Investigation of Effective Fracture Height Using Strain Responses in a Vertical Monitoring Well during a Well Interference Test
Authors: Ma Wei , Wu Kan , Jin Ge 
Published: June 2024

Understanding and characterizing the effective hydraulic fracture height are critical for optimizing completion design and well performance in unconventional reservoirs. Rayleigh frequency shift distributed strain sensing (RFS-DSS) data provide crucial information about the fracture geometry by measuring the strain change along the fiber. Recently, the strain data from the vertical monitoring well [VMW; Boxwood 5 Pilot Hole (B5PH)] at Hydraulic Fracture Test Site 2 (HFTS-2) was collected during a well interference test conducted on two neighboring horizontal wells [Boxwood 3H (B3H) and Boxwood 4H (B4H)] in September 2020. However, this data set was overlooked and not comprehensively analyzed. Consequently, the valuable information that this data may provide remains unexplored. The objective of this study is to determine how to interpret this vertical strain data and assess its potential to provide insights into the effective fracture height generated in the horizontal wells.

To understand the measured strain data, we have developed a coupled fluid flow and geomechanics model to simulate the vertical strain responses observed during production and the well interference test. The characteristics of the strain responses are thoroughly analyzed to establish guidelines for identifying the upper and lower tips of the effective fracture in different fracture geometry scenarios. In addition, field-measured data are examined, and a history-matching process is conducted by comparing the numerical matching results with the observed data to identify the effective fracture height. Furthermore, the pressure gauge data are analyzed and compared with the strain data results to further validate the findings.

The study has demonstrated that vertical strain measurements obtained from a VMW can be used to determine the effective fracture height. Large strain responses, characterized by both negative and positive peaks, are observed near the tips of the effective fractures. The upper and lower tips of the effective fracture can be identified by examining the locations of zero-strain change. The magnitude of strain response is affected by the distance between the fracture and the fiber. It is worth noting that the locations where the absolute value of the derivative of fracture conductivity changes abruptly correspond to the positions of the fracture tips. Furthermore, we study and history match the field-measured vertical strain change in HFTS-2 data sets. The pressure gauge data are analyzed to further validate our findings. The effective fracture height determined from the strain measurements falls within the range of 11,360–11,616 ft, which is consistent with the values obtained from pressure gauges (11,360–11,635 ft). Specifically, for B4H, the effective fracture height was determined to be 256 ft at a distance of 330 ft away at the time of data acquisition. Overall, the strain measurements provide valuable, time-dependent insights into the effective fracture height and the active drainage interval.