Advanced Technique for Enhancing Fracture Conductivity in Tight-Gas Condensate Reservoirs through Applying Liquid Resins: Case Histories from Burgos Basin, Mexico

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this research was to identify challenges related to optimizing hydraulic fracturing in tight-gas condensate reservoirs using liquid resins to coat fracturing proppants. The selected case histories illustrate specific documented solutions of recent, successful approaches using this technology in the Burgos basin by analyzing production behavior before and after treatment in an exploratory well. When discussing post-treatment production evaluation, the immediate pressure response and water flowback are commonly the very first parameters to observe during the cleanup stage. This surging process may indicate whether the objective was reached or not. However, additional uncertainty can arise when undesired monthly decline rates are observed, suggesting a loss of conductivity that can be caused by several factors—fracture embedment, early diagenesis, proppant crushing, fines migration caused by high producing rates, and stress cycling, among others—compromising the propped fracture effectiveness. Real fracture growth during stimulation treatments, which can be monitored by microseismics, determines production longevity and is the actual criteria for determining fracturing success. This ultimate goal has been achieved in Burgos basin by applying the appropriate fracture design and considering a wide range of permeabilities present in the reservoir, as well as using proper geomechanical models along identified gas-condensate pay zones. Based on these findings, the recommended and applied treatment design used a liquid resin coating on 40 to 100% of the ceramic proppant, which was applied on-the-fly during pumping of the high-concentration proppant stages. This new technique led to obtaining an important production increase, maximizing reserves, and creating new opportunities for the operator to drill several wells in the area.