stimulation

Matrix stimulation encompasses pumping processes used to improve the connection between the wellbore and the reservoir. They are effective in a wide range of lithologies and have been successful in most types of completions: cased and openhole, horizontal and vertical, simple and complex, injectors

Horizontal shale wells present the challenge of generating large, high-density fracture networks, reflecting the sub-microdarcy permeability of the formations drilled by these wells.

The elliptical (conical) damage profile associated with horizontal wells is well-known, but review of industry-wide applications by different operators shows no corresponding uniform correlation between the damage profile and actual treatment volumes that have been applied.

Novel multizone stimulation technologies have enabled the development of tight resources that previously could not be developed economically and have enabled optimization of production resources distributed over thick gross intervals.

This past spring, I had the opportunity to review more than 100 SPE paper abstracts as well as numerous full papers from those abstracts. To SPE’s credit, these abstracts all represent high-quality papers, making it difficult to select those to be highlighted for this feature.

The deepwater Gulf of Mexico is a technically and economically challenging production environment. High rates and ultimate recoveries are required per well to offset high development costs.

The Eagle Ford shale in Zavala County, Texas, is similar to many high-carbonate-content oil-shale formations.

Industry operations are shifting toward high-temperature (HT) downhole settings, expensive tubular metallurgy, and extended reach wells, while health, safety, and environmental requirements become stricter.