Multistage hydraulic fracturing is a technique to extract hydrocarbon from tight and unconventional reservoirs. Although big advancements occurred in this field, understanding of the created fractures location, size, complexity, and proppant distribution is in its infancy. This study provides the recent advances in the methods and techniques used to diagnose hydraulic fractures in unconventional formations. These techniques include tracer flowback analysis, fiber optics such as distributed temperature sensing (DTS) and distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), tiltmeters, microseismic monitoring, and diagnostic fracture injection tests (DFIT). These techniques are used to estimate the fracture length, height, width, complexity, azimuth, cluster efficiency, fracture spacing between laterals, and proppant distribution. Each technique has its advantages and limitations, while integrating more than one technique in fracture diagnostics might result in synergies, leading to a more informative fracture description. DFIT analysis is critical and subjected to the interpreter’s understanding of the process and the formation properties. Hence, the applications of machine learning in fracture diagnostics and DFIT analysis were discussed. The current study presents an extensive review and comparison between different multistage fracture diagnostic methods, and their applicability is provided. The advantages and the limitations of each technique were highlighted, and the possible areas of future research were suggested.
Matrix acidizing technique is used to enhance the production of hydrocarbons from a reservoir, especially in low permeable reservoirs and in the case of formation damage. In carbonate reservoirs, acid stimulation jobs are challenging due to the acid's strong reactivity with the formation. Thus, the ability to create wormholes will be limited. Wormholes allow hydrocarbons to be produced by flowing into the wellbore. Emulsified acids system helps to overcome this challenge by reducing face dissolution. Recently, Pickering emulsions have attracted attention due to their easy preparation and enhanced stability features. In Pickering emulsions, solid microparticles that localize at the interface between liquids are used as stabilizers instead of surfactants. The preparation of emulsified acid system (EAS) is a complex process sensitive to several parameters governing the properties/feature of the emulsified system. The parameter includes mixing the aqueous and oleic phase, the rotational speed, the time of mixing, and the quantity of emulsifying agent (organology). It requires performing several experiments to identify the proper procedure and optimum range of the parameters affecting the emulsified acid preparation of desired properties. In this study, several experiments were performed using three types of organoclays (OC) namely Claytone-SF (strong), Claytone-EM (medium), and Laponite-EP (weak). Thermal stability tests were carried out at room temperature, 80ºC, and 120ºC. Rheology tests were performed for the most stable emulsions. This study investigated the potential of using special nanoparticles as emulsion stabilizers instead of surfactants. A proper sequence of the component mixing and optimum range of the factors affecting the emulsion preparation and properties were identified. This work aims to study the parameters involved in the emulsified acid preparation and optimize them to obtain a stable EAS.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.