Channel Hydraulic Fracturing and its Applicability in the Marcellus Shale

Abstract

Gas wells in the Marcellus shale are usually completed with a hydraulic fracture treatment in order to create a conductive proppant pack for fluid flow to the wellbore thus effectively increasing well productivity. A novel hydraulic fracture technique which creates a network of open channels within the created fracture has recently been introduced to the oil and gas industry with over 1400 successful treatment stages pumped in other ultra-low permeability, gas-bearing unconventional reservoirs. Channel fracturing boasts higher fracture conductivity and better fracture cleanup amongst its other claims. This paper reviews the applicability of the novel hydraulic fracturing technique in the Marcellus shale and details a case study investigating the possible production gains that may be obtained when channel fracturing is applied in this play.This feasibility study briefly describes the Channel Hydraulic Fracturing technique and investigates the geophysical properties of the Marcellus shale to see if Channel fracturing is applicable in the play. The methods employed involves analyzing over 160 well logs spread across the Marcellus shale in order to create a grid map of counties and regions within the Marcellus Shale area that meet the criteria required for the applicability of the new technology. The technique is then compared to conventional hydraulic fracturing by reviewing initial production results from a Marcellus well with a conventional hydraulic fracture and performing production analysis and history matching using a production analysis software package. The conventional hydraulic fracture parameters are then replaced with channel fracturing parameters to obtain incremental production estimates.The results of the study indicate that the Channel Fracturing technique is applicable without in most areas of the Marcellus shale play. The results of the simulation and case study show increased gas production from the new technique over conventional fracturing methods.

Potential Contaminant Pathways from Hydraulically Fractured Shale Aquifers

“…Nevertheless, he inappropriately applies a model for uniform‐density flows, while neglecting to evaluate the sensitivity of model predictions to the exclusion of variable‐density phenomena. Myers also neglects to account for the role of temperature variation in groundwater flow, despite observations that reveal large gradients in temperature between shallow, freshwater aquifers, and the Marcellus, where temperatures may exceed 70 ° C (Ajayi et al 2011). Temperature influences the solubility of dissolved gases and solutes, and gradients in temperature induce fluid‐density differences that affect groundwater flow.…”

A Semianalytical Approach for Production of Oil from Bottom Water Drive Tight Oil Reservoirs with Complex Hydraulic Fractures

“…Substituting Equations (11)- (15) in Equation (9), we can obtain the pressure of segment i of k-level branch fractures:…”

“…In recent years, the fracture geometry is considered as constant fracture width, and the directions of fractures are perpendicular to the horizontal wellbore [8][9][10]. Also, analytical and semianalytical approaches were used to predict the production of vertical fractures in such systems [11][12][13][14][15]. A hybrid numerical/analytical model was presented to simulate the pressure transient with a finite-conductivity fracture [16].…”

Three‐dimensional visualization experimental study on proppant transportation and placement in the Hi‐way channel hydraulic fracturing technique

“…Hydraulic fracturing technology is the main exploitation of low permeability reservoir stimulation, 1–5 to realize the traditional hydraulic fracturing technology is full of proppant in the fracture, put forward in 2010 by Schlumberger company technology by changing the artificial fracture fracturing proppant in the shop form, put conventional evenly scattered across into heterogeneous, Artificial fractures are supported by many “pillars” like bridge piers, 6–9 and smooth “channels” are formed between the pillars, and many “channels” are connected to form a network, thus realizing the form of large fractures containing many small fractures, which greatly improves the oil and gas seepage capacity. Since 2010, this technology has been successfully applied to more than 4000 fracturing operations in Argentina, the United States, Russia, Mexico, India, Egypt, and the low‐porosity and ultra‐low permeability oil field and Sulige gas field in China, with remarkable stimulation effects 10–14 …”