Recent Stimulation Results in the Weir Sandstone

Abstract

Abstract The Weir zone in West Virginia is comprised of three separate sandstones that are Lower Mississippian in age and fall within the Price formation. The Weir sandstone of southeastern West Virginia is characterized by a near shore fluvial dominated delta front environment causing a gas bearing reservoir. Stimulation of the Weir sandstones is necessary for economic recovery of gas reserves. This study provides background on the Upper Weir sandstone of McDowell, Mercer and Wyoming counties of West Virginia and focuses on historical stimulation treatments involving parameters such as amount of proppant and injection rate influencing the Estimated Ultimate Recovery (EUR). An extensive database containing geology, completion, stimulation and production data from the Upper Weir sandstone in southeastern West Virginia was utilized in this study. Single zone completion and adequate production history, greater than 12 months, were the criteria for well selection from the database of Weir wells in the southeastern West Virginia area. The total proppant placed was the major contributing factor in the resultant EUR. Increasing the total proppant not only increases the EUR but also decreases the number of wells to effectively drain the reservoir. From the results, economic analysis was completed to provide guidelines to achieve economic recovery from the Upper Weir sandstone in southeastern West Virginia.