Application of horizontal multiple-stage fracturing is becoming the standard completion technique for oil and gas developments both in shale and tight sands. This technology has proven to be a game-changer within the US oil and gas industry to the point of creating an oversupply of gas in the US. Predictions indicate that the supply of oil related to this technology could allow the US to become self-sufficient within the decade. Globally, shale and tight-sand exploration activities are also increasing. This concept was successfully suited for and applied within a Russian tight-oil play in the Em-Egovskoe license area in western Siberia.This paper provides the case history of how a horizontal multiple-fracturing completion methodology helped unlock the potential reserves in the western Siberian Em-Egovskoe tight oil field. This very heterogeneous and lenticular sand oil play was known for years for its complexity and arduous nature. The completion technique employed a proven North America multiple-stage fracturing technique using a combination of swellable packers and sliding-sleeve frac ports. The fracturing design for the Em-Egovskoe field is discussed. This design is an adaptation of an alternating hybrid fluid system composed of proppant slugs during the pad stage and a high-concentration proppant ramp in the main frac stage.The well is currently flowing at commercial rates synonymous with early production in a typical North American oil shale well. The various monitoring techniques for measuring fracturing efficiency are also discussed. A production curve fit analysis using early production data allowed the operator to evaluate how the project was being commercially realized. Results and recommendations are presented.
The paper addresses issues related to selection of sand control systems applied when producing heavy oil from unconsolidated rocks. A sharp productivity reduction was noticed during the operation of wells with filters. A methodology accounting for subsurface features has been developed for laboratory testing of well-completion systems to reduce uncertainties. Damage related to undesirable drop in flow rate was analyzed. As a result, corrections were promptly introduced to the size of filters used in well completions, which led to increased productivity of newly commissioned wells.
Slugs-fracs is one of new-to-field approaches which changed the conditions of wells for fracturing increasing the number of candidates in Kamennoe field Western Siberia. Placing fracturing jobs by slugs of proppant pumped in linear gel successfully implemented in stimulating pay zones in near water intervals with small stress contrast between zones and barriers. A few technical specifics had been used to contribute the success of this methodology such as earlier pumping with near matrix rate to allow more fluid filtration ahead of the main proppant stages before fracture is fully formed. Proppant setting according to Stokes law and dune effects theory were evaluated and considered for design strategy. The slugs-fracs allowed pumping regardless of the wellbore deviation and height of perforated intervals. Post-fracturing results from 120 wells were used for analysis. Significant decrease in initial water cut and sustainable oil production were reported. First slugs-fracs were introduced in the beginning of 2010 and in following 2 years more than 200 hundreds jobs have been pumped across the field. This allowed to drill spots of the field that were previously suspended as result of ineffective fracturing treatments mostly due to high risk of fracture breaking down the water zones.
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