Horizontal Wellbore Fracture Network for Simultaneous Injection and Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low-permeability formations face challenges in hydrocarbon production due to rapid pressure decline and low recovery rates, with conventional methods like fracturing, water-flooding, and gas-flooding limited by permeability constraints and fracture intersection issues.
Innovation Solution
A method involving drilling horizontal wellbores with parallel fractures for simultaneous injection and production, using injection and production tubing strings to manage fluid flow and pressure, and optimizing fracture spacing to prevent intersection and enhance hydrocarbon recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional fracturing is used to increase initial production rates, then productivity is improved, but pressure decline becomes more rapid and recovery rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by injecting fluid into the formation before production to pre-establish pressure support and fracture networks. This preliminary fluid injection creates conductive pathways and maintains formation pressure, allowing the well to produce at high rates without experiencing rapid pressure decline during subsequent production phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary fluid (such as water or gas) that is injected into the formation to mediate between the reservoir pressure and production demands. This intermediary fluid maintains pressure in the formation, preventing rapid pressure decline while enabling sustained hydrocarbon production through the fracture network.
2Productivity
If fracture spacing is reduced to increase coverage, then productivity is improved, but fracture intersection occurs reducing effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the fracture system adaptable and controllable after creation. Through adjustable flow control devices and可调 injection rates, the system can dynamically optimize fluid distribution across multiple fractures, maintaining effectiveness even when fractures are closely spaced and potentially intersecting, thereby achieving both high coverage and sustained reliability.
3Quantity of substance
If water-flooding or gas-flooding is used to displace hydrocarbons, then recovery rate is improved, but injection pressure constraints and plugging limit effectiveness in low-permeability formations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the injection system into multiple independent fracture zones, each with its own injection and flow control capabilities. This segmentation allows pressure to be distributed across multiple pathways rather than concentrated in a single high-pressure injection well, enabling effective displacement in low-permeability formations without exceeding injection pressure constraints or causing plugging.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly increases hydrocarbon recovery rates and extends production life by maintaining pressure and reducing fracture intersection, leading to more efficient and economic hydrocarbon extraction from low-permeability formations.
Implementation Method 1
injecting a fluid, that increases pressure in an area of the formation adjacent to the first fracture
Data Source
AI summary
A method for drilling a wellbore in the formation, wherein the wellbore is approximately horizontal; forming two or more fractures in the formation from the wellbore; receiving fracture performance data about the two or more fractures; analyzing the fracture performance data; selecting one or more fractures for injection and selecting one or more fractures for production based on the analysis of the fracture performance data; and completing the wellbore such that injection into the one or more fractures selected for injection and production from the one or more fractures selected for production may occur simultaneously.