HYDRAULIC FRACTURING: KEY PLAYERS
Microseismic fracture
monitoring can help
ensure stimulation
objectives are met.
(Image courtesy of
Schlumberger)
Schlumberger
With technologies that span every active shale play
worldwide, Schlumberger offers a variety of hydraulic
fracturing solutions. Two of these technologies – the
HiWAY flow-channel hydraulic fracturing and StimMORE shale diversion service – are being used in the
Eagle Ford and Bakken shale areas.
According to the Schlumberger website, the HiWAY
flow-channel hydraulic fracturing changes the way
proppant fractures generate conductivity by creating
open pathways inside the fracture. This then enables
hydrocarbons to flow through the stable channels in
addition to the proppant pack which helps connectivity between the reservoir and the well bore and
reduces water and proppant consumption.
This technology was demonstrated in the Eagle
Ford Shale where a large operator wanted to improve
production from wells. According to the case study, the
formation was composed of limestones and shales
with 7% to 10% porosity, 200 nD to 600 nD, 8,000-psi
to 10,000-psi reservoir pressure, and 4.1 Mpsi to 8.4
Mpsi Young’s modulus. Additionally, high fracturing
gradients and bottomhole static temperatures of
280°F – 310°F at depths between 11,800 ft and 12,200
ft posed challenging conditions for successful execution of the fracturing treatments.
This section of the Eagle Ford Shale has generally
been stimulated using multistage horizontal completions with high-rate slickwater treatments. These
treatments bring a logistical challenge since millions of gallons of water and millions of pounds of
proppant per well are required. The limited availability of water and proppant in the area bring further constraints.
This operator evaluated the HiWAY technique in a
four-well study. Two wells were stimulated with the
HiWAY technique while two other wells were stimulated simultaneously in a conventional method.
The landing of the wells was planned to provide the
best possible basis for comparison and drilled from a
single pad in opposite directions. The other two wells
were located in opposite directions 3,500 ft away and
parallel to the first two wells. The average lateral length
for each pair of wells differed by only 1%.
During the first 60 days after stimulation, the wells
treated with the HiWAY technique produced an aver-
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING: KEY PLAYERS
age of 26,535 bbl of condensate with 30.1 MMcf of
associated gas. The wells treated conventionally produced an average of 18,555 bbl of condensate with 18.7
MMcf of associated gas. The average wellhead flowing
pressure for the wells treated with HiWAY was 2,156
psi versus 1,916 psi for the conventional wells. The
HiWAY technique increased condensate and gas production by 43% and 61% respectively while delivering
higher flowing pressures.
The amount of water and proppant used per well
also was reduced by 58% and 35%, respectively. The
operator saved more than 10 million gal of water and
2.6 million lbm of proppant in the two wells stimulated with the HiWAY system. As a result, the operator
requested the use of the HiWAY technology on future
wells within its lease.
Another Schlumberger technology, the StimMORE
shale diversion service, combines fluid-based, tool-free
fracture diversion technology with StimMAP LIVE
real-time microseismic monitoring. Microseismic data
delivered while the fracture treatment is pumped
allows real-time enhancement of fracture treatments.
The service is suited to horizontal well multiple-frac
completions, both cased hole and open hole.
The StimMORE service has been used primarily in
the Barnett Shale where the temperature range is
between 160°F and 250°F and where narrow fracture
widths less than 4 mm are expected.
Because it is fluid-based, StimMORE diversion
slurries can be pumped on the fly as part of the
main treating fluid, diverting the fracture as needed.
By using a multicomponent blend of degradable
materials, StimMORE slurries temporarily block
fractures, diverting fluid flow and inducing the creation of additional fractures along the well bore.
The slurries degrade completely after the fracturing
treatment has been completed and leave no residual
formation damage.
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