A New Dimension Added to the Hydraulic Fracture Stimulation for a Volcanic Reservoir Based on Microseismic Monitoring

Abstract

The Raageshwari Deep Gas (RDG) Field in the Barmer Basin, India is a lean gas condensate reservoir, with excellent gas quality of ~80% methane, low CO2 and no H2S. The productive zones are in volcanic rocks and volcanogenic sediments. From a permeability perspective, the RDG reservoir is similar to typical tight gas reservoirs in other parts of the world which cannot be commercially developed without large-scale hydraulic fracturing. Recent RDG hydraulic fracture treatments have been monitored with microseismic mapping technology. The microseismic data was acquired in June 2010 to quantify the trend of hydraulic fracture networks induced in a 5-stage stimulation program. The recorded P and S wave events were subsequently mapped in 3D space by fracture stage (in time) to effectively represent the onset, propagation and trends of the fractures and the extent, overlap or inter-connection of the resulting fracture networks. The initial objective of conducting microseismic mapping was only to calibrate the existing fracture simulator. Earlier hydraulic fracture treatments had been conducted with a conventional gas condensate frac design in mind, with targets of ~100m of frac length and a dimensionless fracture conductivity (FCD) ranging from 5-10. The initial frac schedules were designed with large pad and proppant stage volumes (~275,000lb of 20/40 ISP and 16/30 ISP). The efficacy of these fracture treatment designs was to be verified with the microseismic mapping technology. It was found that RDG does not have the typical tight gas reservoir architecture which was assumed for the initial frac designs, but consists of tight matrix porosity contained within a very complex network of natural fractures and planes of weakness with conjugate jointing. Hence the conventional fracture design was changed to deal with such fracture network for future fracturing campaigns.

Volcanic facies architecture of early bimodal volcanism of the NW Deccan Traps: Volcanic reservoirs of the Raageshwari Deep Gas Field, Barmer Basin, India

“…145 MMSCFD including volcanic and Fatehgarh reservoirs. Although aspects of reservoir engineering of the RDG have been covered in a number of technical articles and presentations (Bhushan, 2008; Chowdhury et al., 2014; Gupta et al., 2015; Mishra et al., 2011; Mund et al., 2017; Shaoul et al., 2007; Somasundaram et al., 2017; Vermani et al., 2010), little has been published on associated volcanic facies. This study presents an integrated appraisal of the Raageshwari Volcanic Formation volcanic lithofacies, placing the field in the context of regional Deccan volcanism.…”

Crucial Development Technologies for Volcanic Hydrocarbon Reservoirs: Lessons Learned from Asian Operations

“…Before, during, and after HF, fracture diagnostic tests can be carried out to understand the reservoir and HF effectiveness better, enhance HF operation efficiency, re-evaluate the potential of the reservoir, revise the future field development plan, and increase production. These tests include microseismic monitoring [43][44][45], diagnostic fracture injection test (DFIT), temperature logging, step rate test (SRT), step down test (SDT), production log test (PLT), etc. [46,47].…”

Syn‐rift volcanism in the Barmer Basin: An intra‐basin extrusive complex at the northern limit of the Deccan volcanic province in India

“…In previous studies, the RVF was sub‐divided into three units; lower basalt lava flows and felsic ignimbrites overlain by upper basalt lava flows (Compton, 2009, his Figure 6), that were referred to as Volcanic‐3, Volcanic‐2 and Volcanic‐1 (Mishra et al, 2011; Vermani et al, 2010). In a revision of the stratigraphy, Dolson et al (2015) formalized two members, the lower Agni Member, predominantly pyroclastic flows and an upper Prithvi Member, dominated by basaltic lava flows.…”

“…Aspects of the reservoir geology and reservoir engineering of the RVF have been covered in several articles (e.g., Bushan, 2008;Chowdhury et al, 2014;Millett et al, 2021;Mishra et al, 2011;Mund et al, 2017;O'Sullivan et al, 2011;Shaoul et al, 2007;Vermani et al, 2010). This paper describes the Raageshwari Volcanic and Dhandlawas formations using a combination of subsurface data including seismic mapping, wireline logs, core material and cuttings, placing the observations in the context of regional Deccan volcanism.…”