z-logo
Premium
Model‐Based Evaluation of Methods for Maximizing Efficiency and Effectiveness of Hydraulic Fracture Stimulation of Horizontal Wells
Author(s) -
Cheng C.,
Bunger A.P.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2019gl084809
Subject(s) - hydraulic fracturing , petroleum engineering , permeability (electromagnetism) , well stimulation , environmental science , fracture (geology) , greenhouse gas , fluid pressure , energy consumption , geology , geotechnical engineering , mechanics , engineering , reservoir engineering , petroleum , paleontology , oceanography , genetics , physics , membrane , electrical engineering , biology
Abstract Hydraulic fracturing enables oil and gas extraction from low‐permeability reservoirs, but there remains a need to reduce the environmental footprint. Resource use, contaminant‐bearing flowback water, and potential for induced seismicity are all scaled by the volume of injected fluid. Furthermore, the greenhouse gas emissions associated with each extracted unit of energy can be decreased by improving resource recovery. To minimize fluid use while maximizing recovery, a rapidly computing model is developed and validated to enable the thousands of simulations needed to identify opportunities for optimization. Lower pumping pressure approaches that minimize pressure loss through the wellbore perforations combined with nonuniform spacing are shown to be capable of substantially reducing fluid consumption and/or increasing created fracture surface area when the stress variation is mainly from fracture interaction instead of in situ stress. When in situ stress variation is dominant, “limited entry” methods promote more uniform growth but with higher pumping pressures and energy consumption.

This content is not available in your region!

Continue researching here.

Having issues? You can contact us here