Effective Stimulation of Multilateral Completions in the James Lime Formation Achieved by Controlled Individual Placement of Numerous Hydraulic Fractures (2003)

Effective Stimulation of Multilateral Completions in the James Lime Formation Achieved by Controlled Individual Placement of Numerous Hydraulic Fractures Jim B. Surjaatmadja; Jim B. Surjaatmadja Halliburton Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar B.W. McDaniel; B.W. McDaniel Halliburton Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Brian Clint; Brian Clint Halliburton Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Loyd E. East; Loyd E. East Halliburton Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Clint Schoolfield; Clint Schoolfield Halliburton Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Stephen R. Herbel Stephen R. Herbel Pinnacle Operating Company, Inc. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Paper presented at the SPE European Formation Damage Conference, The Hague, Netherlands, May 2003. Paper Number: SPE-82212-MS https://doi.org/10.2118/82212-MS Published: May 13 2003 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Get Permissions Search Site Citation Surjaatmadja, Jim B., McDaniel, B.W., Clint, Brian, East, Loyd E., Schoolfield, Clint, and Stephen R. Herbel. "Effective Stimulation of Multilateral Completions in the James Lime Formation Achieved by Controlled Individual Placement of Numerous Hydraulic Fractures." Paper presented at the SPE European Formation Damage Conference, The Hague, Netherlands, May 2003. doi: https://doi.org/10.2118/82212-MS Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentAll ProceedingsSociety of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)SPE European Formation Damage Conference and Exhibition Search Advanced Search AbstractFracture stimulation of long openhole horizontal wells is known to be extremely difficult when conventional stimulation methods are used. The level of difficulty increases significantly when multiple fractures are to be placed in openhole multilateral wells. A relatively new hydrajet-fracturing process may be one of only a few methods that can be used to fracture-stimulate multilateral wells effectively without the use of sealing devices. This process is unique because many fractures can be placed at precise locations as desired. After reviewing the recent effectiveness of the process in single-wellbore openhole completions, an operating company elected to evaluate this stimulation method for multilateral wells.This paper describes implementation of this new technology in three multilateral wells drilled through the James Lime formation in the east Texas/west Louisiana area. Past experiences of fracture acidizing James Lime wells with hydrochloric acid (HCl) indicate that this process can be successful as a stimulation process. However, the effectiveness of fracturing these types of wells with sand or proppants was not proven. The three wells were treated using three fracture-stimulation approaches:multistage combining two stages each of HCl acid and proppant-fracturing stimulation,multistage with only a single acid stage, andproppant-fracturing stimulation alone.Well production responses resulting from these three approaches are evaluated in this paper.IntroductionAlthough horizontal wells have existed since 1929, and multilateral wells since 1939, they did not become practical on a large scale until the early 1980s.1–3 Horizontal wells were often thought to provide a large drainage area, similar to that produced by a hydraulic fracture. Another common perception was that horizontal drilling enabled the well to intersect with the natural fractures in the area. As a result, many wells in the Bakken and Austin Chalk formations were completed openhole or with some preperforated liners.1,4 More recently, the need for cased completions to provide better control of the well has been recognized, especially for isolating sections of the well for various reasons, such as for water production. Even in such cases, however, one factor cannot be disregarded - economics. Even though the reservoirs in these formations are relatively unconsolidated, many operators accept the risks of choosing openhole completions in exchange for reduced cost.5In the beginning, horizontal well effectiveness was often measured initially by production comparison to that of vertical wells. With reduced horizontal well completion costs and a subsequent rapid growth in the number of horizontal wells, effectiveness was eventually measured on the wells' own merits. Even now, many horizontal drilling programs are still justified on the economics of openhole completions and the incorrect assumption that long openhole laterals will not require the expensive stimulation treatments normally needed for vertical well completions. Often, however, operators quickly realize that most openhole horizontal wells placed in low-permeability reservoirs need significant stimulation to achieve truly economic production rates. Unfortunately, there are no easy, effective ways to stimulate openhole completions using conventional means, other than skin-bypass stimulation techniques such as acid washing the wellbore walls. For moderate-permeability reservoirs, this is sometimes sufficient, but rarely adequate in low-permeability formations. Keywords: probability, completion, surjaatmadja, lateral, pure resource, directional drilling, drilling operation, fracture swarm, fracture, james lime formation Subjects: Drilling Operations, Hydraulic Fracturing, Directional drilling This content is only available via PDF. 2003. Society of Petroleum Engineers You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.