Thermochemical-Pulse Fracturing of Tight Gas: Investigation of Pulse Loading on Fracturing Behavior

Unconventional and tight gas reservoirs are located in deep and competent formations, which requires massive fracturing activities to extract hydrocarbons. Some of the persisting challenges faced by operators are either canceled or non-productive fractures. Both challenges force oil companies to drill new substitutional wells, which will increase the development cost of such reservoirs. A novel fracturing method was developed based on thermochemical pressure pulse. Reactive material of exothermic components are used to generate in-situ pressure pulse, which is sufficient to create fractures. The reaction can vary from low pressure pulse, to a very high loading up to 20,000 psi, with short pressurization time. In this study, Finite Element Modeling (FEM) was used to investigate the impact of the generated pressure-pulse load, by chemical reaction, on the number of induced fractures and fracture length. Actual tests of pulsed fracturing conducted in lab scale using several block samples compared with modeling work. There was a great relationship between the pressure load and fracturing behavior. The greater the pulse load and pressurization rate, the greater the number of created fractures, and the longer the induced fractures. The developed novel fracturing method will increase stimulated reservoir volume of unconventional gas without introducing a lot of water to formation. Moreover, the new method can reduce formation breakdown pressure by around 70%, which will minimize number of canceled fracturing.

A mathematical model for estimating effective stimulated reservoir volume

This study presents a model application for the evaluation of Effective Stimulated Reservoir Volume (ESRV) in shale gas reservoirs. This current model is faster, cheaper, and readily available for estimating ESRV compared to previously published models. Key controlling parameters for efficient ESRV modeling, including geomechanical parameters and time, are considered for the model development. The model was validated for both single and multi-stage fractured reservoirs. For the single fractured reservoir, an ESRV of 3.07 × 106 ft3 was estimated against 3.99 × 106 ft3 of ESRV-FEM field data. Whereas, 7.00 × 109 ft3 ESRV was estimated from the multi-stage fractured reservoir against 7.90 × 109 ft3 of fractal-based model results. Stress dependence, time dependence, and permeability dependence of shale gas reservoirs are found to be essential parameters for the successful calculation of ESRV in reservoirs. An ESRV determined using this method can obtain the estimated ultimate recovery, propped volume, optimal fracture length, and spacing in fractured shale gas reservoirs.

Analyzing the Impacts of Meshing and Grid Alignment in Dual-Porosity Dual-Permeability Upscaling

Summary The discrete fracture network (DFN) model is widely used to simulate and represent the complex fractures occurring over multiple length scales. However, computational constraints often necessitate that these DFN models be upscaled into a dual-porositydual-permeability (DPDK) model and discretized over a corner-point grid system, which is still commonly implemented in many commercial simulation packages. Many analytical upscaling techniques are applicable, provided that the fracture density is high, but this condition generally does not hold in most unconventional reservoir settings. A particular undesirable outcome is that connectivity between neighboring fracture cells could be erroneously removed if the fracture plane connecting the two cells is not aligned along the meshing direction. In this work, we propose a novel scheme to detect such misalignments and to adjust the DPDK fracture parameters locally, such that the proper fracture connectivity can be restored. A search subroutine is implemented to identify any diagonally adjacent cells of which the connectivity has been erroneously removed during the upscaling step. A correction scheme is implemented to facilitate a local adjustment to the shape factors in the vicinity of these two cells while ensuring the local fracture intensity remains unaffected. The results are assessed in terms of the stimulated reservoir volume calculations, and the sensitivity to fracture intensity is analyzed. The method is tested on a set of tight oil models constructed based on the Bakken Formation. Simulation results of the corrected, upscaled models are closer to those of DFN simulations. There is a noticeable improvement in the production after restoring the connectivity between those previously disconnected cells. The difference is most significant in cases with medium DFN density, where more fracture cells become disconnected after upscaling (this is also when most analytical upscaling techniques are no longer valid); in some 2D cases, up to a 22% difference in cumulative production is recorded. Ignoring the impacts of mesh discretization could result in an unintended reduction in the simulated fracture connectivity and a considerable underestimation of the cumulative production.

Numerical Study on Mechanism and Parameters Optimization of Temporary Plugging by Particles in Wellbore

Summary The temporary plugging by particles in the wellbore can open new perforation clusters and increase stimulated reservoir volume, but the temporary plugging process of particles is not clear. Therefore, in this paper, we take an ultradeep well in the Tarim Basin as the research object and establish a numerical model based on the coupled computational fluid dynamics-discrete element technology (CFD-DEM) approach, which accurately describes the movement process and mechanism of the temporary plugging particles in the wellbore. Furthermore, the influence of flow rate, concentration of injected particles, and the injected mass ratio of particle size on the temporary plugging effect were studied, respectively. In addition, based on the results of the orthogonal experimental analysis, we obtained the pump rate as the primary factor affecting the effect of temporary plugging, and we recommended the optimal operation parameters for temporary plugging by particles in the field: The pump rate is 2 m3/min, the concentration of the injected temporary plugging particles is 20%, and the ratio of the mass of the injected temporary plugging particles with particle size 1 to 5 mm to the mass of the temporary plugging particles with particle size 5 to 10 mm is 3:1. Finally, a single well that had implemented temporary plugging by particles was used to verify the recommended optimal temporary plugging operation parameters. The research results of this paper provide important guidance and suggestions for the design of temporary plugging schemes on the field.

Production Analysis for Fractured Vertical Well in Coal Seam Reservoirs with Stimulated Reservoir Volume

The development and utilization of coalbed methane is of great significance to reduce carbon dioxide emission. Through the research, this paper presents a fast analytical solution method for the productivity of coalbed methane reservoir with finite-conductivity fractured well and stimulated reservoir volume region. Based on the dual-porosity flowing mechanism, combined with the Langmuir adsorb equation, Fick diffusion law, and Darcy law, a mathematical model considering diffusion in matrix and transport in natural fracture system is established, using spherical matrix to describe the transient steady-state sorption, and using cubic matrix to describe the pseudosteady-state sorption. Then, combined with the inner system and outer system, the analytical solution was obtained. Furthermore, the accuracy of the solution was validated against a numerical simulation. According to the Duhamel principle, the effect of wellbore storage and skin factor was got. Due to the SRV region, the linear flow and radial flow will appear before the pressure wave reach the outer region. And then, based on the pressure analysis result, we will have made the sensitivity analysis with different influence parameter. The result reveals that storage coefficient and conductivity factor mainly influence the early time; the permeability ratio and dimensionless SRV region radius mainly influence the property of SRV region. Finally, the analytical solution of the new model was applied to field history match. This model takes into account the adsorption and desorption characteristics of coalbed methane, as well as the SRV zones generated during fracturing. The calculation speed of the new model is increased while the calculation accuracy is retained, and the intensity of software application is reached. The model achieves the purpose of rapid evaluation and accurate prediction of gas well productivity and obtains a set of productivity evaluation method suitable for coalbed methane reservoir with fractured vertical well, which provides a basis for the development and productivity evaluation of coalbed methane reservoir in domestic and international cooperation.

Application Investigation of Light Proppant in Hydraulic Fracturing of Marcellus Shale

Slickwater-sand fracturing design is widely employed in Marcellus shale. The slickwater- sand creates long skinny fractures and maximizes the stimulated reservoir volume (SRV). However, due to the fast settling of sand in the water, lots of upper and deeper areas are not sufficiently propped. Reducing sand size can lead to insufficient fracture conductivity. This study proposes to use three candidate ultra-lightweight proppants ULWPs to enhance the fractured well performance in unconventional reservoirs. In step 1, the current sand pumping design is input into an in-house P3D fracture propagation simulator to estimate the fracture geometry and proppant concentrations. Next, the distribution of proppant concentration converts to conductivity and then to fracture permeability. In the third step, the fracture permeability from the second step is input into a reservoir simulator to predict the cumulative production for history matching and calibration. In step 4, the three ULWPs are used to replace the sand in the frac simulator to get new frac geometry and conductivity distribution and then import them in reservoir model for production evaluation. Before this study, the three ULWPs have already been tested in the lab to obtain their long-term conductivities under in-situ stress conditions. The conductivity distribution and production performance are analyzed and investigated. The induced fracture size and location of the produced layer for the current target well play a fundamental effect on ultra-light proppant productivity. The average conductivity of ULWPs with mesh 40/70 is larger and symmetric along the fracture except for a few places. However, ULWPs with mesh 100 generates low average conductivity and create a peak conductivity in limited areas. The ULW-3 tends to have less cumulative production compared with the other ULWPs. For this Marcellus Shale study, the advantages of ultra-lightweight proppant are restricted and reduced because the upward fracture height growth is enormous. And with the presence of the hydrocarbon layer is at the bottom of the fracture, making a large proportion of ULWPs occupies areas that are not productive places. The current study provides a guidance for operators in Marcellus Shale to determine (1) If the ULWP can benefit the current shale well treated by sand, (2) what type of ULWP should be used, and (3) given a certain type of ULWP, what is the optimum pumping schedule and staging/perforating design to maximize the well productivity. The similar workflow can be expanded to evaluate the economic potential of different ULWPs in any other unconventional field.

Investigation on the mechanism of hydraulic fracture propagation and fracture geometry control in tight heterogeneous glutenites

The tight heterogeneous glutenites are typically characterized by highly variable lithology, low/ultra-low permeability, significant heterogeneity, and a less-developed natural fracture system. It is of great significance for economic development to improve hydraulic fracture complexity and stimulated reservoir volume. To better understand the hydraulic fracturing mechanism, a large-scale experimental test on glutenite specimens was conducted and the hydraulic fracture propagation behaviors and focal mechanism were analyzed. A three-dimensional numerical model was developed to reproduce the hydraulic fracture evolution process and investigate the effects of operating procedures on hydraulic fracture geometry and stimulated reservoir volume. A simultaneous variable injection rate and fluid viscosity technology was proposed to increase the hydraulic fracture complexity and stimulated reservoir volume. The results indicate that four fracturing behaviors can be observed, namely, penetration, deflection, termination, and bifurcating, in the laboratory experiment. Tensile events tend to appear during the initiation stage of hydraulic fracture growth, while shear events and compressive events tend to appear during the non-planar propagation stage. The shear and compressive mechanisms dominate with an increase in the hydraulic fracture complexity. The variable injection rate technology and simultaneous variable injection rate and fluid viscosity technology are effective techniques for fracture geometry control and stimulated reservoir volume enhancement. The key to improve hydraulic fracture complexity is to increase the net pressure in hydraulic fractures, cause evident pressure fluctuations, and activate or communicate a wide range of natural discontinuities. The results can provide a better understanding of the fracture geometry control mechanism in tight heterogeneous glutenites, and offer a guideline for treatment design and optimization of well performance.

Pressure Response of a Horizontal Well in Tight Oil Reservoirs with Stimulated Reservoir Volume

Stimulated reservoir volume is an effective stimulation measure and creates a complex fracture network, but the description and characterization of fracture network are very difficult. Well test analysis is a common method to describe the fracture network, and it is the key to build a proper interpretation model. However, most published works only consider the shape of the fractured area or the stress sensitivity effect, and few works take both factors into account. In this paper, based on reservoir properties and flow law after a stimulated reservoir volume, an interpretation model is established with an arbitrary shape of the fractured area and stress sensitivity effect of different flow areas. The model is solved to conduct the pressure response using Laplace transform, point source function, and boundary element theory. The influence of fractures’ parameters and stress sensitivity effect is analyzed on the pressure behavior. Results from this study show that the special flow regimes for a horizontal well with a stimulated reservoir volume are (1) bilinear flow dominated by hydraulic fractures, (2) linear flow dominated by formation around the hydraulic fractures, (3) crossflow from a matrix system to the fractured area, and (4) radial flow control by properties of the fractured area. Parameters of hydraulic fractures mainly affect the early stage of pressure behavior. On the contrary, the stress-sensitive effect mainly affects the middle and late stages; the stronger the stress sensitivity effect is, the more obvious the effect is. The findings of this study can help for better understanding of the fracture network in a tight oil reservoir with a stimulated reservoir volume.