Philippe Michel Jacques Tardy

Changing The Game In The Stimulation of Thick Carbonate Gas Reservoirs

In this paper we present details of the approach utilized to optimize the completion and stimulation campaign in the continued development of a large gas carbonate field in the Middle East. A new acid diverter was deployed along with a revised placement model, field calibrated to more accurately predict treatment pressure responses, to optimize treatment design and to maximize diversion in this layered reservoir. Results presented include typical stimulation treatment plots alongside model post treatment pressure history matches, pre and post stimulation production logs, clean up data and well test interpretations. We also present details on how this new approach facilitated the execution of simultaneous drilling and well intervention operations.

Production Forecast after Hydraulic Fracturing in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs: Coupling a Complex Fracturing Simulator and a Semi- Analytical Production Model

The growing interest in exploiting shale resources is generating new technologies in fracture modeling and reservoir simulation. In the presence of pre-existing natural fractures, hydraulic fracture propagation and prop pant distribution can be very complex. Developing the tools to understand fr acture propagation and its link to production in sh ale reservoirs is one of the major technological challenges that the industr y is facing today. These challenges are being addre ssed with new hydraulic fracture simulators and production models for compl ex hydraulic fracture networks in shale reservoirs. However, the coupling between these two technologies is not matu re yet. This paper presents a simple automated workflow fro m simulating hydraulic fracture propagation in natu rally fractured reservoirs to the subsequent production. This work documents the coupling of an existing complex fract uring simulator with a new production model. The complex fracture model considers interactions with natural fractures, stre ss shadow effects and proppant placement. The production model is based on a semi-analytical approach applied to the discret e hydraulic fracture network. The analytical solution used to simulate t he flow from the matrix into the fracture network i s simple and well known, but it relies on the assumption of constant pressure in the fracture which can only be obtained with infinite fracture conductivity. An original feature of this model is an algorithm to extend the validity of the analytic al solution to all fracture conductivities, by calculating a local “time delay” based on mass balance. The validity of this appro ach is illustrated by a comparison with results from a standard reservoir s imulator. The simple automated workflow that combines the two simulators gives the opportunity to investigate the relation between production and fracture treatment design in naturally fractured reservoirs. This paper illustrates the ap plication of the workflow to realistic cases and th e sensitivity of several design parameters that affect well performance.