Complex Fracture Hits Modeling and Analysis for Parent-Child Wells in Eagle Ford

Abstract

Abstract Shale field developmentfinds significant challenges when operators have to define optimal spacing of infill wells and further fracture optimization, based on biased understanding of the physical phenomena behind fluid flow in complex unconventional reservoir systems. Although proper modeling has been employed in other studiesto address the detrimental impact of well interference, this study poses how these fracture hits can be beneficial after estimating their impacts in hydrocarbon cumulative recoveries. This study includes spatial variations in fracture conductivity and complexity on fracture geometries of inter-well interference. Furthermore, a non-intrusive embedded discrete fracture model (EDFM) method has been employed to generate these complex scenarios and investigate the impact of well interference multi-well field models. Based on a robust understanding of fracture properties, real production data and wellbore image logging, multiple comparison are performed to address the effects of accounting for inter-well fracture hits on field pressure and production response. First, according to updated production data from Eagle Ford, a model was constructed to perform two (parent) wells history matching. Later, three child wells were included so thatoptimal cluster spacing was recommended considering interwell interference and the distance to thoselong-induced fracture hits. Finally, a field case is presented where the effects of long interwell fractures are evaluated in a nine-well numerical model and contrasted to a scenario without fracture hits. This case is an extension of the work presented by Fiallos et al. (2019) where fracture diagnostic results from well image logging were employed to perform sensitivity analysis on attributes of long interwell connecting fractures. The simulation results show that long induced fracture hits can be addressed by correlating inter-well wellbore image logs, which will support the occurrence of well interference. Because of these interwell long fracture hits, favorable communication is originated and, thereby, it enhances the oil recovery of the child wells by expanding their drainage influence towards further zones of the reservoir. Likewise, the higher permeabilities in this fracture hits reduce the bottomhole pressure drawdown. As a consequence, the model became a valuable stencil to decide the cluster spacing, and to optimize the hydraulic fracture treatment design. The simulation results were applied to the field successfully to afford significant reductions in offset frac interference by up to 50%.