Transversly Multi-Fractured Horizontal Wells: A Recipe for Success

Abstract

Blazing the Way in Horizontal Well Fracturing in Algeria: The First Successful Transverse Multi-Fractured Well Michael John Economides; Michael John Economides U. of Houston Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Andronikos S. Demarchos; Andronikos S. Demarchos MJE Consultants Inc. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Matteo Marongiu Porcu Matteo Marongiu Porcu Groupment Sonatrach-Agip Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Paper presented at the SPE Russian Oil and Gas Technical Conference and Exhibition, Moscow, Russia, October 2006. Paper Number: SPE-102263-MS https://doi.org/10.2118/102263-MS Published: October 03 2006 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Get Permissions Search Site Citation Economides, Michael John, Demarchos, Andronikos S., and Matteo Marongiu Porcu. "Blazing the Way in Horizontal Well Fracturing in Algeria: The First Successful Transverse Multi-Fractured Well." Paper presented at the SPE Russian Oil and Gas Technical Conference and Exhibition, Moscow, Russia, October 2006. doi: https://doi.org/10.2118/102263-MS Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Search Dropdown Menu nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentAll ProceedingsSociety of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)SPE Russian Petroleum Technology Conference Search Advanced Search AbstractWhile the hydraulic fracturing of vertical wells is perhaps the most widely used method for production/injection enhancement in the petroleum industry, the fracturing of horizontal wells has been used sparsely, mostly in the United States and the North Sea. Usually this involves either longitudinal fractures or treatments with no regard to the well orientation and fracture azimuth.The systematic transverse fracturing of horizontal wells poses several challenges in design and optimization and in operations and execution. A multi-fracture design and a feasibility study are performed to identify candidates for both a technical and an economic success. We used a fractured vertical well as the basis of our calculations and we have determined the dimensionless PI as the means to evaluate the attractiveness of multiple transverse fractures intersecting a horizontal well.In previous publications we have presented the Unified Fracture Design and how its adaptation by several companies and researchers led to major new successes. The drainage shape and flow regime in transversely fractured wells differs significantly from vertical wells. The Unified Fracture Design had to be adapted with shape factors to account for the differences. We are showing a series of designs using a range of sizes of fracture volumes, different proppant types and drainage sizes.For treatment execution, traditional methods of perforating may increase the probability of failure. The types of reservoir which are candidates for these treatments such as multi-layered reservoirs will almost surely affect the fracture initiation, and, as usual, composite materials show higher mechanical resistances compared to homogeneous materials. A new abrasive jet cutting tool has now been designed and built specifically for this type of jobs.In this paper we will present all the design and operational challenges that will be faced in such fracturing project, and make recommendations for successful treatmentsIntroductionFrom an operations point of view, fracturing vertical wells is by far the easiest to perform, in design, optimization and execution. The merits of horizontal wells vs vertical fractured wells have been the subject of many publications in the past. Diyashev and Economides (2005) have shown how reservoir thickness and reservoir permeability and permeability anisotropy can tilt the balance towards either the vertical fractured well or the horizontal non-fractured well. Keywords: flow in porous media, drilling operation, hydraulic fracturing, proppant, Upstream Oil & Gas, fracturing materials, Directional Drilling, Fluid Dynamics, transverse fracture, conductivity Subjects: Drilling Operations, Hydraulic Fracturing, Reservoir Fluid Dynamics, Directional drilling, Fracturing materials (fluids, proppant), Flow in porous media This content is only available via PDF. 2006. Society of Petroleum Engineers You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.