Multi-stage hydraulic fracturing of horizontal wells is the main stimulation method in recovering gas from tight shale gas reservoirs, and stage spacing deter- mination is one of the key issues in fracturing design. T...Multi-stage hydraulic fracturing of horizontal wells is the main stimulation method in recovering gas from tight shale gas reservoirs, and stage spacing deter- mination is one of the key issues in fracturing design. The initiation and propagation of hydraulic fractures will cause stress redistribution and may activate natural fractures in the reservoir. Due to the limitation of the analytical method in calculation of induced stresses, we propose a numerical method, which incorporates the interaction of hydraulic fractures and the wellbore, and analyzes the stress distri- bution in the reservoir under different stage spacing. Simulation results indicate the following： （1） The induced stress was overestimated from the analytical method because it did not take into account the interaction between hydraulic fractures and the horizontal wellbore. （2） The hydraulic fracture had a considerable effect on the redis- tribution of stresses in the direction of the horizontal wellbore in the reservoir. The stress in the direction per- pendicular to the horizontal wellbore after hydraulic frac- turing had a minor change compared with the original in situ stress. （3） Stress interferences among fractures were greatly connected with the stage spacing and the distance from the wellbore. When the fracture length was 200 m, and the stage spacing was 50 m, the stress redistribution due to stage fracturing may divert the original stress pat- tern, which might activate natural fractures so as to generate a complex fracture network.展开更多
As a highly efficient production method, the technique of multi-branch horizontal well is widely used in low permeability reservoirs, heavy oil reservoirs, shallow layer reservoirs and multi-layer reservoirs, because ...As a highly efficient production method, the technique of multi-branch horizontal well is widely used in low permeability reservoirs, heavy oil reservoirs, shallow layer reservoirs and multi-layer reservoirs, because it can significantly improve the productivity of a single well, inhibit coning and enhance oil recovery. Study on sweep efficiency and parameters optimization of multi-branch horizontal well is at the leading edge of research. Therefore, the study is important for enhancing oil recovery and integral exploitation benefit of oil fields. In many applications, streamline simulation shows particular advantages over finite-difference simulation. With the advantages of streamline simulation such as its ability to display paths of fluid flow and acceleration factor in simulation, the flooding process is more visual. The communication between wells and flooding area has been represented appropriately. This method has been applied to the XS9 reservoir in Daqing Oilfield. The production history of this reservoir is about 10 years. The reservoir is maintained above bubble point so that the simulation meets the slight compressibility assumption. New horizontal wells are drilled following this rule.展开更多
To resolve the issue of design for multi-stage and multi-cluster fracturing in multi-zone reservoirs, a new efficient algorithm for the planar 3 D multi-fracture propagation model was proposed. The model considers flu...To resolve the issue of design for multi-stage and multi-cluster fracturing in multi-zone reservoirs, a new efficient algorithm for the planar 3 D multi-fracture propagation model was proposed. The model considers fluid flow in the wellbore-perforation-fracture system and fluid leak-off into the rock matrix, and uses a 3 D boundary integral equation to describe the solid deformation. The solid-fluid coupling equation is solved by an explicit integration algorithm, and the fracture front is determined by the uniform tip asymptotic solutions and shortest path algorithm. The accuracy of the algorithm is verified by the analytical solution of radial fracture, results of the implicit level set algorithm, and results of organic glass fracturing experiment. Compared with the implicit level set algorithm(ILSA), the new algorithm is much higher in computation speed. The numerical case study is conducted based on a horizontal well in shale gas formation of Zhejiang oilfield. The impact of stress heterogeneity among multiple clusters and perforation number distribution on multi-fracture growth and fluid distribution among multiple fractures are analyzed by numerical simulation. The results show that reducing perforation number in each cluster can counteract the effect of stress contrast among perforation clusters. Adjusting perforation number in each cluster can promote uniform flux among clusters, and the perforation number difference should better be 1-2 among clusters. Increasing perforation number in the cluster with high in situ stress is conducive to uniform fluid partitioning. However, uniform fluid partitioning is not equivalent to uniform fracture geometry. The fracture geometry is controlled by the stress interference and horizontal principal stress profile jointly.展开更多
A novel laboratory simulation method for modeling multi-staged fracturing in a horizontal well was established based on a true tri-axial hydraulic fracturing simulation system. Using this method, the influences of net...A novel laboratory simulation method for modeling multi-staged fracturing in a horizontal well was established based on a true tri-axial hydraulic fracturing simulation system. Using this method, the influences of net pressure in hydraulic fracture, stage spacing, perforation parameter, horizontal stress bias and well cementation quality on the propagation geometry of multiple fractures in a tight sandstone formation were studied in detail. The specimen splitting and analogy analysis of fracturing curve patterns reveals: Multiple fractures tend to merge under the condition of high horizontal stress bias and short stage spacing with pre-existing hydraulic fractures under critical closure situation, and the propagation of subsequent fractures is possibly suppressed because of high net pressure in pre-created fractures and asymmetric distribution of fracture width. And the subsequently created fractures are situated in the induced stress decreasing zone due to long stage spacing, leading to weak stress interference, and perforation with intense density and deep penetration facilitates the decrease of initiation fracture pressure. The deflection angle of subsequent fracture and horizontal stress variation tend to be amplified under low horizontal bias with constant net pressure in fractures. The longitudinal fracture is likely to be initiated at the interface of wellbore and concrete sample with poor cementation quality. The initiation fracture pressure of the different stages increases in turn, with the largest increase of 30%. Pressure quickly declines after initiation with low propagation pressure when the transverse hydraulic fracture is formed. The pressure reduces with fluctuation after the initiation of fracture when the fracture deflects, the extension pressure is high, and the fracture formed is tortuous and narrow. There is a violently fluctuant rise of pressure with multiple peak values when longitudinal fracture created, and it is hard to distinguish the features between the initiation stage and propagation stage.展开更多
BZ oilfield in Bohai Bay of China was a typical offshore low permeability oilfield, which was restricted by many factors such as environment and economy. In this paper, the development characteristics of BZ oilfield w...BZ oilfield in Bohai Bay of China was a typical offshore low permeability oilfield, which was restricted by many factors such as environment and economy. In this paper, the development characteristics of BZ oilfield were summarized in depth, and the new development mode of offshore low-permeability oilfield was explored from reservoir prediction, well spacing and fracturing technology. Taking BZ oilfield as an example, a set of technical system for the effective development of offshore low permeability oilfield had been formed through research, which mainly includes reservoir prediction and evaluation of offshore middle and deep low permeability oilfield, optimization of horizontal well pattern, multi-stage fracturing design of horizontal well and other technologies. The results show that improving the resolution of seismic data, strengthening the analysis of seismic reflection characteristics and carrying out the comprehensive study of seismic geology were the keys to solve the reservoir prediction of offshore low-permeability oil fields. Multi-stage fracturing horizontal well pattern is the main pattern of offshore low-permeability oilfield development. The parameters of multi-stage fracturing horizontal well together affect the development effect. Selecting the optimal fractured horizontal well pattern can greatly improve the development effect. The successful combination and application of new technology system was the foundation and core of conquering offshore low-permeability oil fields. On the basis of understanding the geological characteristics of oil reservoirs, it is an effective means of developing offshore low-permeability oil fields by selecting reasonable production methods, well types and well patterns. Using efficient perforation and fracturing technology to successfully control fracture parameters and form optimal injection and production well pattern was the key to improve low permeability offshore oil fields.展开更多
A flow mathematical model with multiple horizontal wells considering interference between wells and fractures was established by taking the variable width conductivity fractures as basic flow units.Then a semi-analyti...A flow mathematical model with multiple horizontal wells considering interference between wells and fractures was established by taking the variable width conductivity fractures as basic flow units.Then a semi-analytical approach was proposed to model the production performance of full-life cycle in well pad and to investigate the effect of fracture length,flow capacity,well spacing and fracture spacing on estimated ultimate recovery(EUR).Finally,an integrated workflow is developed to optimize drilling and completion parameters of the horizontal wells by incorporating the productivity prediction and economic evaluation.It is defined as nested optimization which consists of outer-optimization shell(i.e.,economic profit as outer constraint)and inner-optimization shell(i.e.,fracturing scale as inner constraint).The results show that,when the constraint conditions aren’t considered,the performance of the well pad can be improved by increasing contact area between fracture and formation,reducing interference between fractures/wells,balancing inflow and outflow between fracture and formation,but there is no best compromise between drilling and completion parameters.When only the inner constraint condition is considered,there only exists the optimal fracture conductivity and fracture length.When considering both inner and outer constraints,the optimization decisions including fracture conductivity and fracture length,well spacing,fracture spacing are achieved and correlated.When the fracturing scale is small,small well spacing,wide fracture spacing and short fracture should be adopted.When the fracturing scale is large,big well spacing,small fracture spacing and long fracture should be used.展开更多
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51490653, Basic Theoretical Research of Shale Oil and Gas Effective Development)
文摘Multi-stage hydraulic fracturing of horizontal wells is the main stimulation method in recovering gas from tight shale gas reservoirs, and stage spacing deter- mination is one of the key issues in fracturing design. The initiation and propagation of hydraulic fractures will cause stress redistribution and may activate natural fractures in the reservoir. Due to the limitation of the analytical method in calculation of induced stresses, we propose a numerical method, which incorporates the interaction of hydraulic fractures and the wellbore, and analyzes the stress distri- bution in the reservoir under different stage spacing. Simulation results indicate the following： （1） The induced stress was overestimated from the analytical method because it did not take into account the interaction between hydraulic fractures and the horizontal wellbore. （2） The hydraulic fracture had a considerable effect on the redis- tribution of stresses in the direction of the horizontal wellbore in the reservoir. The stress in the direction per- pendicular to the horizontal wellbore after hydraulic frac- turing had a minor change compared with the original in situ stress. （3） Stress interferences among fractures were greatly connected with the stage spacing and the distance from the wellbore. When the fracture length was 200 m, and the stage spacing was 50 m, the stress redistribution due to stage fracturing may divert the original stress pat- tern, which might activate natural fractures so as to generate a complex fracture network.
文摘As a highly efficient production method, the technique of multi-branch horizontal well is widely used in low permeability reservoirs, heavy oil reservoirs, shallow layer reservoirs and multi-layer reservoirs, because it can significantly improve the productivity of a single well, inhibit coning and enhance oil recovery. Study on sweep efficiency and parameters optimization of multi-branch horizontal well is at the leading edge of research. Therefore, the study is important for enhancing oil recovery and integral exploitation benefit of oil fields. In many applications, streamline simulation shows particular advantages over finite-difference simulation. With the advantages of streamline simulation such as its ability to display paths of fluid flow and acceleration factor in simulation, the flooding process is more visual. The communication between wells and flooding area has been represented appropriately. This method has been applied to the XS9 reservoir in Daqing Oilfield. The production history of this reservoir is about 10 years. The reservoir is maintained above bubble point so that the simulation meets the slight compressibility assumption. New horizontal wells are drilled following this rule.
基金China National Science and Technology Major Project(2016ZX05023).
文摘To resolve the issue of design for multi-stage and multi-cluster fracturing in multi-zone reservoirs, a new efficient algorithm for the planar 3 D multi-fracture propagation model was proposed. The model considers fluid flow in the wellbore-perforation-fracture system and fluid leak-off into the rock matrix, and uses a 3 D boundary integral equation to describe the solid deformation. The solid-fluid coupling equation is solved by an explicit integration algorithm, and the fracture front is determined by the uniform tip asymptotic solutions and shortest path algorithm. The accuracy of the algorithm is verified by the analytical solution of radial fracture, results of the implicit level set algorithm, and results of organic glass fracturing experiment. Compared with the implicit level set algorithm(ILSA), the new algorithm is much higher in computation speed. The numerical case study is conducted based on a horizontal well in shale gas formation of Zhejiang oilfield. The impact of stress heterogeneity among multiple clusters and perforation number distribution on multi-fracture growth and fluid distribution among multiple fractures are analyzed by numerical simulation. The results show that reducing perforation number in each cluster can counteract the effect of stress contrast among perforation clusters. Adjusting perforation number in each cluster can promote uniform flux among clusters, and the perforation number difference should better be 1-2 among clusters. Increasing perforation number in the cluster with high in situ stress is conducive to uniform fluid partitioning. However, uniform fluid partitioning is not equivalent to uniform fracture geometry. The fracture geometry is controlled by the stress interference and horizontal principal stress profile jointly.
文摘A novel laboratory simulation method for modeling multi-staged fracturing in a horizontal well was established based on a true tri-axial hydraulic fracturing simulation system. Using this method, the influences of net pressure in hydraulic fracture, stage spacing, perforation parameter, horizontal stress bias and well cementation quality on the propagation geometry of multiple fractures in a tight sandstone formation were studied in detail. The specimen splitting and analogy analysis of fracturing curve patterns reveals: Multiple fractures tend to merge under the condition of high horizontal stress bias and short stage spacing with pre-existing hydraulic fractures under critical closure situation, and the propagation of subsequent fractures is possibly suppressed because of high net pressure in pre-created fractures and asymmetric distribution of fracture width. And the subsequently created fractures are situated in the induced stress decreasing zone due to long stage spacing, leading to weak stress interference, and perforation with intense density and deep penetration facilitates the decrease of initiation fracture pressure. The deflection angle of subsequent fracture and horizontal stress variation tend to be amplified under low horizontal bias with constant net pressure in fractures. The longitudinal fracture is likely to be initiated at the interface of wellbore and concrete sample with poor cementation quality. The initiation fracture pressure of the different stages increases in turn, with the largest increase of 30%. Pressure quickly declines after initiation with low propagation pressure when the transverse hydraulic fracture is formed. The pressure reduces with fluctuation after the initiation of fracture when the fracture deflects, the extension pressure is high, and the fracture formed is tortuous and narrow. There is a violently fluctuant rise of pressure with multiple peak values when longitudinal fracture created, and it is hard to distinguish the features between the initiation stage and propagation stage.
文摘BZ oilfield in Bohai Bay of China was a typical offshore low permeability oilfield, which was restricted by many factors such as environment and economy. In this paper, the development characteristics of BZ oilfield were summarized in depth, and the new development mode of offshore low-permeability oilfield was explored from reservoir prediction, well spacing and fracturing technology. Taking BZ oilfield as an example, a set of technical system for the effective development of offshore low permeability oilfield had been formed through research, which mainly includes reservoir prediction and evaluation of offshore middle and deep low permeability oilfield, optimization of horizontal well pattern, multi-stage fracturing design of horizontal well and other technologies. The results show that improving the resolution of seismic data, strengthening the analysis of seismic reflection characteristics and carrying out the comprehensive study of seismic geology were the keys to solve the reservoir prediction of offshore low-permeability oil fields. Multi-stage fracturing horizontal well pattern is the main pattern of offshore low-permeability oilfield development. The parameters of multi-stage fracturing horizontal well together affect the development effect. Selecting the optimal fractured horizontal well pattern can greatly improve the development effect. The successful combination and application of new technology system was the foundation and core of conquering offshore low-permeability oil fields. On the basis of understanding the geological characteristics of oil reservoirs, it is an effective means of developing offshore low-permeability oil fields by selecting reasonable production methods, well types and well patterns. Using efficient perforation and fracturing technology to successfully control fracture parameters and form optimal injection and production well pattern was the key to improve low permeability offshore oil fields.
基金Supported by the China National Science and Technology Major Project(2016ZX05037,2017ZX05063).
文摘A flow mathematical model with multiple horizontal wells considering interference between wells and fractures was established by taking the variable width conductivity fractures as basic flow units.Then a semi-analytical approach was proposed to model the production performance of full-life cycle in well pad and to investigate the effect of fracture length,flow capacity,well spacing and fracture spacing on estimated ultimate recovery(EUR).Finally,an integrated workflow is developed to optimize drilling and completion parameters of the horizontal wells by incorporating the productivity prediction and economic evaluation.It is defined as nested optimization which consists of outer-optimization shell(i.e.,economic profit as outer constraint)and inner-optimization shell(i.e.,fracturing scale as inner constraint).The results show that,when the constraint conditions aren’t considered,the performance of the well pad can be improved by increasing contact area between fracture and formation,reducing interference between fractures/wells,balancing inflow and outflow between fracture and formation,but there is no best compromise between drilling and completion parameters.When only the inner constraint condition is considered,there only exists the optimal fracture conductivity and fracture length.When considering both inner and outer constraints,the optimization decisions including fracture conductivity and fracture length,well spacing,fracture spacing are achieved and correlated.When the fracturing scale is small,small well spacing,wide fracture spacing and short fracture should be adopted.When the fracturing scale is large,big well spacing,small fracture spacing and long fracture should be used.
