Case Study: The Research Progress of Using Stimulation Technologies in Horizontal Wells to Develop Low-permeability Reservoirs

Abstract

Abstract In the last three years, the horizontal well technology was developed at high speed in PetroChina, and the number of applications was more than 3000 by the end of 2008. This paper focuses on the stimulation technologies in horizontal wells and the latest research progress of using them to develop low-permeability reservoirs in PetroChina. To solve the problem in the development of low-permeability reservoirs, PetroChina carried out the researches including the adaptability study of drilling horizontal wells in low-permeability reservoirs, the matching relationship study of horizontal wells with different well patterns, the stimulation technologies, such as fundamental acid fracturing technology, staged hydraulic fracturing technology in a perforation completed horizontal well, liquid slug staged fracturing technology, mechanically staged fracturing technology and limited-entry fracturing technology, etc. Several breakthroughs had been made in the key technology research, and the new technology had been applied to 405 wells in field tests, which acquired good effect during 2007 to 2009. After stimulation, the maximum individual well production came up to 4.2 times of the adjacent wells, and a great deal of experience had been accumulated during these tests at the same time which would provide technical support for the application of horizontal wells in the development of low-permeability reservoirs.