Integrated modeling of fracturing-flowback-production dynamics and calibration on field data: Optimum well startup scenarios

Abstract

We aim at the development of a general modelling workflow for design and optimization of the well flowback and startup operation on hydraulically fractured wells. Fracture flowback model developed earlier by the authors is extended to take into account several new fluid mechanics factors accompanying flowback, namely, viscoplastic rheology of unbroken cross-linked gel and coupled “fracture-reservoir” numerical submodel for influx from rock formation. We also developed models and implemented new geomechanical factors, namely, (i) fracture closure in gaps between proppant pillars and in proppant-free cavity in the vicinity of the well taking into account formation creep; (ii) propagation of plastic deformations due to tensile rock failure from the fracture face into the fluid-saturated reservoir.We carried out parametric calculations to study the dynamics of fracture conductivity during flowback and its effect on well production for the set of parameters typical of oil wells in Achimov formation of Western Siberia, Russia. The first set of calculations is carried out using the flowback model in the reservoir linear flow regime. It is obtained that the typical length of hydraulic fracture zone, in which tensile rock failure at the fracture walls occurs, is insignificant. In the range of rock permeability in between 0.01 mD and 1 D, we studied the effect of non-dimensional governing parameters as well as bottomhole pressure drop dynamics on oil production. We obtained a map of pressure drop regimes (fast, moderate or slow) leading to maximum cumulative oil production. The second set of parametric calculations is carried out using integrated well production modelling workflow, in which the flowback model acts as a missing link in between hydraulic fracturing and reservoir commercial simulators. We evaluated quantitatively effects of initial fracture aperture, proppant diameter, yield stress of fracturing fluid, pressure drop rate and proppant material type (ceramic and sand) on long-term well production beyond formation linear regime. The third set of parametric calculations is carried out using the flowback model history-matched to field data related to production of four multistage hydraulically fractured oil wells in Achimov formation of Western Siberia, Russia. On the basis of the matched model we evaluated geomechanics effects on fracture conductivity degradation. We also performed sensitivity analysis in the framework of the history-matched model to study the impact of geomechanics and fluid rheology parameters on flowback efficiency.