Natural Gas Geoscience

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Estimation of fracture volume and its surface area on stimulated shale gas wells by material balance method

Yang Bin1,You Li-jun1,Kang Yi-li1,He Zhi-jun1,2,Li Xiang-chen1   

  1. 1.State Key Laboratory of Oil &Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitationin Southwest Petroleum University,Chengdu 610500,China;
    2.West Sichuan Gas Production Plant,SINOPEC Southwest Oil & Gas Company,Deyang 618000,China
  • Received:2017-04-05 Revised:2017-06-15 Online:2017-07-10 Published:2017-07-10

Abstract:

The flowback data of stimulated shale gas wellusually show different features along with well production process,and consequently the data may be divided into two stages: the early gas production stage (EGP) and late gas production stage (LGP) according to the changes ofgas water ratio(GWR).The early stage indicates a two-phase flow,and the water phase is the dominant because the gas supply of shale matrix to the fracture network is still insufficient.Also,in this stage,the whole fracture network (including primary fractures,secondary fractures and connected natural fractures) can be regarded as a closed system.This paper established a material balance model to estimate the stimulated fracture volume and surface area via the early stage flowback data,and the validity of this model was verified through two field cases of Longmaxi Formation shale gas wells.The results showed that fracture volume of the analyzed wells was about 70% of the total injected fluid volume,and the fracture surface area reached 107m2.Huge fracture surface area indicatedthat complex fracture network had beenformed during fracturing,which couldsignificantly increase the drainage area of the stimulated wells.The analyticalresults of this model agreed well with the flowback data and well production characteristics.It further demonstratesthat this approach is an effective method to evaluate the fracture parameters of stimulated wells,and is of significance to field evaluation of fractured shale gas wells.

Key words: Shale gas, Flowback stages, Material balance, Fracture volume, Fracture surface area

CLC Number: 

  • TE122.1

[1]Wang Yuman,Dong Dazhong,Li Xinjing,et al.Stratigraphic sequence and sedimentary characteristics of Low Silurian Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin and its peripheral areas[J].Natural Gas Industry,2015,35(3):12-21.[王玉满,董大忠,李新景,等.四川盆地及其周缘下志留统龙马溪组层序与沉积特征[J].天然气工业,2015,35(3):12-21.]
[2]Chen Qiang,Kang Yili,You Lijun,et al.Micro-structure of gas shales and its effect on gas mass transfer[J].Natural Gas Geoscience,2013,24(6):1299-1306.[陈强,康毅力,游利军,等.页岩微孔结构及其对气体传质方式影响[J].天然气地球科学,2013,24(6):1299-1306.]
[3]Zou Caineng,Dong Dazhong,Wang Yuman,et al.Shale gas in China:characteristics,challenges and prospects (Ⅱ)[J].Petroleum Exploration and Development,2016,43(2):166-178.[邹才能,董大忠,王玉满,等.中国页岩气特征、挑战及前景(二)[J].石油勘探与开发,2016,43(2):166-178.]
[4]Fu Haifeng,Liu Yunzhi,Liang Tiancheng,et al.Laboratory study on hydraulic fracture geometry of Longmaxi Formation shale in Yibin area of Sichuan Province[J].Natural Gas Geoscience,2016,27(2):2231-2236.[付海峰,刘云志,梁天成,等.四川省宜宾地区龙马溪组页岩水力裂缝形态实验研究[J].天然气地球科学,2016,27(2):2231-2236.]
[5]Warpinski N.Microseismic monitoring:Inside and out[J].Journal of PetroleumTechnology,2009,61(11):80-85.
[6]Makhanov K,Habibi A,Dehghanpour H,et al.Liquid uptake of gas shales:A workflow to estimate water loss during shut-in periods after fracturing operations[J].Journal of Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources,2014,7:22-32.
[7]Ghanbari E,Dehghanpour H.Impact of rock fabric on water imbibition and salt diffusion in gas shales[J].International Journal of Coal Geology,2015,138:55-67.
[8]Ghanbari E,Dehghanpour H.The fate of fracturing water:A field and simulation study[J].Fuel,2016,163:282-294.
[9]Wu Tianpeng.The Effective Fracture Volume Evaluation of Shale Gas Wells Based on Flowback Data[C].Yinchuan:National Natural Gas Annual Conference of China,2016.[吴天鹏.基于返排数据的页岩气井压后裂缝体积评价[C].银川:全国天然气学术年会,2016.]
[10]Liu Naizhen,Liu Ming,Zhang Shicheng.Flowback patterns of fractured shale gas wells[J].Natural Gas Industry,2015,35(3):50-54.[刘乃震,柳明,张士诚.页岩气井压后返排规律[J].天然气工业,2015,35(3):50-54.]
[11]Abbasi M A,Ezulike D O,Dehghanpour H,et al.A comparativestudy of flowback rate and pressure transient behavior in multifractured horizontalwells completed in tight gas and oil reservoirs[J].Journal of Natural Gas Science & Engineering,2014,17:82-93.
[12]Ilk D,Currie S M,Symmons D,et al.A Comprehensive Workflow for Early Analysis and Interpretation of Flowback Data from Wells in Tight Gas/Shale Reservoir Systems[C].Florence,Italy:SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition,2010.
[13]Adefidipe O,Dehghanpour H,Virues C.Immediate Gas Production from Shale Gas Wells:A Two-phase Flowback Model[C].Woodlands,USA:SPE Unconventional Resources Conferences,2014.
[14]Xu Y,Adefidipe O,Dehghanpour H.Estimating fracture volume using flowback data from the Horn River Basin:A material balance approach[J].Journal of Natural Gas Science & Engineering,2015,25:253-270.
[15]Xu Y,Adefidipe O,Dehghanpour H.A flowing material balance equation for two-phase flowback analysis[J].Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering,2016,142:170-185.
[16]Lavor A,Tronvoll J.Mechanics of Borehole Ballooning in Naturally-fractured Formations[C].Kingdom,Bahrain:SPE Middle East Oil and Gas Show and Conference,2005.
[17]Majidi R,Miska S Z,Yu M,et al.Fracture Ballooning in Naturally Fractured Formations:Mechanism and Controlling Factors[C].Denver,USA:SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition,2008.
[18]Li Daqi.Numerical and Experimental Investigations of Drilling Fluid Losses in Fractured Formations[D].Chengdu:Southwest Petroleum University,2012.[李大齐.裂缝性地层钻井液漏失动力学研究[D].成都:西南石油大学,2012.]

[1] Zhao Wen-tao,Jing Tie-ya,Wu Bin,Zhou You,Xiong Xin. Controlling mechanism of faults on the preservation conditions of shale gas:A case study of Wufeng-Longmaxi Formations in Southeast Chongqing [J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2018, 29(9): 1333-1344.
[2] Xia Peng,Wang Gan-lu,Zeng Fan-gui,Mou Yu-liang,Zhang Hao-tian,Liu Jie-gang. The characteristics and mechanism of high-over matured nitrogen-rich shale gas of Niutitang Formation,northern Guizhou area [J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2018, 29(9): 1345-1355.
[3] Kang Yi-li,Dou Lian-dong,You Li-jun,Chen Qiang,Cheng Qiu-yang. Ionic dissolution behaviors of organic shale soaked in oxidizing liquid for reservoirs stimulation [J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2018, 29(7): 990-996.
[4] Zeng Fan-hui,Wang Xiao-wei,Guo Jian-chun,Zheng Ji-gang,Li Ya-zhou,Xiang Jian-hua. A productivity model of volume fractured horizontal wells in shale gas basedon the continuous succession pseudo-steady state method [J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2018, 29(7): 1051-1059.
[5] Zhu Wei-yao,Ma Dong-xu. Effective stress characteristics in shale and its effect on productivity [J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2018, 29(6): 845-852.
[6] Yu Chuan,Zeng Chun-lin,Zhou Xun,Nie Hai-kuan,Yu Zhong-qiang. Tectonic preservation unit division and zoning evaluation of shale gasin the Lower Cambrian of Dabashan thrust belt [J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2018, 29(6): 853-865.
[7] Qiu Zhen,Zou Cai-neng,Li Xi-zhe,Wang Hong-yan,Dong Da-zhong,Lu Bin,Zhou Shang-wen,Shi Zhen-sheng,Feng Zi-qi,Zhang Meng-qi. Discussion on the contribution of graptolite to organic enrichment and reservoir of gas shale:A case study of the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formations in South China [J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2018, 29(5): 606-615.
[8] Wang Dao-bing,Ge Hong-kui,Yu Bo,Wen Dong-sheng,Zhou Jun,Han Dong-xu,Liu Lu. Study of the influence of elastic modulus heterogeneity on in-situ stress and its damage in gas shale reservoirs [J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2018, 29(5): 632-643.
[9] Long Sheng-xiang,Feng Dong-jun,Li Feng-xia,Du Wei. Prospect of the deep marine shale gas exploration and development in the Sichuan Basin [J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2018, 29(4): 443-451.
[10] He Ling-xiong,Song Wei-gang,An Sheng-ting,Xu Yong-feng,Shen Juan,Lu Chao,Wang Jun. Structural evolution and organic geochemical characteristics of source rocksin the Babaoshan Basin in eastern Kunlun area,Qinghai Province [J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2018, 29(4): 538-549.
[11] Xing Zhou,Cao Gao-she,Bi Jing-hao,Zhou Xin-gui,Zhang Jiao-dong. The evaluation of Upper Paleozoic hydrocarbon source rocks of ZK0606 in Yuzhou region at southern North China Basin [J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2018, 29(4): 518-528.
[12] Cao Tao-tao,Deng Mo,Song Zhi-guang,Liu Guang-xiang,Huang Yan-ran,Andrew Stefan Hursthouse. Study on the effect of pyrite on the accumulation of shale oil and gas [J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2018, 29(3): 404-414.
[13] Wang Nu-tao,Chen Zhong-liang,Zhu Ming-qian,Wang Yu-gen,Zhang Yan. Dynamic reserve calculation of single well in condensate gas reservoirs based on a principle of mass conservation [J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2018, 29(3): 424-428.
[14] Lu Wen-tao,Li Ji-qing,Zheng Ai-wei,Liang Bang,Zhang Qian,Yang Wen-xin. A bottom-hole flowing pressure prediction method for multi-stage  fractured horizontalshale gas well with constant rate production in Fuling shale gas field [J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2018, 29(3): 437-442.
[15] Bao Xiang-sheng,Tan Ying,Wu Xiao-qi,Zheng Hong-jun. Prediction of brittle mineral index by using P-wave and S-wave velocity method [J]. Natural Gas Geoscience, 2018, 29(2): 245-250.
Viewed
Full text


Abstract

Cited

  Shared   
  Discussed   
No Suggested Reading articles found!