Numerical Investigation of Major Impact Factors Influencing Fracture-Driven Interactions in Tight Oil Reservoirs: A Case Study of Mahu Sug, Xinjiang, China

Xiaolun Yan, Jianye Mou, Chuanyi Tang, Huazhi Xin, Shicheng Zhang, Xinfang Ma and Guifu Duan
Additional contact information
Xiaolun Yan: MOE Key Laboratory of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Jianye Mou: MOE Key Laboratory of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Chuanyi Tang: Baikouquan Oil Production Plant of Xinjiang Oilfield Company, Karamay 834000, China
Huazhi Xin: Baikouquan Oil Production Plant of Xinjiang Oilfield Company, Karamay 834000, China
Shicheng Zhang: MOE Key Laboratory of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Xinfang Ma: MOE Key Laboratory of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Guifu Duan: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 16, 1-23

Abstract: Fracture-driven interactions (FDIs) in unconventional reservoirs significantly affect well production and have thus garnered extensive attention from the scientific community. Furthermore, since the industry transitioned to using large completion designs with closer well spacing and infill drilling, FDIs have occurred more frequently and featured more prominently, which has primarily led to destructive interference. When infill wells (i.e., “child” wells) are fractured, older, adjacent producing wells (i.e., “parent” wells) are put directly at risk of premature changes in production behavior. Some wells may never fully recover following exposure to severe FDIs and, in the worst case scenario, will permanently stop producing. To date, previous investigations into FDIs have focused mainly on diagnosis and detection. As such, their formation mechanism is not well understood. To address this deficiency, a three-dimensional, multi-fracture propagation simulator was constructed based on the unconventional fracture model (UFM) and applied to a system that included both an older, adjacent passive well (“parent” well) and an active well (“child” well). Herein, the theoretical framework for overall complex fracture modeling is described. Furthermore, numerical simulation results are presented, demonstrating the critical roles of in-situ stress distribution and pre-existing natural fractures and aiding in the development of appropriate strategies for managing FDIs.

Keywords: fracture-driven interactions; well interference; unconventional fracture model; in-situ stress distribution; natural fracture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/16/4881/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/16/4881/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:16:p:4881-:d:611715

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().