With reserves of over 1 trillion cubic meters, Chayandinskoe oil, gas, and condensate field (OGCF) is one of the strategic fields in eastern Siberia. The field is currently in the exploration stage. Geological properties of the formations vary significantly, and it is necessary to define appropriate methods of well construction and completion prior to switching to a field development stage. One of the prospective options is to implement hydraulic fracturing in low-permeability areas of the Chayandinskoe. A pilot stimulation campaign was executed in 2015–2016 to test the efficiency of hydraulic fracturing in vertical wells and in one subhorizontal multilayer well.
The geology of eastern Siberia formations is unique. In particular, producing formations of Chayandinskoe field have extremely low temperatures (8 to 13°C) that require a principally different approach to fracturing fluid design compared to the majority of the operations in western Siberia. One challenge is to achieve a fluid that is stable but that can break within a few hours after the treatment. Laboratory research was a significant part of the project preparatory stage; enzyme breakers, in particular, were included to the recipe. Methane hydrate creation is another common challenge in these reservoirs; special inhibitors under high concentrations were integrated within the fluid formulation.
Within two winter campaigns (a total of five fracturing stages), there were three wells stimulated. The Khamakinskiy producing formation was tested in all three wells, and the Botuobinskiy and Talakhskiy formations were tested in a subhorizontal well in 2016. Advanced logging suites were run in both the pilot and lateral holes of the wells to optimize fracture modeling and placement. This paper contains detailed description of the core and laboratory testing performed in the laboratory for fluid optimization. The specifics of completion of a subhorizontal well with a multistage stimulation assembly is described. In this well, premium ports were used to allow for selective interval isolation. Well cleanout and nitrogen kickoff via coiled tubing were done to minimize near-wellbore damage and prevent hydrate creation during fracturing fluid flowback. The flow profile was measured using a special multiphase imager run with fiber-optic-enabled coiled tubing. Results have shown that fracturing as a method of field development is effective, but requires a complex preparatory stage in the laboratory and further optimization to local logistics and geological conditions.
The project is one of the first gas fracturing campaigns in eastern Siberia. The methods developed and the lessons learned in this project are of paramount value for future stimulation campaigns for field development in the region.