On multistage hydraulic fracturing in tight gas reservoirs: Montney Formation, Alberta, Canada

Abstract

The combination of horizontal drilling and multistage hydraulic fracturing technology has unlocked production of petroleum from tight/shale rock. Prediction of single or multistage hydraulic fracturing treatments along horizontal wells in tight formations remains a challenge and thus optimization of these stimulation treatments is difficult. Currently, there are few effective approaches to characterize multistage hydraulic fracturing in tight rock reservoirs. In this paper, we use a three-dimensional tight rock simulator based on the Unconventional Fracture Model (UFM) to understand multistage hydraulic fracturing in the Montney Formation in Alberta, Canada. We use geological and geomechanical properties, stress magnitude and orientation, completion and production data to history match and characterize fracture volume and conductivity in the Montney Formation. Predictions of fractures from the history-matched reservoir model reveal the strong connection between the fracture conductivity and reservoir permeability, elastic rock properties as well as stresses distributions. The field example demonstrates how stress maps and rock properties calculated from density and gamma logs are integrated to yield predictive hydraulic fracturing capability. This study illustrates the critical role of reservoir permeability on fracture extent and conductivity. This workflow can be used to develop strategies for (1) refracturing of existing wells, (2) design and number of perforations, and (3) prediction of fracture propagation in later stages.