Method for controlling the trajectory of a hydraulic fracture in strata-containing natural fractures
a hydraulic fracture and strata-containing technology, applied in the direction of fluid removal, survey, borehole/well accessories, etc., can solve the problems of increasing the capital investment required for implementation of this method, the complexity of the criss-cross fracture network, and the inability of conventional tools intended for developing optimum hydraulic fracturing treatment strategies and based on planar distribution to produce the required effect when used, so as to achieve the effect of reducing the capital investment and improving efficiency and accuracy
Inactive Publication Date: 2013-12-05
SCHLUMBERGER TECH CORP
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Benefits of technology
The invention improves the control of hydraulic fracturing in formations containing natural fractures. This leads to higher efficiency and accuracy, while reducing the required capital investments.
Problems solved by technology
In such formations, the fracturing fluid penetrates so-called “connection branches,” thus creating a complex network of crisscross fractures.
It has become obvious that conventional tools intended for development of optimum hydraulic fracturing treatment strategies and based on planar distribution do not produce the required effect when used in the producing layers having a complex three-dimensional configuration.
However, the known method has disadvantages consisting in the fact that the proposed method is characterized by a great calculation resource intensity, which increases the capital investments required for implementation of this method.
In addition, the method does not include any design model correction to be made by comparing the calculated measurements and the actually obtained measurements, which increases the experimental error and results in a low accuracy of the method on the whole.
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[0021]There are many factors that control the complexity of a hydraulic fracture geometry. In cases where the hydraulic fracture interacts with a bedding layer, a natural fracture, or a fractional fault (all of them being hereinafter referred to as the “interface”), the hydraulic fracture may expand right through the interface, may end at the interface, or may continue to propagate at a certain offset along the interface (FIG. 3).
[0022]The key parameters which control the selection of one of the possible fracture propagation paths listed above include, but are not limited to, the following: a fracturing fluid injection rate (Q); a fracturing fluid viscosity (μ); a remote stress difference (σ1-σ3); interface properties, such as a friction (σ), an adhesion (C), an angle of approach (β) of the hydraulic fracture to the interface, and a gap (d) between the nearest hydraulic fracture tip and the interface (FIG. 1).
[0023]FIG. 2 shows possible hydraulic fracture propagation paths in case w...
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The method of controlling the parameters of a hydraulic fracture comprises creating a matrix of relationship between initial formation, injection and fracture parameters of and a predicted increment of a hydraulic fracture path. The matrix is used for retrieving and deriving the predicted increment of the fracture path, depending on the actual initial parameters of a fracture being created. The actual increment of the hydraulic fracture path is measured and compared with the predicted increment of the fracture path. In case of a discrepancy between the actual and predicted increments, the actual initial parameters of the fracture are changed.
Description
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE[0001]This invention relates to methods for controlling and optimizing parameters of a hydraulic fracture created during the hydraulic fracturing of oil-bearing and gas-bearing reservoirs containing an existing network of natural (geological) fractures, and can be used in appropriate oil and gas fields.BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE[0002]Hydraulic fracturing is a widely used method for stimulating hydrocarbon inflow from a formation into oil wells or gas wells. To ensure that the best economic result is achieved from the hydraulic fracturing treatment, a design model of the treatment is developed. This model is based on mechanical characteristics of the formation (such as formation stresses, moduli of elasticity and plasticity of the formation, cracking resistance, permeability, etc.), as well as on the selection of optimum parameters for injection of a fracturing fluid into the formation, including the selection of a proper fracturing fluid, proppants, injectio...
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Login to View More IPC IPC(8): E21B49/00E21B43/26
CPCE21B43/26
Inventor SIEBRITS, EDUARDCHUPRAKOV, DMITRY
Owner SCHLUMBERGER TECH CORP