Browsing by Subject "TIGHT GAS"
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Item Selection of fracture fluid for stimulating tight gas reservoirs(Texas A&M University, 2007-04-25) Malpani, Rajgopal VijaykumarEssentially all producing wells drilled in tight gas sands and shales are stimulated using hydraulic fracture treatments. The development of optimal fracturing procedures, therefore, has a large impact on the long-term economic viability of the wells. The industry has been working on stimulation technology for more than 50 years, yet practices that are currently used may not always be optimum. Using information from the petroleum engineering literature, numerical and analytical simulators, surveys from fracturing experts, and statistical analysis of production data, this research provides guidelines for selection of the appropriate stimulation treatment fluid in most gas shale and tight gas reservoirs. This study takes into account various parameters such as the type of formation, the presence of natural fractures, reservoir properties, economics, and the experience of experts we have surveyed. This work provides a guide to operators concerning the selection of an appropriate type of fracture fluid for a specific set of conditions for a tight gas reservoir.Item The evaluation of waterfrac technology in low-permeability gas sands in the East Texas basin(Texas A&M University, 2005-11-01) Tschirhart, Nicholas RayThe petroleum engineering literature clearly shows that large proppant volumes and concentrations are required to effectively stimulate low-permeability gas sands. To pump large proppant concentrations, one must use a viscous fluid. However, many operators believe that low-viscosity, low-proppant concentration fracture stimulation treatments known as ??waterfracs?? produce comparable stimulation results in low-permeability gas sands and are preferred because they are less expensive than gelled fracture treatments. This study evaluates fracture stimulation technology in tight gas sands by using case histories found in the petroleum engineering literature and by using a comparison of the performance of wells stimulated with different treatment sizes in the Cotton Valley sands of the East Texas basin. This study shows that large proppant volumes and viscous fluids are necessary to optimally stimulate tight gas sand reservoirs. When large proppant volumes and viscous fluids are not successful in stimulating tight sands, it is typically because the fracture fluids have not been optimal for the reservoir conditions. This study shows that waterfracs do produce comparable results to conventional large treatments in the Cotton Valley sands of the East Texas basin, but we believe it is because the conventional treatments have not been optimized. This is most likely because the fluids used in conventional treatments are not appropriate or have not been used appropriately for Cotton Valley conditions.