Challenging Assumptions About Fracture Stimulation Placement Effectiveness Using Fiber Optic Distributed Sensing Diagnostics: Diversion, Stage Isolation and Overflushing

C., Gustavo A. Ugueto; Huckabee, Paul; Molenaar, Mathieu M.

doi:10.2118/spe-173348-ms

Cited by 3 publications

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Development of fracture diagnostic methods for fluid distribution based on quantitative interpretation of distributed acoustic sensing and distributed temperature sensing

Sakaida,

Hamanaka,

Zhu

et al. 2023

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Multistage hydraulic fracturing design on horizontal wells has significantly evolved with larger fluid volume, more fracturing stages, and tighter perforation cluster spacing to efficiently stimulate unconventional reservoirs. From the published field observations, the recent fracturing design results in complex fracture networks or swarm of fractures. Fracture treatment evaluation is extremely challenging in such a case, because of the large amount of variables in well completion and stimulation design. Combined measurements from different technologies can help in fracture diagnosis. Fluid distribution, either during fracture injection or during production, directly relates to the stimulation efficiency at the cluster level, and at the stage level. Since it is unlikely in the real world to distribute the injected fluid uniformly among all the clusters, we need diagnostic techniques to generate the flow profile along a lateral. Fiber optic measurements including Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) are currently used to diagnose downhole flow conditions. This technology allows us to qualitatively confirm the fluid flow profile and other issues occurring downhole during fracturing such as leakage through plugs. For optimizing a fracturing design, we also need to understand how the design parameters are correlated with the stimulation efficiency. In this study, we combine the two sets of models of DAS and DTS data interpretation for injected fluid volume distribution. DAS is interpreted based on an empirical correlation between fluid flow rates and frequency band energy from the acoustic signals. DTS is interpreted by performing temperature history match based thermal energy conservation. Because of the completely different physics behind the interpretations, the confirmation of the two interpretations provides confidence in fluid distribution.

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Development of fracture diagnostic methods for fluid distribution based on quantitative interpretation of distributed acoustic sensing and distributed temperature sensing

Sakaida,

Hamanaka,

Zhu

et al. 2023

Interpretation

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Overflush and Fracturing: Playing Poker with your Completion

Rylance¹

2023

Day 2 Wed, February 01, 2023

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Since the inception of hydraulic fracturing, the industry has wrestled with the concept of over/under- flushing, and has always pitched this as a binary philosophy, attempting to determine/define that this is either a fundamentally good or a bad approach. This schism simply grew with the extensive development of unconventionals; the use of overflush being an inherent and fundamental requirement for an effective and economic unconventional completion sequence. This paper will demonstrate that the true answer, as any engineer would expect, is that a detailed assessment is what is required and on a case-by-case basis. The paper will describe and reference several fracturing case histories, in both the Conventional and Unconventional environments, where the application of an overflush, an underflush or an engineered approach have been assessed or applied. Rather than taking an easy headline grabbing route to perpetuate the myth that the process is a major paradigm, or simply either a good or a bad thing. This paper will discuss some of the key aspects that impact the suitability of one approach over another; and how engineering the implementation can lead to a broader range of applicability/suitability for the most economically effective outcome. This includes an appreciation of the production/economic profile and exposure to risk, which is hugely different in say an ultra-deep-water five well offshore development vs. a field development with some 100s – 1,000s of wells in a lower-cost onshore environment. The paper will describe and demonstrate some of the fundamental variables that need to be considered; attempting to elaborate on a few of the key parameters which can influence the effective outcome. The paper will also indicate that there are several different scenarios whereby any form of overflush can result in a detrimental impact on the production rate and EUR, and that these must be fully appreciated. Subtleties, related to reservoir characteristics and fracture geometry; should be examined and appreciated. Additional aspects such as how the production, drawdown and pore-pressure will be managed can also have an impact. All these considerations, and more, will be discussed, described, and referenced. While there is no doubt that the overflush debate will continue unabated, the intent of this paper is to reduce the damage (or uncertainty), one way or the other, that will result. It is an attempt, at a minimum, to ensure that the debate becomes solely a technical one related to the approaches to be taken rather than a black and white one of right or wrong. Ultimately, the paper will advise, and inform, that the approach should be fully considered, engineered in detail and tailored to each and every application and that as a result is no longer simply considered a binary question.

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Experimental Study of Self-Degrading Diverting Agent Particles Used for Improving Hydraulic Fracture Placement

Trif,

Ganea,

Foidas

2024

Day 1 Wed, February 21, 2024

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Fluid placement is essential to obtain a successful stimulation treatment. Formation heterogeneity, varying stress distribution among formations and irregular fluid injectivity via perforations may lead to uneven fracture propagation along the formation net thickness. Isolation techniques provide solutions to such issues and can range from using mechanical restrictions that redirect the fluid flow, up to the use of specially designed particles placed in the flow stream to divert the treatment. Mechanical methods can include packers, bridge plugs and sand plugs which are used to mechanically separate the stimulation process into multiple stages pumped along the wellbore path. Ball sealers are part of the same category, designed to seal individual perforations during the pumping process and completely isolate a section of the wellbore to divert the injected fluid to subsequent zones. Another method that is widely used in large pay zones is coiled tubing in which accurate frac generation and fracture growth adjustments can be monitored in real time. Non-mechanical isolation designs consist of soluble or insoluble particles, with different sizes and compositions, mixed within the stimulation fluid that accumulate at the wellbore wall to form a low permeability cake, forcing fluid flow into areas with lower injectivity. Such particles are known as diverting agents and dissolve as a function of temperature and type of the injected or produced fluids. The study presents the main isolation techniques used during multi-stage fracturing operations and the laboratory investigation results affecting the selection of solid diversion agents such as material chemistry, particle size, particle shape, particle size distribution, temperature and type of carrier fluid.

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Challenging Assumptions About Fracture Stimulation Placement Effectiveness Using Fiber Optic Distributed Sensing Diagnostics: Diversion, Stage Isolation and Overflushing

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Development of fracture diagnostic methods for fluid distribution based on quantitative interpretation of distributed acoustic sensing and distributed temperature sensing

Development of fracture diagnostic methods for fluid distribution based on quantitative interpretation of distributed acoustic sensing and distributed temperature sensing

Overflush and Fracturing: Playing Poker with your Completion

Experimental Study of Self-Degrading Diverting Agent Particles Used for Improving Hydraulic Fracture Placement

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