Fracturing/pressure pumping
This paper presents findings reinforcing the argument that acid fracturing is a strong alternative stimulation method to improve productivity in the Austin Chalk formation.
Output is rising fast in the South American shale play and putting Argentina on a course to soon reach 1 million B/D.
This case study presents a procedure in which the operator compared production from wells with adjusted wettability to a control group, finding that the adjustments resulted in significant improvements in production and reductions in produced water.
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Two places that illustrate the mounting challenges facing the shale business are the Bakken Shale in North Dakota, where the number of working rigs is one-third what it was a year ago, and the Fayetteville Shale in Arkansas, where there are no more working rigs. -
What is observed when an unconventional well is fractured is often at odds with what was expected by those who planned the job.
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When it comes to hydraulic fracturing, steadiness may not be a virtue. That was the conclusion of a test to see if rapid pump rate variations would lead to greater production than conventionally fractured stages when the pressure was held steady.
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The integration of microseismic data with 3D seismic attributes, and well log and completions data is used to understand geomechanical rock properties.
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Understanding how much rock is being stimulated and propped is critical for unconventional producers. New imaging methods using electromagnetic energy or acoustic microemitters could represent a milestone in understanding what is left behind after fracturing.
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A new proppant exhibits a neutrally wet surface, which does not have a preferential affinity for oil, gas, or water and therefore will not promote the preferential entrapment of any phase within the proppant pack.
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Hydraulic fracturing exerts transient geomechanical forces near the wellbore, enabling a brief time interval in which a second hydraulic fracture can be created in a different direction.
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The oil-economy downturn will not affect the areas where research, development, and application of novel technologies are absolutely necessary for the commercialization of hydrocarbon.
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While many factors may influence fracture-height evolution in multilayer formations, the consensus is that the so-called “equilibrium height belonging to a certain treating pressure” provides an upper limit, at least for nonnaturally fractured media.
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A new unconventional proppant technology—a rod-shaped proppant—delivered 25% higher oil per net pay compared with offset wells using conventional proppant.
