Open AccessGas production from a silty hydrate reservoir in the South China Sea using hydraulic fracturing: A numerical simulation
Author(s) -
Sun Jiaxin,
Ning Fulong,
Liu Tianle,
Liu Changling,
Chen Qiang,
Li Yanlong,
Cao Xinxin,
Mao Peixiao,
Zhang Ling,
Jiang Guosheng
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
energy science and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.638
H-Index - 29
ISSN - 2050-0505
DOI - 10.1002/ese3.353
Subject(s) - cabin pressurization , hydraulic fracturing , petroleum engineering , geology , natural gas field , clathrate hydrate , permeability (electromagnetism) , directional drilling , hydrate , drilling , environmental science , geotechnical engineering , natural gas , engineering , waste management , organic chemistry , mechanical engineering , chemistry , aerospace engineering , membrane , biology , genetics
The low permeability of silty hydrate reservoirs in the South China Sea is a critical issue that threatens safe, efficient, and long‐term gas production from these reservoirs. Hydraulic fracturing is a potentially promising stimulation technology for such low‐permeability reservoirs. Here, we assess the gas production potential of a depressurization horizontal well that is assisted by the hydraulic fracturing using numerical simulation according to field data at site SH 2 in this area. In addition, the number of horizontal wells drilled is discussed if commercial production is to be performed at this site. The results show that the production potential can be significantly stimulated at the early production stage by adopting hydraulic fracturing in this reservoir due to a better depressurization effect. However, the increase in gas recovery gradually decreases with the continuous dissociation of gas hydrates, and the evolution trend is similar to that in a reservoir without stimulation during later periods of gas production because the dissociation front gradually moves away from the fractures. From the perspective of production potential, using a horizontal well scheme assisted by the hydraulic fracturing technology for gas recovery from a hydrate deposit can sharply reduce the number of operation wells, shorten the drilling operation time, and boost the economic efficiency. The horizontal well scheme may be an effective way to increase the gas yield if the application of quickly deployed horizontal wells and hydraulic fracturing techniques in such hydrate reservoirs greatly increases in the near future.