IP Library Granted Patent US 11,492,902
Granted Patent B2
US 11,492,902 · App. 17/054,608 · Granted Nov 8, 2022

Well operations involving synthetic fracture injection test

Inventors: Amit Kumar (Houston, TX); Steven Patton Knabe (Houston, TX)
Assignee: Landmark Graphics Corporation
E21B49/008E21B43/26E21B44/02E21B2200/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,492,902
App. No.
17/054,608
Granted
Nov 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system includes a processing device and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processing device to cause the system to perform operations. The operations include generating and running a reservoir simulation model. The reservoir and simulation model includes representative natural fracture or secondary porosity attributes for an area of interest for one or more wells. The operations also include generating a synthetic G-function response using results of the reservoir simulation model. Additionally, the operations include calibrating the synthetic G-function response from the reservoir simulation model to a field G-function response generated using results of a field diagnostic fracture injection test by changing natural fracture characteristics of the reservoir simulation model. Further, the operations include formulating a drilling plan, a completion plan, or both for a wellbore in the area of interest using the synthetic G-function response.

Claims (37)

1. A system comprising:

a processing device; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processing device to cause the system to perform operations, the operations comprising:

generating and running a reservoir simulation model, including representative natural fracture or secondary porosity attributes for an area of interest for one or more wells;

generating a synthetic G-function response using results of the reservoir simulation model;

calibrating the synthetic G-function response from the reservoir simulation model to a field G-function response generated using results of a field diagnostic fracture injection test by changing natural fracture characteristics of the reservoir simulation model; and

formulating a drilling plan, a completion plan, or both for a wellbore in the area of interest using the synthetic G-function response.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processing device to cause the system to perform operations comprising:

controlling a drill bit or a fracturing operation using the drilling plan, the completion plan, or both for the wellbore in the area of interest.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the synthetic G-function response comprises a maximum horizontal stress direction and a minimum horizontal stress direction for the area of interest, and wherein the instructions are further executable by the processing device to cause the system to perform operations comprising:

controlling a drill bit along a first drilling azimuth that is parallel to a minimum horizontal stress direction for the area of interest with a system permeability less than 0.1 millidarcy, or controlling the drill bit along a second drilling azimuth that is parallel to a maximum horizontal stress direction for the area of interest with system permeability greater than 0.1 millidarcy.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein formulating the drilling or completion plan comprises identifying a drilling azimuth for drilling the wellbore.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein formulating the drilling or completion plan comprises identifying a suitable casing status of the wellbore, a suitable perforation design within the wellbore, suitable proppant mesh sizes, a suitable viscosity of fracturing fluid, or any combination thereof.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the synthetic G-function response identifies a fracture closure pressure, an Instantaneous Shut-In Pressure (ISIP), an ISIP gradient, a net fracture pressure, a G-function time at fracture closure, a fluid efficiency within a natural fracture, or any combination thereof.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the synthetic G-function response comprises an indication of a semilog G-function derivative within the area of interest, an indication of pressure within the area of interest, and an indication of a constant pressure derivative within the area of interest.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the secondary porosity attributes comprise fluid pressure, fluid volume, fluid temperature, relative formation permeabilities, formation capillary pressure relationships, or a combination thereof.

9. A method comprising:

developing a set of representative type curves of diagnostic fracture injection tests for a range of combinations of natural fracture characteristics and matrix characteristics of a reservoir using a reservoir simulation model;

matching a representative profile of a well of interest generated using a field diagnostic fracture injection test with an appropriate type curve of the set of representative type curves to indicate a nature of the natural fracture characteristics and the matrix characteristics;

formulating a drilling plan, a completion plan, or both for a wellbore in the reservoir using the representative profile of the well of interest; and

controlling a drill bit or a fracturing operation using the drilling plan, the completion plan, or both for the wellbore in the reservoir.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the appropriate type curve comprises a maximum horizontal stress direction and a minimum horizontal stress direction for an area of interest of the reservoir, and wherein the method further comprises:

controlling a drill bit along a first drilling azimuth that is parallel to a minimum horizontal stress direction for the area of interest with a system permeability less than 0.1 millidarcy, or controlling the drill bit along a second drilling azimuth that is parallel to a maximum horizontal stress direction for the area of interest with system permeability greater than 0.1 millidarcy.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the appropriate type curve comprises a type curve from the set of representative type curves that best fits a field type curve of the representative profile of the well of interest.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein formulating the drilling plan, the completion plan, or both comprises identifying a suitable casing status of the wellbore, a suitable perforation design within the wellbore, suitable proppant mesh sizes, a suitable viscosity of fracturing fluid, or any combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the appropriate type curve identifies a fracture closure pressure, an Instantaneous Shut-In Pressure (ISIP), an ISIP gradient, a net fracture pressure, a G-function time at fracture closure, a fluid efficiency within a natural fracture, or any combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein formulating the completion plan comprises determining a suitable natural-fracture-to-hydraulic-fracture conditioning ratio.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes instructions that are executed by a processing device to perform operations, the operations comprising:

generating and running a reservoir simulation model, including representative natural fracture or secondary porosity attributes for an area of interest for one or more wells;

generating a synthetic G-function response using results of the reservoir simulation model; and

calibrating the synthetic G-function response from the reservoir simulation model to a field G-function response generated using results of a field diagnostic fracture injection test by changing natural fracture characteristics of the reservoir simulation model.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:

formulating a drilling plan, a completion plan, or both for a wellbore in the area of interest using the synthetic G-function response.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:

controlling a drill bit or a fracturing operation using the synthetic G-function response.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein controlling the drill bit comprises controlling the drill bit along an azimuth for drilling a wellbore.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein controlling the fracturing operation comprises implementing a suitable casing strategy within a wellbore, controlling a perforation design within the wellbore, controlling a proppant mesh size, controlling a viscosity of fracturing fluid, or controlling any combination thereof.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 11, 2020
From: KUMAR, AMIT; KNABE, STEVEN PATTON
To: LANDMARK GRAPHICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054335/0459 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62734428 · Sep 21, 2018
Related Publication 20210102461A1 · Apr 8, 2021