Variable Stimulated Reservoir Volume (SRV) Simulation: Eagle Ford Shale Case Study

Suliman, Bailo; Meek, Robert; Hull, Robert; Bello, Hector; Portis, Doug; Richmond, Perry

doi:10.1190/urtec2013-057

Cited by 44 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…In this study we consider a specific well in the Eagle Ford shale described comprehensively in multiple Pioneer Natural Resources publications (Suliman et al 2013, Diakhate et al 2015. Figure 1C shows strong asymmetricity detected in the microseismic events where better stimulation is observed towards the heel (stages 5-9), less effective stimulation in the middle (stages 3-4) and moderate stimulation towards the toe (stages 1-2).…”

Section: Application Results and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Estimation of Optimal Frac Design Parameters for Asymmetric Hydraulic Fractures as a Result of Interacting Hydraulic and Natural Fractures - Application to the Eagle Ford

et al. 2016

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Estimation of permeability in the Stimulated Reservoir Volume (SRV) is a vital input in any completion optimization workflow. One method to estimate the stimulated permeability in the SRV is to couple geomechanical modeling of the interaction between hydraulic and natural fractures with hydraulic fracture mechanics commonly used to design frac jobs. The proposed approach starts by deriving strain resulting from the integration of geological, geophysical and geomechanical modeling of interacting hydraulic and natural fractures. A unique feature of this approach is its ability to predict microseismicity, thus confirming the validity of the input natural fracture model and the geomechanical approach used to evaluate its interaction with the hydraulic fractures. The optimum validated geomechanical asymmetric half-lengths are then estimated from the derived strain map. These estimated geomechanical half lengths are used as a constraint in a frac design model which is able to incorporate this information and optimize stage treatments according to the variable SRV. The frac design parameters then need to be adjusted in order to approximately match the geomechanical half-lengths provided by the strain map.A new analytical asymmetric frac design model is developed, validated with existing commercial frac design software, and used in this study. The new asymmetric analytical frac design model is a pseudo 3D model that accounts for the variation in height in an iterative approach along with considering the asymmetric half lengths due to the lateral stress gradients in a heterogeneous reservoir. The new asymmetric analytical frac design model was compared to existing commercial frac design software and was found to provide similar estimations of frac heights but in a fraction of the time needed to run the commercial frac design software. The ability to combine these models and simultaneously solve for the optimum fracture height is provided by the constraints of the geomechanical half lengths derived from the strain map. In order to guide the engineer designing a frac job an optimum selection of the design parameters to get the target fracture geometry, this paper also presents a parametric analysis using experimental design of various fracing parameters used in our asymmetric hydraulic fracture model.In this study, the workflow was successfully applied to a complex Eagle Ford well. The frac design tool optimizes important parameters such as the injection rate, fluid viscosity, proppant type, proppant size, proppant specific gravity and leak-off coefficient in order to honor the interaction of natural and hydraulic fractures accounted for in geomechanics. The frac design model also provides vital information such as the proppant schedule to be pumped and the variation of propped length, width, and net pressure as a function of time. The results of this workflow are the fracture conductivity and proppant concentration along the fracture length and their interpolation between the stages so they can be exported to any reservoir...

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Section: Application Results and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Estimation of Optimal Frac Design Parameters for Asymmetric Hydraulic Fractures as a Result of Interacting Hydraulic and Natural Fractures - Application to the Eagle Ford

et al. 2016

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“…Because hydraulic‐fracturing treatments are site‐specific, fractures vary by stage in orientation, aperture, length, and height. Available microseismic data show fracture half‐lengths typically vary between 100 and 300 m from the horizontal well (Bazan et al ; Basu et al ; Suliman et al ). Vertically, fractures extend throughout the shale thickness (40 to 120 m) (Fisher ).…”

Section: Example: the Eagle Ford Shale Playmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Vertically, fractures extend throughout the shale thickness (40 to 120 m) (Fisher ). Out‐of‐formation fracturing does occur (Suliman et al ), but the mechanical stratigraphies of the Eagle Ford Shale (relatively plastic) and adjacent carbonate units (relatively competent) constrain vertical growth of hydraulic fractures within the target shale more than other shale plays, like the Marcellus and Haynesville (Curry et al ; Fisher and Warpinski ; Basu et al ; Fisher ).…”

Section: Example: the Eagle Ford Shale Playmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Hydraulic Fracturing on Overlying Aquifers in the Presence of Leaky Abandoned Wells

Brownlow¹,

James

Yelderman

2016

Groundwater

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The association between hydrocarbon-rich reservoirs and organic-rich source rocks means unconventional oil and gas plays usually occur in mature sedimentary basins-where large-scale conventional development has already taken place. Abandoned wells in proximity to hydraulic fracturing could be affected by increased fluid pressures and corresponding newly generated fractures that directly connect (frac hit) to an abandoned well or to existing fractures intersecting an abandoned well. If contaminants migrate to a pathway hydraulically connected to an abandoned well, upward leakage may occur. Potential effects of hydraulic fracturing on upward flow through a particular type of leaky abandoned well-abandoned oil and gas wells converted into water wells were investigated using numerical modeling. Several factors that affect flow to leaky wells were considered including proximity of a leaky well to hydraulic fracturing, flowback, production, and leaky well abandonment methods. The numerical model used historical records and available industry data for the Eagle Ford Shale play in south Texas. Numerical simulations indicate that upward contaminant migration could occur through leaky converted wells if certain spatial and hydraulic conditions exist. Upward flow through leaky converted wells increased with proximity to hydraulic fracturing, but decreased when flowback and production occurred. Volumetric flow rates ranged between 0 and 0.086 m /d for hydraulic-fracturing scenarios. Potential groundwater impacts should be paired with plausible transport mechanisms, and upward flow through leaky abandoned wells could be unrelated to hydraulic fracturing. The results also underscore the need to evaluate historical activities.

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“…The high conductivity of SRV makes liquids flow into the well easily and benefits the well production (Stalgorova and Mattar 2012a;Clarkson 2013). Most of shale gas reservoirs in Eagle ford, Barnett, and Marcellus (Suliman et al 2013;Agboada and Ahmadi 2013;Mayerhofer et al 2006) have obtained high production due to SRV. In addition, carbon-rich components lead to the existence of the adsorbed gas and free gas phase in the shale formations (Juan and Aquiles 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A multi-linear flow model for multistage fractured horizontal wells in shale reservoirs

Zhang

2016

J Petrol Explor Prod Technol

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This paper presents an analytical multi-linear flow model for shale gas reservoirs with multistage fractured horizontal wells (MFHW). It has been proved that the hydraulic fractures are branched rather than simple bi-wing shape, and the seepage flow of shale gas reservoirs is more complicated than conventional gas reservoirs due to the gas occurrence characteristics and fracture networks. Based on the published trilinear flow models, a developed five-region model considering effective fractured volume and adsorption effect was established. Laplace transformation method and Stehfest numerical algorithm were used to obtain typical pressure response curves. In addition, the presented model was validated by the actual production data, different flow regimes were divided, and the prediction of presented model was compared with the results of Eclipse simulator. Effects of some factors such as stimulated reservoir volume, storativity ratio, and Langmuir volume on the performance were analyzed. The results showed that the presented model considering stimulated volume and adsorbed gas could predict the productivity of MFHW better. The linear flow of stimulated region was the main contribution to gas production, and the duration of formation linear flow was influenced by different parameters. So the selection of optimal combination is very important in the development of shale gas reservoirs.

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Variable Stimulated Reservoir Volume (SRV) Simulation: Eagle Ford Shale Case Study

Cited by 44 publications

References 10 publications

Estimation of Optimal Frac Design Parameters for Asymmetric Hydraulic Fractures as a Result of Interacting Hydraulic and Natural Fractures - Application to the Eagle Ford

Estimation of Optimal Frac Design Parameters for Asymmetric Hydraulic Fractures as a Result of Interacting Hydraulic and Natural Fractures - Application to the Eagle Ford

Influence of Hydraulic Fracturing on Overlying Aquifers in the Presence of Leaky Abandoned Wells

A multi-linear flow model for multistage fractured horizontal wells in shale reservoirs

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