Improved Horizontal Well Stimulations in the Bakken Formation, Williston Basin, Montana

TLDR

The Bakken formation in Montana’s Williston Basin has experienced significant productivity gains from horizontal drilling and completion advances, with hydraulic fracturing further boosting output. This study reviews the most effective completion and hydraulic fracturing strategy for laterals drilled with longitudinal fracture orientation. The program replaces cemented liners and limited‑entry techniques with non‑cemented liners and diverter‑stage fracture treatments, evolving the fracture design and wellbore configuration. Results show that the redesigned fracture treatment improves proppant distribution along the wellbore, enhancing well productivity.

Abstract

Abstract The Bakken formation in the Williston Basin of Montana has undergone rejuvenation thanks to the success of horizontal drilling and completions. Over the last several years there has been an evolution in the drilling and completion methodology, which has resulted in significant improvements in well productivity. Although the horizontal wells will produce at economic rates without stimulation, hydraulic fracturing increases well productivity significantly. For the program discussed in this paper, the wells are drilled for longitudinal fracture orientation. The original wellbores had cemented liners and employed the limited-entry technique to distribute the fracture treatment. This program now uses noncemented liners and a modified fracture treatment with diverter stages. This paper presents a review of the approach taken to evaluate the most effective way to complete and hydraulically fracture these laterals. It documents the evolution of the hydraulic fracture design and wellbore configurations. It also presents results showing the improvements in proppant distribution along the wellbore caused by changes in fracture treatment design and its impact on well productivity.