Proposal
A relatively new technique for applying fractures (both proppant fracs and acid fracs)1–3 in horizontal openhole and uncemented liner completions is giving operators a more effective method for stimulation of underachieving wells. The process incorporates the known technologies of hydrajetting and fracturing in a novel way to achieve individual fracture placement at several selected locations along the lateral without the need for mechanical isolation methods, usually with only one service trip to the location. Depending on the number of fracturing stages desired, most job times vary from 6 to 12 hr if there are no hole-entry, tool, or logistic problems.
Use of this new stimulation process continues to expand in the USA and Canada, and during the fourth quarter of 2002 and the first half of 2003, application of this process was successfully expanded beyond these original development areas to include offshore South America and a region of northern Asia. Before the end of 2003, numerous other locations around the globe are also planning to implement this stimulation technology on underperforming horizontal completions.
Although this stimulation technique can also be used for cemented liners, its unique ability to control fracture placement in openhole and uncemented liner applications will be the focus of this paper. Only a brief review the basic technology is presented here, as numerous earlier publications provide more detail. New case histories will be presented wherein the application of this process has provided the operator with a distinct improvement in well completion economics.
