James J. Venditto

Oriented Perforations - A Rock Mechanics View

Hydraulic fracture initiation dictates the communication path between the wellbore and fracture plane. Nonplanar fracture geometries such as multiple, T-Shaped, and reoriented fractures are not advantageous and they adversely affect the potential to achieve a desired stimulation treatment. Oriented perforation can be the solution to initiate a single wide fracture in vertical and deviated wells. Also oriented perforations may be used to create stable tunnels in poorly consolidated formations thus avoiding sand failure and consequently preventing sand production. This paper presents laboratory experimental results related to oriented perforations for hydraulic fracturing. It also discusses the use of oriented perforation for sand control. Experiments were designed to investigate the effect of perforation orientation in vertical and horizontal wells on hydraulic fracturing treatment.

A Fracturing Technique To Minimize Water Production

A major problem in stimulating some formations has been the high production of formation water following fracturing treatments. This is generally considered to be due to the lack of a sufficient barrier to help prevent downward growth of the fracture from the hydrocarbon-producing zone into the water-producing interval. Thus, with conventional treatments, the undesirable water-producing zone may be fractured and propped during the fracturing treatment of the hydrocarbon-producing zone. A density-controlled fracturing technique has been developed that is capable of placing the proppant in the upper portion of a producing zone. The technique utilizes a high-density pad followed by a lower density treating fluid containing the proppant. This sequence allows the proppant to be preferentially placed in the upper portion of a vertical fracture.