Casing Deformation Mitigation Achieved Through Ball Activated Sliding Fracturing Sleeves – An Alternative to Plug and Perf Fracturing Operations

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arjang Gandomkar ◽  
David Katz ◽  
Ricardo Gomez ◽  
Anders Gundersen ◽  
Parvez Khan
Keyword(s):  
Active Tectonics ◽  
Horizontal Wells ◽  
Oil Fields ◽  
Target Zone ◽  
Hydraulic Stimulation ◽  
In Situ Stresses ◽  
Limited Entry ◽  
Casing Deformation

Abstract Casing Deformation has plagued numerous unconventional basins globally, in particular with plug-and-perforation (also known as plug-and-perf) operations. This infamous issue can greatly influence 20-30% of field productivity of horizontal wells in shale and tight oil fields (Jacobs, 2020). When a wellbore lies in a target zone and intersects many natural fractures, these fractures are perturbed by hydraulic stimulation. Therefore, rock or bedding slippage may occur, resulting in casing deformation. This phenomenon is escalated by active tectonics, high anisotropic in-situ stresses, and poor cement design. This paper evaluates the mechanisms of casing deformation. It reviews how these conditions can be evaluated in the target zone. The mitigation procedures to reduce casing deformation through either well planning or completions design are discussed. Finally, an alternative completion method to plug-and-perf allowing limited entry completion technique in restricted casing with a field case study will be discussed.

Geomechanically Driven Casing Deformation During Multistage Perf and Plug Fracturing Operations: Investigation and Mitigation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arjang Gandomkar ◽  
David Katz ◽  
Ricardo Gomez ◽  
Anders Gundersen
Keyword(s):  
Active Tectonics ◽  
Oil Fields ◽  
Hydraulic Stimulation ◽  
Limited Entry ◽  
Stress States ◽  
Failure Conditions ◽  
Casing Deformation ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Casing Deformation has presented itself in numerous unconventional basins. Severe deformation interferes with multistage fracturing, in particular with plug-and-perforation (also known as plug-and-perf) operations, the most common stage isolation method in unconventional development. Casing Deformation can greatly impact 20-30% of field productivity of horizontal wells in certain US shale and tight oil fields (Jacobs, 2020). Reservoir accessibility and well integrity are the two separate issues when considering casing deformation. In this paper, the impact of geomechanically driven casing deformation on reservoir accessibility that in turn affects production and economics, will be discussed. Origin of casing deformation within a target zone lies in natural fractures placed in highly anisotropic stress regimes. When these fractures are perturbed by hydraulic stimulation, slow slip or dynamic failure of the rock may occur. This phenomenon is intensified by active tectonics, high anisotropic in-situ stresses, and poor completion practices, i.e., poor cement. This paper evaluates these processes by demonstrating failure conditions of wellbores in different stress states and well orientations representative of unconventional basins. It reviews how these conditions can be evaluated in the reservoir, so risk can be estimated. The mitigation procedures to reduce casing deformation impact to operations through either well planning or completions design are discussed. Finally, this paper will also review an alternative completion method to plug-and-perf that allows limited entry completion technique in restricted ID casing due to casing deformation with a field case study.

The Effects of Perforation Erosion on Practical Hydraulic-Fracturing Applications

SPE Journal ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (02) ◽  
pp. 645-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gongbo Long ◽  
Guanshui Xu
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Horizontal Wells ◽  
In Situ Stress ◽  
Fluid Distribution ◽  
Fluid Viscosity ◽  
Appropriate Treatment ◽  
Limited Entry ◽  
Successful Design ◽  
Treatment Designs

Summary Predicting perforation erosion and its effects on fracture dimensions, fluid distribution, and pressure drop can be an essential part of successful design of hydraulic-fracturing treatments, especially for massive treatments along the horizontal wells when limited-entry techniques are implemented. Both the perforation diameter D and discharge coefficient Cd increase dynamically as proppant-laden slurries are pumped through perforations, making it necessary to consider the changes of these two variables in terms of time to predict the perforation-erosion effects. In this paper, we conduct a study of the perforation-erosion effects by implementing our new perforation-erosion model derived from experimentally verified abrasion mechanisms to calculate the rate changes of these two variables and the consequent influence on the fracture dimensions, fluid distribution, and downhole pressure during a treatment. The selected parameters affecting the erosion effects in the study include perforation number, perforation-cluster spacing, in-situ stress difference, and fracturing-fluid viscosity. The results demonstrate that our model can predict the perforation-erosion effects on practical hydraulic-fracturing applications in a physically clear and mathematically concise manner under different circumstances by inspecting the simultaneous increases of D and Cd separately, leading to more-appropriate treatment designs, especially with the limited-entry techniques.

scholarly journals Finite Element Modelling of Coupled Fluid-Flow and Geomechanical Aspects for the Sustainable Exploitation of Reservoirs: The Case Study of the Cavone Reservoir

Geosciences ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 213
Author(s):  
Elena Benvenuti ◽  
Giulia Maurillo
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Computational Models ◽  
In Situ Stress ◽  
Stress Fields ◽  
Flow Equations ◽  
Coupled Problem ◽  
In Situ Stresses

The study of the seismogenic mechanical effects induced by oil & gas activities is a socially impacting issue of environmental engineering as well as a challenging task in computational geomechanics. It requires the solution of a coupled problem governed by poroelastic and fluid flow equations in a faulted domain in the presence of in situ stress fields. As a viable alternative to state-of-the-art academical computational models, the present study contributes a simplified methodology based on a commercial Finite Element multiphysics software. The focus is on the evaluation of the link between the oil & gas activities of the Cavone oilfield reservoir, located in North Italy and adjacent to the Mirandola fault, and the recent seismic sequence that struck Emilia in May 2012. An operational coupled fluid-geomechanical procedure is developed where the Cavone reservoir is subjected to the typical in situ stresses, and the nearby Mirandola fault is modelled as an impervious thin layer.

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