Reservoir architecture and the size and reservoir quality of producing bodies remain a central concern particularly in deepwater. In this case study, high-quality seismic imaging delineated the sand bodies and an intervening shale break between two stacked sands. Wireline evaluation in each well consisted of advanced DFA (Downhole Fluid Analysis), formation sampling and pressure measurements, borehole imaging and petrophysics. Reservoir fluid geodynamic analysis of Wireline asphaltene gradient measurements indicate that each sand body is laterally connected and that the shale break could be a baffle. Geodynamic analysis of reservoir architecture employing seismic analysis and wellbore imaging and petrophysical logging concludes the same. All other PVT and geochemical data are compatible with this assessment; nevertheless, the DFA-measured asphaltene gradients are shown to be superior to all other fluid measurements to determine reservoir architecture. The concurrence of high-resolution seismic imaging with advanced wireline for both formation and reservoir fluid geodynamics enables building robust geologic models populated with the accurate fluid structures of the reservoir. History matching months of production match most probable reservoir realizations which are now the basis of reservoir simulation. Future exploration with step-out wells are being optimized with this powerful workflow.
This paper continues the investigation of interwell fracturing interference for an infill drilling scenario synthetic case based on Eagle Ford available public data and explores pressure and stress-sink mitigation strategies applied to the simulation cases developed in the previous publication (SPE 174902). Emphasis is given to refracturing scenarios, given the intrinsic restimulation value for depleted parent wells and the strategic importance due to the current low oil prices. The stress and pressure depletion methodology is expanded in this paper, adding a refracturing scenario before the infill child well is stimulated. Changes in stress magnitudes and azimuths caused by new and reactivated fractures are calculated using a finite element model (FEM). After refracturing the parent well, modeling shows that stress deflection and repressurization of the originally depleted production zone will reduce subsequent fracture hits from infill wells. The first mechanism to reduce fracture hits is the stress realignment, which promotes transverse fracture propagation from the infill well away from the parent well. The second fracture-hit-reduction mechanism is repressurization of depleted zones to hinder fracture propagation in lower-pressure zones. Prevention of fracture hits by active deflection results in an increased stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) for both the parent and child wells. Overall pad level and individual wellbore cumulative production experience a significant increase due to increased SRV. With proper reservoir and geomechanical data, this approach can be applied in a predictive manner to decrease fracture-hit risk and improve overall recovery. This workflow represents the first comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to coupling geomechanical, complex hydraulic fracture models, and multiwell production simulation models aimed towards understanding fracture-hit reduction using refracturing. The workflow presented can be applied to study and design an optimum refracturing job to prevent potentially catastrophic fracture hits during refracturing operations.
In most US unconventional basins, operators often start development by drilling the minimum number of wells needed to hold their acreage. These initial wells are sometimes called "parent" wells. Operators then start drilling their infill development wells, which many operators are currently in the process of doing across various unconventional basins. Infill performance can be highly variable, with operators making great efforts to ensure infill wells perform comparable to or better than existing parent wells. This challenge will become more magnified in the unconventional industry as infill development surpasses parent well drilling. To add more uncertainty, limited research exists showing basin-wide trends as to how infill wells can be expected to perform on average in comparison to their parent well counterparts. We studied infill well performance in numerous US basins, with the objectives of understanding performance trends and their causes, along with providing recommendations for maximizing infill well potential. We evaluated the performance of newly drilled infill wells compared to their parent wells, which had been produced for some time. With publicly available production and well information, an evaluation was performed for the following major unconventional basins: Bakken/Three Forks, Barnett, Bone Springs, Eagle Ford, Fayetteville, Haynesville, Marcellus, Niobrara, Wolfcamp (Midland and Delaware Basins), and Woodford. Using a spatial, statistical approach with key production indicators, we identified key trends across the various basins where the infill wells produced at different production rates compared to their parent wells. Overall, there is about a 50% chance that a child well will outperform a parent well; However, normalizing production to total proppant pumped and lateral length suggests that larger volumes with longer laterals in infill wells may be needed to achieve similar rates to the parent wells. Underperformance of infill wells may likely be because of existing depletion and inter-well production competition with both parent and other infill wells. Additionally, in areas where significant depletion is expected, predicting the performance of new infill wells can be very difficult. This paper will discuss alternative methodologies and technologies that may help understand and increase the production potential of lower performing infill wells.
Fluid geodynamics processes can alter the hydrocarbon accumulation in the reservoir and complicate the fluid distribution. The processes can be one or combination of late gas charging, biodegradation, water washing, spill-fill charging etc. Fault block migration is another geological process can take place after fluid charging, which results in the fluid re-distribution and brings extra challenges for reservoir evaluation. The understanding and evolution of the fluid geodynamics and fault block migration processes become the key to reveal reservoir connectivity, reservoir charging and geological structural evolution. This paper elaborates a case study from a Talos Energy's discovery in deep-water Gulf of Mexico, Tornado field from Pliocene formation, to illustrate the connectivity analysis cooperating fault block migration and fluid geodynamics. The high-quality seismic imaging delineated the sand bodies in the reservoir with a gross pay of 400 feet. The two wellbores in the main block A and one wellbore in adjacent block C all exhibit two primary stacked sands separated by an intervening shale break. The RFG (Reservoir Fluid Geodynamics) workflow was applied to this field for connectivity analysis, with integration of the advanced DFA (Downhole Fluid Analysis) data from wireline formation testing, advanced analytical and geochemical analysis of the oil, laboratory PVT and fluid inclusion testing data. The advanced DFA data includes fluid color (asphaltene), composition, Gas-Oil-Ratio (GOR), density, viscosity, and fluorescence yield to help assess connectivity in real-time and after laboratory analysis, which helped to optimize data acquisition and allow the early completion decisions. The DFA data was analyzed using the Flory-Huggins-Zuo Equation of State for asphaltene gradients and the Cubic Equation of State for GOR gradients. The resulting DFA-RFG analysis shows that in the main block A, the fluids in the upper and lower sands are separately equilibrated, in spite of the young age of the reservoir, indicating there is good lateral connectivity in each sand. The asphaltene content of the oil in the upper sand is slightly, yet significantly smaller, than that in the lower sand indicating that the intervening shale might be a laterally extensive baffle or possibly a barrier. Subtleties in the DFA data are more consistent with the shale being a baffle. Moreover, the biomarker analysis shows that all oils encountered are indistinguishable from a petroleum system perspective. This reinforces the DFA-RFG interpretation. However, seismic imaging shows that the intervening shale is not present at the half lower section of the reservoir. With guidance from RFG connectivity analysis, it is consistent with the geology understanding that the shale becomes thinner which beyond the seismic resolution. The paleo flow analysis based on high definition borehole images integrated with seismic interpretation confirmed that upper sand scoured away the intervening shale. The deposition modeling supports that the shale is a baffle. The sands from the well in the adjacent block C show a vertical shift of asphaltene distribution from block A. The extent of the 360feet vertical offset matches the fault throw from seismic imaging and from log correlation. The fluid properties including asphaltene content, API gravity, methane carbon isotope, GOR, density, are all consistent with the fault block migration scenario. A further complexity is that the upper fault block received a subsequent charge of primary biogenic gas after fault throw. This innovated approach provides guidelines for geophysical and geological interpretation regarding fault block migration and the hydrocarbon charging sequence. The field connectivity conclusions have been confirmed by over 1-year of production history to date.
Summary To investigate interwell interference in shale plays, a state-of-the-art modeling workflow was applied to a synthetic case on the basis of known Eagle Ford shale geophysics and completion/development practices. A multidisciplinary approach was successfully rationalized and implemented to capture 3D formation properties, hydraulic-fracture propagation and interaction with a discrete-fracture network (DFN), reservoir production/depletion, and evolution of magnitude and azimuth of in-situ stresses by use of a 3D finite-element model (FEM). The integrated workflow begins with a geocellular model constructed by use of 3D seismic data, publicly available stratigraphic correlations from offset-vertical-pilot wells, and openhole-well-log data. The 3D seismic data were also used to characterize the spatial variability of natural-fracture intensity and orientation to build the DFN model. A recently developed complex fracture model was used to simulate the hydraulic-fracture network created with typical Eagle Ford pumping schedules. The initial production/depletion of the primary well was simulated by use of a state-of-the-art unstructured grid reservoir simulator and known Eagle Ford shale pressure/volume/temperature (PVT) data, relative permeability curves, and pressure-dependent fracture conductivity. The simulated 3D reservoir pressure field was then imported into a geomechanical FEM to determine the spatial/temporal evolution of magnitude and azimuth of the in-situ stresses. Importing the simulated pressure field into the geomechanical model proved to be a critical step that revealed a significant coupling between the simulated depletion caused by the primary well and the morphology of the simulated fractures within the adjacent infill well. The modeling workflow can be used to assess the effect of interwell interferences that may occur in a shale field development, such as fracture hits on adjacent wells, sudden productivity losses, and dramatic pressure/rate declines. The workflow addresses the complex challenges in field-scale development of shale prospects, including infilling and refracturing programs. The fundamental importance of this work is the ability to model pressure depletion and associated stress properties with respect to time (time between production of the primary well and fracturing of the infill well). The complex interaction between stress reduction, stress anisotropy, and stress reorientation with the DFN will determine whether newly created fractures propagate toward the parent well or deflect away. The technique should be implemented in general development strategies, including the optimization of infilling and refracturing programs, child well lateral spacing, and control of fracture propagation to minimize undesired fracture hits or other interferences.
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.