U.S. patent application number 15/133255 was filed with the patent office on 2016-10-27 for method for orienting hydraulic fractures in multilateral horizontal wells.
The applicant listed for this patent is Schlumberger Technology Corporation. Invention is credited to Kreso Kurt Butula, Fikri John Kuchuk, Andrei Alexandrovich Osiptsov, Bertrand Theuveny.
Application Number | 20160312594 15/133255 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56412801 |
Filed Date | 2016-10-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160312594 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kuchuk; Fikri John ; et
al. |
October 27, 2016 |
METHOD FOR ORIENTING HYDRAULIC FRACTURES IN MULTILATERAL HORIZONTAL
WELLS
Abstract
The method for orienting hydraulic fractures in a subterranean
formation comprises injecting a first fluid into a first horizontal
wellbore penetrating the subterranean formation and open to the
formation in at least one specified segment and pressurizing the
first fluid in the first wellbore to create a stress field around
each specified segment of the first wellbore. A second pressurized
fracturing particle-laden fluid is simultaneously injected into a
second horizontal wellbore open to the formation in at least one
specified segment and vertically spaced apart from the first
wellbore for inducing fractures propagating from the specified
segments of the second wellbore towards the specified pressurized
segments of the first wellbore.
Inventors: |
Kuchuk; Fikri John; (Meudon,
FR) ; Theuveny; Bertrand; (Moscow, RU) ;
Osiptsov; Andrei Alexandrovich; (Moscow, RU) ;
Butula; Kreso Kurt; (Moscow, RU) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Schlumberger Technology Corporation |
Sugar Land |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
56412801 |
Appl. No.: |
15/133255 |
Filed: |
April 20, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 43/17 20130101;
E21B 43/267 20130101; E21B 2200/06 20200501 |
International
Class: |
E21B 43/26 20060101
E21B043/26; E21B 34/12 20060101 E21B034/12; E21B 43/267 20060101
E21B043/267 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 21, 2015 |
RU |
2015114753 |
Claims
1. A method for orienting hydraulic fractures in a subterranean
formation, the method comprising: injecting a first fluid into a
first horizontal wellbore that penetrates the subterranean
formation and is open to the formation in at least one specified
segment, pressurizing the first fluid in the first wellbore to
create a stress field around each specified segment of the first
wellbore, simultaneously injecting a second pressurized fracturing
particle-laden fluid into a second horizontal wellbore that is
vertically spaced apart from the first wellbore and is open to the
formation in at least one specified segment for inducing fractures
propagating from the specified segments of the second wellbore
towards the pressurized specified segments of the first
wellbore.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and the second wellbores
are lateral wellbores of a multilateral well.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second pressurized fracturing
particle-laden fluid is used as the first fluid injected into the
first wellbore.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first fluid injected into the
first wellbore is a natural gas.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first wellbore is open to the
formation through open perforation clusters.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first wellbore is open to the
formation though sliding sleeves.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second wellbore is open to the
formation through open perforation clusters.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the second wellbore is open to the
formation through sliding sleeves.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to Russian Application No.
2015114753 filed Apr. 21, 2015, which is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The invention is related to hydraulic fracturing of
subterranean formations for stimulation of oil and gas wells and
can be applied to any type of tight or low-permeability formations
(gas or oil bearing).
BACKGROUND
[0003] Hydraulic fracturing is the main method used for increasing
the productive capacity of a well through creation or expansion of
drains from a wellbore to oil-bearing formations. This operation is
generally accomplished by injecting a highly viscous liquid (a
fracturing fluid) containing a proppant into a well to pressurize
the latter so as to initiate a fracture in the earth formation.
[0004] There is known a method for optimizing hydraulic fracturing
by aligning wellbore perforations with the previously determined
direction of fracture propagation (U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,123). This
invention involves alignment of perforations produced by a variety
of perforating devices with the previously determined direction of
fracture propagation. That invention does not change the direction
of fracture propagation, it just makes it easier to open a fracture
by aligning perforations with the pre-determined direction of
fracture propagation.
[0005] There is also known a method for fracturing multilateral
wells disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,220,547. The method presents
fracturing the plurality of lateral wellbores in a single
completion run by isolating sequential lateral wellbores of the
plurality of lateral wellbores in descending order and delivering
fracturing fluid to each sequential lateral wellbore while
isolated. The method does not provide for creation of a fracture
intersecting two laterals at the same time.
SUMMARY
[0006] The disclosed method provides for increased productivity of
a well and high precision fracture placement due to controlled
fracture initiation and propagation.
[0007] The disclosure provides a method for orienting hydraulic
fractures in a subterranean formation. The method comprises
injecting a first fluid into a first horizontal wellbore
penetrating the subterranean formation and open to the formation in
at least one specified segment and pressurizing the first fluid in
the first wellbore to create a stress field around each specified
segment of the first wellbore. A second pressurized fracturing
particle-laden fluid is simultaneously injected into a second
horizontal wellbore open to the formation in at least one specified
segment and vertically spaced apart from the first wellbore for
inducing fractures propagating from the specified segments of the
second wellbore towards the specified pressurized segments of the
first wellbore.
[0008] According to embodiments of the invention, the first and the
second horizontal wellbores are lateral wellbores of a multilateral
well.
[0009] The first fluid injected into the first horizontal wellbore
can be a pressurized fracturing fluid or a natural gas. The second
pressurized fracturing particle-laden fluid can be used as the
first fluid.
[0010] The first wellbore and the second wellbore can be open to
the formation though open perforation clusters or a sliding
sleeves.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0011] Those skilled in the art should more fully appreciate
advantages of various embodiments of the present disclosure from
the following drawings:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of two lateral wellbores
penetrating a formation with an induced fracture in accordance with
one embodiment of the invention:
[0013] FIG. 2 a schematic view of two different horizontal
wellbores penetrating a formation with an induced fracture in
accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] The method is based on the fact that during injection of a
high pressure fracturing fluid in a wellbore, fractures occur that
propagate from the wellbore in the direction of a maximal stress of
the formation. The method includes creating hydraulic fractures by
injecting a pressurized particle-laden fracturing fluid into one
horizontal wellbore penetrating a formation and exposed to the
formation in some specified segments through open perforation
clusters or sliding sleeves, and by pressurizing another horizontal
wellbore vertically spaced apart from the first wellbore and also
open to the formation in the same number of specified segments
through open perforation clusters or sliding sleeves. Thereby, the
method creates fractures which propagate from the specified
segments of one horizontal wellbore towards the specified
pressurized segments of another horizontal wellbore.
Productivity/injectivity may be controlled via hydraulic
connectivity through the fractures between the two drains. Dynamic
control of fracture propagation allows high precision fracture
placement.
[0015] According to one embodiment of the disclosure (see FIG. 1)
vertically spaced-apart lateral wellbores 1 and 2, and according to
another embodiment of the disclosure (see FIG. 2) vertically spaced
apart different horizontal wellbores 1 and 2, are drilled, cased,
and cemented, and then connected to formation in specified segments
either through perforation clusters or by means of sliding sleeves
(not shown).
[0016] The wellbore 1 is used as an injector to pump a high
pressure fracturing fluid containing proppant and induce and
propagate at least one hydraulic fracture 3 from a segment 4 (or
several segments, not shown) open to the formation. The wellbore 2
is used to pressurize a specified segment 5 or several specified
segments (not shown) by filling the wellbore 2 with a fluid which
can be a fracturing fluid or any natural gas and by increasing
pressure. The high pressure fracturing fluid injected into the
wellbore 1 can be used to pressurize the specified segment 5 of the
wellbore 2.
[0017] However, pressurizing should not result in fracturing of the
wellbore 2, so pressure should not exceed fracture pressure, which
is determined case-by-case for specific rock properties. The
pressurization is done in order to create a specific stress field
shown by broken lines around each specified segment 5 of the
wellbore 2 (open to formation), which would attract the hydraulic
fractures 3 propagating from the wellbore 1 through the specified
segments 4 of the wellbore 1 in the direction 6 of a maximal stress
of the formation.
[0018] In a particular realization of the method described above
(see FIG. 1), we would consider one well drilled vertically for
1000 m and then branching in two laterals drilled horizontally in
parallel for 3000 m. The vertical spacing of the laterals is 100 m.
The reservoir is a low permeability Achimov formation. Four
perforation clusters are created in each of the laterals. Then the
method described above is applied to create four fractures
connecting both laterals and going from one respective perforation
cluster on one lateral to another perforation cluster on another
lateral. The fractures are created using YF140 fracturing fluid
with 100 mesh sand. The mixture of fracturing fluid with sand is
pumped to create each of the fractures at the flowrate of 8
m3/min.
[0019] Although the preceding description has been described herein
with reference to particular means and embodiments, it is not
intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather
it extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and
uses, such as are within the scope of an appended claims.
* * * * *