The hydraulic Channel Fracturing technique relies on the engineered creation of a network of open channels within the proppant pack, which provides for highly conductive paths for the flow of fluids from the reservoir to the wellbore. This paper provides a comprehensive summary of the implementation of this technique in ultra-low permeability, gas-bearing formations. The Lance formation in the Jonah field near Pinedale, Wyoming was selected for this study. This formation comprises fluvial sand bodies with 0.0005 to 0.05 mD permeability and 35 to 55% gas saturation. The formation requires hydraulic fracturing for economic production. Key historical issues for the stimulation of this formation using gelled fluids and sand as proppant are limited fluid recovery and consequential formation and fracture conductivity impairments. Slick-water treatments have rendered moderate gains in production mainly in low-prospect zones with some occurrence of near-wellbore screen-outs. Moderate increases in production from using ceramic proppants have been gained at the expense of significant increase in stimulation costs. Hydrocarbon production, treating pressure and fracturing fluid recovery data from a thirteen-well campaign in the Jonah field are summarized in the manuscript. Results indicate that the implementation of the channel fracturing technique increased initial gas production and estimated recovery over conventional fracturing methodologies. Positive features that were also observed during this campaign such as reduced net pressure increase estimates from pre- and post-frac shut-in pressure measurements, reduced tendency for vertical fracture growth and elimination of near-wellbore screen-outs are also reported and discussed. It is concluded that the Channel Fracturing technique is a viable alternative to conventional fracturing methods for more efficient and effective stimulation of complex tight gas formations.
The Channel Fracturing technique was introduced have been pumped with this novel technique since realized over conventional completion methodologies. each treatment.The successful introduction of the Channel Fracturing technique prompted a new attempt to optimize completion practices by eliminating immediate flowback of each stage A field study was conducted to evaluate the performance of combined with sequential fracturing treatments with treating pressure data was gathered and compared against a sample of 18 placement with immediate flowback after each stage.Results indicate that the Channel Fracturing technique increased production Production gains were obtained without the Improvements in operational efficiency due to continuous fracturing operations and avoidance of screen reduction in overall operational costs of 18%. stimulation within a single wellbore can mit logistics and reduce the overall impact to the hydraulic fracturing footprint. multi-stage Channel Fracturing without flowback in between st wells in the Jonah field.was introduced for multi-stage well stimulation in the Jonah Field in 2010. 622 stages with this novel technique since. Production increases by as much as 27% (Johnson et al., 2011) realized over conventional completion methodologies. In this previous study, each stage was flowed back immediately afterThe successful introduction of the Channel Fracturing technique prompted a new attempt to optimize completion practices by flowback of each stage as a necessary step to sustain production performance goals A field study was conducted to evaluate the performance of five new wells stimulated with the Channel Fracturing technique combined with sequential fracturing treatments without flowback in between stages. Gas production, fluid flowback and gathered and compared against a sample of 18 offset wells stimulated with conventional proppant ack after each stage.annel Fracturing technique increased production by up to 28% with respe the occurrence of screen-outs for the wells stimulated with Channel Fracturing. ency due to continuous fracturing operations and avoidance of screen operational costs of 18%. Results show that the combination of Channel Fracturing mitigate previously documented production performance issues, reduce operational logistics and reduce the overall impact to the hydraulic fracturing footprint. By virtue of these benefits, well stimulation via stage Channel Fracturing without flowback in between stages has been adopted as a completion practice of choice for
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.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
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.