IPTC 16610
Production Optimization with Hydrau
lic Fracturing: Application of Fluid
Technology to Control Fracture Height Gr
owth in Deep Hard
-Rock Formation
Mohammad Al-Dhamen, Saudi Aramco; Areiyando Makmun and Ahmed Hilal, Schlumberger
Copyright 2013, International Petroleum Technology Conference
This paper was prepared for presentation at the International Petroleum Technology Conference held in Beijing, China, 26 - 28 M
arch 2013.
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Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing is frequently used to create th
e reservoir-wellbore connectivity required to produce the
hydrocarbon from tight formations. Many factors can be cons
idered as risks to the success of operations. One arises in
reservoirs with a water-bearing zone in close proximity to the
net pay. Many times, the risk of fracture growth into the
water zone limits the stimulation opt
ions and eliminates the option of a hydraulic fracturing treatment, thereby
constraining the well’s future production. The challenges incre
ase when the reservoirs are deep, hot, and exhibit a high
Young’s modulus. Under these conditions, it greatly increases th
e risk of an early screenout, and the introduction of
fracturing fluid into the formation before a high-conductivit
y proppant pack is fully placed will damage the formation
and hinder production.
In Saudi Arabia, a well in a relatively new field encompassed
all three challenging characteristics. The target reservoir
section was between two water-bearing zones, had high
bottomhole temperature, and high Young’s modulus.
Traditional polymer-based crosslinked fluids would a
ddress the challenges from the perspective of proppant
placement. However, these thick crosslinked fluids would al
so risk in uncontrolled fracture growth into the water
zones. A polymer-free, high-temperature viscoelastic surfactant
(VES) fracturing fluid was used to balance the risks of
incomplete proppant placement, formation damage, and fr
acture growth that would result in water production.
The VES fluid selected for treatment of Well SH-3 has a low
viscosity compared to that of a traditional crosslinked
fluid; it therefore generates less net pressure and thus lowers
the risk of the fracture growing into the water zones. It
also has excellent capacity to carry
and suspend proppant. To increase its e
fficiency, the VES fluid was further
enhanced by using a degradable fluid-loss additive.
Pumped on a conservative schedule, the hydraulic fracturing
treatment placed 61,500 lbm of proppant into the thin
reservoir section between two water-bearing zones without any
operational issues. The Minifrac analysis, stress profile
calculation, and fracture geometry characterization, as
well as no water production, has confirmed the controlled
fracture height growth. Furthermore, pre- and post-stimul
ation analyses validated the improved productivity, giving a
successful stimulation option for the development of this field.
