Hydraulic fracture geometry and proppant distribution in thin interbedded shale oil reservoirs

Small-scale true triaxial sand fracturing experiments are conducted on thin interbedded shale samples made from cores of Permian Lucaogou Formation shale oil reservoir in Jimsar sag, Junggar Basin, NW China. Combined with high-precision CT scanning digital core model reconstruction technology, hydraulic fracture geometry and proppant distribution in thin interbedded shale oil reservoirs are studied. The research shows that: In thin interbedded shale oil reservoir, the interlayer difference of rock mechanics and the interlayer interface near the wellbore cannot restrain the growth of fracture height effectively, but has a significant impact on the fracture width distribution in the fracture height direction. Hydraulic fractures in these reservoirs tend to penetrate into the adjacent layer in “step-like” form, but have a smaller width at the interface deflection, which hinders the transport of proppant in vertical direction, resulting in a poor effect of layer-crossing growth. In shale layers with dense laminae, hydraulic fractures tend to form “丰” or “井” shapes. If the perforated interval is large in rock strength and high in breakdown pressure, the main fracture is fully developed initially, large in width, and supported by enough sand. In contrast, if the perforated interval is low in strength and rich in laminae, the fracturing fluid filtration loss is large, the breakdown pressure is low, the main fracture will not open wide initially, and likely to have sand plugging. Proppant is mainly concentrated in the main hydraulic fractures with large width near the perforated layer, activated laminae, branch fractures and fractures in adjacent layers contain only a small amount of(or zero) proppant. The proppant is placed in a limited range on the whole. The limit width of fracture that proppant can enter is about 2.7 times the proppant particle size.

Theoretical Study on Quantitative Characterization of Interlayer Interference in Multi-Layer Commingled Production

X oilfield is a typical layered reservoir with a large vertical span and many oil-bearing formations. There are significant differences in reservoir types and fluid properties among various formations. The interlayer interference is severe in the development process. At present, the interlayer interference research based on dynamic monitoring data cannot meet development adjustment needs. Combined with the field test results, through the indoor physical simulation experiment method, dynamic inversion method, and reservoir engineering method, this paper analyzes the main control factors and interference mechanism of interlayer interference, studies the variation law of interference coefficient, improves and forms the quantitative characteristic Theory of interlayer interference in multi-layer commingled production, and provides theoretical guidance for the total adjustment of the middle strata division in the oilfield.