Fault and Fracture Characterization from an Integrated Subsurface and Seismic Dataset: Impact on Well Performance of the Wolfcamp Shale, Midland Basin, West Texas

Trey,; White,; Clarke, Patricia; Stephens, Andy; Laughland, Matthew M.; Ye, Hongzhuan

doi:10.15530/urtec-2014-1934166

Cited by 7 publications

(31 citation statements)

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“…The J integral indicates the hydraulic fracturing energy at each stimulation stage and appears to correlate to stage performance indicators Yang et al, 2015). Before describing the application of the 3G workflow to evaluate the impact of NFs on stimulation stage performances, a workflow based on regression analysis developed by White et al (2014) to quantify the impact of the NFs on Wolfcamp well performances is discussed.…”

Section: Background and Previous Studies Modeling The Interaction Betmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Correlating natural fractures density to Wolfcamp well performance using regression analysis This paper focuses on Wolfcamp wells located in Reagan County, Texas (Figure 1), where Pioneer Natural Resources recently presented an interesting case study (Pioneer Resources, 2013;Laughland et al, 2014;White et al, 2014). In this Pioneer Natural Resources case study, the impact of NFs on well performance is quantified using regression analysis.…”

Section: Background and Previous Studies Modeling The Interaction Betmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Unfortunately, these high rates are not consistent across the area. White et al (2014) report wells drilled less than 1066 m (3500 ft) from a fault that encountered four times as many fractures as did nearby wells and "produce peak 180 day rates less than half that of nearby wells." Laughland et al (2014) explain this result by stating that the poorer wells "were being produced from the fault system and associated subseismic splay."…”

Section: Background and Previous Studies Modeling The Interaction Betmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(b) Using that fracture density, the well's production is estimated using the regression. Modified from White et al (2014).…”

Section: Background and Previous Studies Modeling The Interaction Betmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…White et al (2014) use 3D seismic data to identify north-south-trending strike-slip faults that include horsetail fault splays and an associated NF system. Using horizontal cores from the Spraberry Formation, Lorenz et al (2002) describe three fractures sets (north-northeast, northeast, and east-northeast).…”

Section: Background and Previous Studies Modeling The Interaction Betmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Using geomechanical modeling to quantify the impact of natural fractures on well performance and microseismicity: Application to the Wolfcamp, Permian Basin, Reagan County, Texas

Ouenes¹,

Umholtz²,

Aimène

2016

Interpretation

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We have evaluated workflows to quantify the mechanical impact of natural fractures (NFs) on the production performance of hydraulically stimulated stages in shale wells. Variations in fracture orientation and density can enhance or degrade the transport and effectiveness of fracturing fluids. Specifically, we studied the effect of a complex fault splay system on a horizontal Wolfcamp B reservoir well. A general workflow that combines geophysics, geology, and geomechanics (3G) was evaluated and applied to the well. The benefits of the 3G workflow are threefold. First, the quantitative impact of the NFs on the regional stress is provided through the differential horizontal stress variation, which impacts fracturing complexity. Then, the reservoir strain map, validated with microseismic data, gives insights into the stimulated drainage pathways. Finally, the ability of the J integral to predict poor hydraulic fracturing stages as a function of fracture density along the wellbore or as a function of the energy required to propagate a fracture. Building on the validated 3G workflow, a well placement workflow that takes into account the quantitative impact of NFs on well performance was developed on the sample Wolfcamp well. By comparing the J integral of the same completion stage in simulations with and without NFs, stages with similar J integral values in both simulations were identified as those not being affected by the NF network. This allows the workflow to provide the optimal position of a well in the presence of NFs associated with a complex fault system that may produce undesirable water. The result is a validated 3G workflow that provides a geomechanical explanation for an empirical relationship showing that high oil production is achieved within a "Goldilocks" range of natural fracturing. IntroductionThe importance of natural fractures (NFs) in shale reservoirs, their impact on a successful stimulation, and the resulting well performance is reviewed by Gale et al. (2014) andLi (2014). The 71 pages that make up the two review papers include 14 pages of references that discuss NFs in shale reservoirs. A petroleum or completion engineer reading the 71 pages will wonder how to quantify the impact of the NFs on the stimulated shale well's performance.Geologists and geophysicists (G&G) may not adequately relate the role of NFs in shale reservoirs to the bottom line of the completion and petroleum engineers. To enhance communications between engineering and G&G staff, NF density and other key geologic factors including total organic carbon, brittleness, and porosity are quantitatively combined to form a new reservoir property called shale capacity (Ouenes, 2014;Newgord et al., 2015), which demonstrates the value of geoscience in predicting the engineer's bottom

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Section: Background and Previous Studies Modeling The Interaction Betmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Background and Previous Studies Modeling The Interaction Betmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Background and Previous Studies Modeling The Interaction Betmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(b) Using that fracture density, the well's production is estimated using the regression. Modified from White et al (2014).…”

Section: Background and Previous Studies Modeling The Interaction Betmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Background and Previous Studies Modeling The Interaction Betmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Using geomechanical modeling to quantify the impact of natural fractures on well performance and microseismicity: Application to the Wolfcamp, Permian Basin, Reagan County, Texas

Ouenes¹,

Umholtz²,

Aimène

2016

Interpretation

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Fault Reactivation in Response to Saltwater Disposal and Hydrocarbon Production for the Venus, TX, Mw 4.0 Earthquake Sequence

Haddad

Eichhubl

2022

Rock Mech Rock Eng

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Using Geomechanical Modeling to Quantify the Impact of Natural Fractures on Well Performance and Microseismicity—Application to the Wolfcamp, Permian Basin

Ouenes

Umholtz

Aimène

2015

Proceedings of the 3rd Unconventional Resources Technology Conference

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Fault and Fracture Characterization from an Integrated Subsurface and Seismic Dataset: Impact on Well Performance of the Wolfcamp Shale, Midland Basin, West Texas

Cited by 7 publications

References 0 publications

Using geomechanical modeling to quantify the impact of natural fractures on well performance and microseismicity: Application to the Wolfcamp, Permian Basin, Reagan County, Texas

Using geomechanical modeling to quantify the impact of natural fractures on well performance and microseismicity: Application to the Wolfcamp, Permian Basin, Reagan County, Texas

Fault Reactivation in Response to Saltwater Disposal and Hydrocarbon Production for the Venus, TX, Mw 4.0 Earthquake Sequence

Using Geomechanical Modeling to Quantify the Impact of Natural Fractures on Well Performance and Microseismicity—Application to the Wolfcamp, Permian Basin

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