Low-Cost Multi-Stage Fracturing Using Plugging Particles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional multi-stage multi-cluster fracturing in oil and gas wells often results in uneven fracture growth due to heterogeneity of reservoir rocks and stress interference, leading to inefficient production and high construction costs, as many fractures fail to initiate and extend uniformly.
Innovation Solution
A low-cost single-cluster fracturing method using high-concentration plugging particles to block fractures, combined with coiled tubing for sequential perforation, fracturing, and plugging, allowing for controllable hydraulic fracture growth and uniform stimulation without the need for expensive bridge plugs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multi-stage multi-cluster fracturing is used, then production stimulation is attempted, but uneven fracture growth occurs due to reservoir heterogeneity and stress interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the fracturing process into multiple independent stages, with each stage treating only one perforation cluster. This segmentation eliminates fluid competition between clusters, ensuring each fracture receives sufficient fracturing fluid and grows uniformly to the desired size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary plugging of the fracture inlet using high-concentration plugging particles before the next fracturing stage. This preliminary action prevents fluid leakage into previously treated fractures, ensuring all fracturing fluid is directed to the current treatment zone and maintaining uniform fracture growth.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional single-cluster fracturing with bridge plugs is used, then uniform stimulation is achieved, but construction cost increases due to expensive plugging tools
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, reusable bridge plugs with inexpensive, disposable plugging particles that are injected into the fracture. These particles form a plug that blocks the fracture inlet, achieving the same function as bridge plugs but at a fraction of the cost. The plugging particles are discarded after use, eliminating the need for expensive tool retrieval operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical bridge plug system with a fluid-based plugging particle system. Instead of mechanically inserting and retrieving bridge plugs, the system uses hydraulic injection of plugging particles that automatically form plugs at the fracture inlet, simplifying the mechanical complexity and reducing costs.
3Productivity
If multi-stage multi-cluster fracturing is used, then multiple fractures are created, but many scheduled fractures fail to initiate due to fluid supply competition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fracturing operation into sequential single-cluster treatments, eliminating fluid competition between multiple clusters. Each cluster receives dedicated fluid supply, ensuring reliable fracture initiation and growth. This segmentation guarantees that all scheduled fractures can initiate and extend as planned.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary plugging of treated fractures before proceeding to the next cluster. This preliminary action prevents fluid diversion to already-treated zones, ensuring sufficient fluid supply to initiate and grow fractures in subsequent clusters, thereby increasing the success rate of scheduled fracture initiation.
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 method ensures uniform stimulation and reduces construction costs by optimizing fracture growth, increasing the success rate of plugging, and allowing all fractures to reach preset sizes, thereby enhancing well production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a plugging structure is formed by high-concentration plugging particles at the end of each fracturing treatment, to block the fracture
Implementation Method 2
Horizontal well fracturing is a key technology for stimulating low-permeability reservoirs. The technology is expected to create a number of densely-distributed hydraulic fractures in the reservoir
Implementation Method 3
use the coiled tubing tools to successively complete the perforation, fracturing and plugging
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a method for realizing uniform stimulation for the oil and gas well by low-cost multi-stage fracturing, comprising the following steps: first calculate and predict the inlet widths of the fracture created in the planned hydraulic fracturing; then design the plugging scheme for blocking the fracture inlet after each fracturing treatment; the selected plugging particles are composed of filling particles and skeleton particles, with designed plugging scheme; after complete the design of plugging scheme, perform the fracturing treatment to create hydraulic fracturing in the reservoir; skeleton particles and filling particles are added into the fractures successively according to plan. The present invention provides a multi-stage single-cluster fracturing method, with the advantages of controllable fracture sizes and low cost. The present invention can realize a good uniformity of stimulation for the oil and gas wells.