vugs to matrices, to fracture branches, and to the primary fracture, while the other is from vugs to matrices, and to the primary fracture. Two weighting factors are utilized to describe the proportion of reservoir volume that is involved in the two fluid flow scenarios. These flow regions are coupled through flux and pressure continuity conditions. The degenerated form of this model is verified against a published analytical model. A good agreement has been achieved between the results of the two models. Analysis results show that four flow regimes can be identified in the log-log type curve. Compared with classical type curves of fractured wells, there is a distinctive fracture-branch-affected transient regime in the pressure derivative curve with a slope between one-half and unity. The HVS generated complex fracture system enhances well productivity from the inter-porosity flow regime to the late fracture-branch-affected transient regime. The impacts of various fracture and reservoir properties on pressure and rate behavior are also documented.


2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Yang ◽  
Chengwei Zhang ◽  
Huijun Tian ◽  
Wangang Chen ◽  
Xiadong Peng ◽  
...  

The reserves of Coalbed Methane (CBM) in Qinshui Basin are quite promising, but the outputs from CBM wells are quite small even after massive hydraulic fracturing. Herein the fracture system with #3 and #15 coal seams in Qinshui basin was analyzed, and it was found that both of the macro-scale fractures and micro-scale fractures are filled with clay and carbonate minerals, which explains the low productivity of CBM wells after conventional hydraulic fracturing. Acid fracturing has long been an effective method for carbonate gas reservoir to improve the gas well production. However, there were few reports about the application of acid fracturing in coal bed methane field. Based on the mineral identification and acid sensitivity test, the feasibility of acid fracturing demonstrated that the acid does more help than damage to increase the permeability of coal seams in Qinshui basin. Onsite operations have shown that acid fracturing is applicable for the CBM wells in Jincheng Mining Area. It was also observed from the microseismic survey that when applying the acid fracturing treatment, the stimulated reservoir area depends on the acid volume pumped in the first stage, which is crucial to the success of the stimulation. Evaluación piloto de fractura ácida en depósitos de gas metano de carbón en el suroeste de la cuenca Qinshui, China  ResumenLas reservas de gas metano de carbón (CBM, del inglés Coalbed Methane) en la cuenca Qinshui son más que prometedoras, pero la producción en los pozos es muy pequeña, incluso después de fracturas hidráulicas masivas. En este trabajo se analizaron los sistemas de fractura de las vetas de carbón #3 y #15 de la cuenca Qinshui y se encontró que tanto las fracturas a macroescala como aquellas a microescala están cubiertas con arcillas y minerales carbonatos, lo que explica la baja productividad de los pozos de gas metano de carbón después de la fractura hidráulica convencional. La fractura ácida ha sido un método efectivo en los depósitos de gas carbonato para mejorar la producción en el pozo de gas. Sin embargo, existen pocos informes sobre la aplicación de la fractura ácida en el campo del gas metano de carbón. De acuerdo con la identificación mineral y las pruebas de sensibilidad ácida, la factibilidad de la fractura ácida demostró que el ácido es reparador en el incremento de la permeabilidad en las vetas de carbón de la cuenca Qinshui. Las operaciones in situ han demostrado que la fractura ácida es aplicable para los pozos de gas metano de carbón en el área minera de Jincheng. También se observó en el sondeo microsísmico que cuando se aplica un tratamiento de fractura ácida, el área del depósito estimulada depende del volumen de ácido bombeado en primera instancia, lo que es determinante en el éxito de la estimulación.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1761-1780
Author(s):  
Nianyin Li ◽  
Fei Chen ◽  
Jiajie Yu ◽  
Peihong Han ◽  
Jia Kang

AbstractHydraulic fracturing is an important technical means to improve the development effect of low-permeability oil and gas reservoirs. However, for low pressure, low-permeability, tight, and high-clay sandstone gas reservoirs, conventional propped fracturing can cause serious damage to the reservoir and restrict the fracturing effect. The pre-acid fracturing technology combines acid treatment technology with sand-fracturing technology. A pre-acid system that meets special performance requirements is injected before fracturing. The pre-acid reduces the formation fracture pressure and removes clay damage. During acid flowback, the fracturing fluid is promoted to break the gel, dissolve the fracturing fluid residue and polymer filter cake, clean the supporting cracks, and effectively improve the fracturing effect. This study analyzes the process principle and technical advantages of the pre-acid fracturing technology based on the laboratory evaluation of the fracturing damage mechanism of low-permeability tight gas reservoirs. To meet the performance requirements of low-permeability tight gas reservoirs and pre-acid fracturing technology, a set of polyhydrogen acid system with long-lasting slow reactivity, low damage, and low corrosion was developed and used as the pre-fracturing acid. The acid system is mainly composed of the main agent SA601 and the auxiliary agent SA701. Then, on the basis of laboratory experiments, this acid system is used as the fracturing pre-acid to evaluate the fracturing improvement effect. The results show that the fracturing fluid system can better dissolve the fracturing fluid filter cake and remove the fracturing fluid damage.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Al-Enezi ◽  
Mohammed Al-Othman ◽  
Mishari Al-Shtail ◽  
Yousef Al-Sadeeqi ◽  
Kutbuddin Bhatia ◽  
...  

Abstract The unconventional Bahrah field is a high potential field which poses several challenges in terms of hydrocarbon flow assurance through highly heterogeneous tight carbonate intervals with poor reservoir quality and curtailed mobility. Due to this, the field development strategies have prioritized well completion using horizontal acid fracturing technology over vertical wells. During fracturing, the acid system tends to form highly conductive channels in the formation. Most of the fluid will flow into the path of least resistance leaving large portions of the formation untreated. As a result, the fracturing treatment options dwindle significantly, thus reservoir stimulation results are not optimum in each stage. Achieving complete wellbore coverage is a challenge for any acid frac treatment performed in long lateral with variations in reservoir characteristics. The multistage acid fracturing using Integrated Far-field Diversion (IFD) is performed using selective openhole completion, enabling mechanical annular segmentation of the wellbore using swellable packers and sliding sleeves. The mechanical as well as chemical diversion in IFD methodology is highly important to the overall stimulation success. The technique includes pumping multiple self-degrading particle sizes, considering the openhole annular space and wide presence of natural fractures, followed by in-situ HCL based crosslinked system employed for improving individual stage targets. A biomodal strategy is employed wherein larger particles are supplemented with smaller that can bridge pore throats of the larger particles and have the desired property of rigidity and develop a level of suppleness once exposed to reservoir conditions. The IFD diversion shifts the fracture to unstimulated areas to create complex fractures that increase reservoir contact volume and improving overall conductivity. This paper examines IFD in acid fracturing and describes the crucial diversion strategy. Unlike available diverters used in other fields, the particulates are unaffected at low pH values and in live acids. Proper agent selection and combination with in-situ crosslink acid effectively plug the fracture generated previously and generate pressure high enough to initiate another fracture for further ramification. The optimization and designing of the IFD diversion in each stage plays a key role and has helped to effectively plug fractures and realize segmentation. Concentration of diversion agents, volume of fluid system and open-hole stage length sensitivity plays vital role for the success of this treatment. The application of IFD methodology is tuned as fit-for-purpose to address the unique challenges of well operations, formation technical difficulties, high-stakes economics, and untapped high potential from this unconventional reservoir. A direct result of this acid fracturing treatment is that the post-operation data showed high contribution of all fractured zones along the section in sustained manner. Furthermore, this methodology can be considered as best practice for application in unconventional challenges in other fields.


Author(s):  
R.U. Rabaev ◽  
◽  
R.N. Bakhtizin ◽  
S.Kh. Sultanov ◽  
V.I. Smurygin ◽  
...  

The article discusses the problems of effective application of acid hydraulic fracturing (HF) technologies in carbonate reservoirs. The optimal technology of acid fracturing has been substantiated, adapted to the geological and production conditions of the development of productive deposits and mining equipment of a gas condensate field of the sea shelf. The results of the design and calculation of the predicted flow rate for specific geological and production conditions of candidate wells are presented.


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