Chapter 14: Flowback and Early-Time Production Data Analysis Available to Purchase

Long horizontal wells completed in multiple hydraulic fracturing stages (multifractured horizontal wells, or MFHWs) are currently the technology of choice for exploiting “unconventional” reservoirs exhibiting low permeability, such as shale gas/oil reservoirs. A typical stimulation treatment strategy is to pump massive volumes of fracturing fluid, plus proppant, into a horizontal well in a series of stages. In the case of shales and other “tight” reservoirs with ultralow permeability, these treatments generally are designed to maximize the surface area of the reservoir contacted by hydraulic fractures, and possibly to increase the permeability of the reservoir in the near-hydraulic fracture region. It is now well-known (e.g., Warpinski et al. 2008) that unconventional reservoirs are typically characterized by complex fracture geometries. The degree of complexity depends on a combination of in-situ stresses, rock fabric and mechanical properties, and the stimulation treatment itself, among other factors. One of the biggest challenges facing the development, planning, and operations of unconventional reservoirs is the prediction of the geometry and other properties of the hydraulic fractures. These predictions, though difficult, are necessary to optimize hydraulic fracturing treatment design, stage spacing, and well spacing. Well performance, hydrocarbon recovery, and capital investment are all affected by these development decisions.