Introduction to Fracturing

Objectives, concepts and main concerns

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Well Stimulation
Stimulation is a chemical or mechanical method of increasing flow capacity to a well. Wellbore Clean-up:
Chemical Treatment Perf Wash

Fluids not injected into formation

Matrix Stimulation:
Matrix Acidizing Chemical Treatment

Injection below frac pressure

Fracturing
Acid Frac Propped Frac
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Injection above frac pressure

Applications for hydraulic fracturing

Low natural permeability Natural production below economic potential Skin By-Pass or higher permeability and soft formations. Fracture for Sand Control The injected fluid is pumped at a rate above the fracture pressure of the reservoir to create cracks or fractures within the rock itself.

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Propped frac & Acid frac

open fracture during job

fracture tends to close once the pressure has been released

sand used to prop the frac open

acid etched frac walls

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Acid frac
Bottom hole pressure above fracturing pressure Acid reacts with the formation Fracture is etched Formation must retain integrity without fracture collapse

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Hydraulic fracturing
Creates Deep Penetrating Fractures to : Improve productivity Interconnect formation permeability Improve ultimate recovery By-passes damage Increase injectivity

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Objectives of well fracturing

Maximize the NPV on well drilling and completion investment
Increase hydrocarbon production rate Increase the reservoir economical life Increase reserves

Reduce, or overcome, near wellbore damage Stimulation for reservoir management

Efficient drainage of laminated formations Delaying the onset of water production Sand control
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Post stimulation production increase

600 500 400

Pre-stimulation production

Post-stimulation production

BOPD

300

Well Stimulation
200 100 0 0 20 40 60 80 100

Well Economic Limit

Time (months)

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Radial Flow
Close to the well velocity increases Higher velocity generates higher pressure drop This high pressure drop destabilizes the formation (collapse, sand production, fines production, scales, etc)

P2 P1 Pr > P1 > P2> P3 > Pwf

Pr

P3 P3

P2 P2

P1 P1 Pr

P r

Pr

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Frac objectives (high permeability)

Linear Flow Bypass damage Increase wellbore connectivity Minimize stress effect Reduce velocities, minimizing fines movement
damaged zone bi-linear flow path

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Frac objectives (low permeabilities)

Increase production or injectivity by creating an high conductivity channel Improve communication of fluids between the well and the reservoir.
with with Pr = Cst Q = Cst increase of the rate Q produces/injects with lower P.

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Effect of the fracture

Pr (Pwf)frac

(Pwf)damage

The reduction in drawdown is a very important effect on production: less velocity near the wellbore, less erosion, higher Pwfs. Tendencies for scaling and sludge precipitation are reduced.

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Modification of reservoir flow

Linear Flow: Early times and for infinite conductivity fractures

Bi-linear Flow: Finite conductivity fractures

Pseudo-radial Flow: Long time

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Applications of Hydraulic fracturing

Connect discontinuous hydrocarbon bearing formations production from lenticular formations Connect naturally fissured system Assure production from laminated intervals Hydraulic fracturing for sand control

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Connecting lenticular reservoirs

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Natural fissured systems

Sub - Parallel Fissures

Orthogonal Fissures

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Laminated formations
Ensure wellbore connectivity with all producing intervals
Pay stimulated by a fracture treatment

Pay stimulated by an acid treatment

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Fracturing for sand control

Pressure

Reduced drawdown in formation sand production

Distance

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Harsh fracturing environments

Very high permeability ( 1-2 Darcy ) Weak barriers to fracture height growth Very high pore pressure (i.e. overpressurized reservoirs) Formations with a high degree of natural fissures Proximity to oil-water contact Lenticular formations bounded by higher stressed formations

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Typical fracturing formations

Very tight formations => mD permeability Wells with significant damage Good producing wells (high permeability formations) Fracture for Sand Control

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Equivalent wellbore
rw rw

' rw=rwes
For example, rw = 0.4 ft s = -3 rw = 8 ft

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Non-dimensional fracture conductivity

FCD

kP w = k XF

Expresses the influence of the fracture on the well conductivity

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FCD and equivalent wellbore

Low Permeability
1.00

r w' / x f

r' w =

xf
0.10

Low Permeability xf limited

High Permeability
0.01 0.1

High Permeability kf w limited

10

100

1000

r' w = 0.28

kf w k

FCD

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Nolte-Smith plot

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Linear gel and crosslinking gel

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Fines and impurities

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