Multi-stage hydraulic fracturing simulation methodology at the wells of the gas condensate field X

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to select the optimal method for multi-stage hydraulic fracturing simulation at the wells of a large gas condensate field X in conditions of low-permeability reservoirs and potential risk of condensate loss in the near bottomhole zone with a decrease in reservoir pressure. At the moment, there are many ways to simulate hydraulic fracturing, each of which is characterized by its advantages and disadvantages. For specific simulation conditions, it is necessary to choose the most optimal method of hydraulic fracturing simulation, which allows you to correctly simulate all the effects that are expected during development. Within the framework of the current work, the most common numerical methods of hydraulic fracturing simulation were described in abstract, their advantages and disadvantages for specific conditions of field X were reflected. Special attention was paid to the comparison of hydraulic fracturing simulation techniques using virtual perforations and local grid refinement, since these techniques are the most common ways to set hydraulic fracturing in existing hydrodynamic simulators. Scenario calculations were carried out, which made it possible to determine the limits of applicability of various methods, compare the correctness of reproducing downhole effects, quantify the deviation of the calculation results of different methods from the reference calculation. In addition, in the course of the work, various features of the application of the hydraulic fracturing simulation through local grid refinement were described, which were revealed experimentally. As a result, for multi-stage hydraulic fracturing simulation was used a method in which the cells with hydraulic fracturing are logarithmically chopped relative to the original grid. This method allows to simulate the actual rate of decline in well productivity in conditions of low reservoir permeability, and also allows to simulate in the hydrodynamic model the effect of condensate precipitation in the near bottomhole zone and the subsequent decrease in gas productivity.