Tariq Almubarak

The First Successful Multistage Acid Frac of an Oil Producer in Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, conventional oil reservoirs have been treated using conventional stimulation methods. Th e challenge is that many of the formations now are tighter and require improved stimulation methods. Fracturing is a major topic discussed in the industry as of late and as such, using it in this formation will serve as a trial to shift from conventional stimulation methods to fracturing when facing tighter formations. Th is particular acid frac was performed in a tight carbonate formation. Th e chosen well is a newly drilled trilateral producer completed with a multistage frac completion in the motherbore and will serve as a pilot well for this reservoir in the area. Th e acid frac was a seven stage completion utilizing hydraulic fracturing. Several methods using pressure and injection were used to determine reservoir fracturing response and petrophysical properties. Th is paper will discuss the fi rst multistage acid frac performed in an oil producer in Saudi Arabia. It will examine the entire process of candidate assessment, job preparation, and execution. In addition, the paper will discuss challenges faced, solutions taken, and the post-decision results. Th e paper will show how an injectivity test performed preand post-frac was used as a benchmarking tool to analyze the eff ectiveness of the frac. Finally, we will discuss the fl ow back of the well, initial results, lessons learned, and optimization of future jobs. Introduction While developing new reservoirs in a certain area, diffi culty arises in the lack of experience when deciding how to complete a well. As such, the goal is to identify reservoir characteristics and properties and align them with the most common approaches when it comes to well completion. Th e targeted reservoir in this case was characterized to be a porous tight carbonate formation. Th e reservoir displayed porosity values in areas indicating remarkable reservoir property. Th e method when targeting new reservoirs is to use the Multistage Acid Frac 34