Engineered Completion and Well Spacing Optimization Using a Geologically and Geomechanically Constrained 3D Planar Frac Simulator and Fast Marching Method: Application to Eagle Ford

Abstract

Optimizing a well's hydraulic fracture design within a pad development environment is a multi-disciplinary effort and requires a 4-dimensional understanding of the reservoir. This paper presents a workflow that uses an integrated workflow that combines geology, and geomechanics to build a reservoir model which can be interrogated and updated with a geologically and geomechanically constrained grid-based 3D planar frac model and production simulation using a fast marching method. In this case, as applied to an Eagle Ford well to address concerns of completion optimization, production and depletion forecasting, well spacing and well interference. The workflow captures the variability of stresses and rock properties along the wellbore and around it by using multiple geologic and geomechanical approaches. The estimated variability of rock mechanical properties is used as input in a 3D planar frac simulator. An alternative approach to geoengineering a completion, using the differential stress derived from geomechanical simulation that overcomes the limitations of well centric methods, is also illustrated. The frac design results are used as inputs/constraints in a new reservoir simulator that was developed using the Fast Marching Method to estimate drainage area. This allows for a constrained, yet extremely fast estimate of the EUR and resulting pressure depletion, addressing the important concerns of well spacing optimization and prevention of frac hits and well interferences, all in a timely manner. The integrated approach facilitates adaptive frac design which honors in-situ conditions including stress field heterogeneity, stress shadow effects and the pressure depletion from nearby producing wells. The proposed workflow enables greater investment efficiency and promotes field development optimization.

Surface Drilling Data for Constrained Hydraulic Fracturing and Fast Reservoir Simulation of Unconventional Wells

“…The first result of the reservoir geomechanics approach [11] is the differential stress ( Figure 6) which can be used as shown in Paryani et al [18] to geoengineer completions. The advantage of using differential stress for geoengineering completions is the ability to consider the complex geology beyond the wellbore.…”

“…The motivation and the unique features of the Fast-Marching Method (FMM) simulator needed for unconventional reservoirs were described in Ouenes et al [6] and Paryani et al [18]. The input 3D models (Figure 4) and hydraulic fracture geometry (Figure 14) were input in the FMM simulator along with the PVT (Pressure, Volume, Temperature) and other inputs.…”