Introduction to Reservoir

Stimulation

Kellyville Training Center

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Well Stimulation
Stimulation is a chemical or mechanical method of increasing flow capacity to a well.

Dowell Schlumberger is mainly concerned with three methods of stimulation:

1. Wellbore Clean-up : Fluids not injected into formation

a. Chemical Treatment
b. Perf Wash
2. Matrix Treatment : Injection below frac pressure
a. Matrix Acidizing
b. Chemical Treatment
3. Fracturing Injection above frac pressure
a. Acid Frac
b. Propped Frac

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Stimulation Techniques
Restores Flow Capacity:
Wellbore Clean-up
Matrix Treatment

These procedures are performed below fracture pressure.

Create New Flow Capacity:

Hydraulic Fracturing (Acid and Sand)

These procedures are performed above fracture

pressure.

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Areas Where Reduction in Flow Capacity May Occur
1. Wellbore:
Scale Damage
Sand Fill
Plugged Perforations
Paraffin Plugging
Asphalt Deposits
Etc.

2. Critical Matrix:
Drilling Mud Damage
Cement Damage
Completion Fluids
Production
Native Clays/Fines

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WELLBORE

Primary Purpose :
Restore flow capacity by removing restrictive damage to
fluid flow in the wellbore.

Methods :
Mechanical
Chemical Treatment
Acidizing Treatment

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Critical Matrix
What is It?
The area of formation that is 3' to 5' from the wellbore.
Why is it critical?
r % Pressure Drop
(Drainage Radius) P (psi) DP/ft (Pe - P) (Pe - Pwf) * 100

(Pe) 2,000 ft 5,000 0.07 psi/ft 0

1,000 ft 4,934 2.5
100 ft 4,719 10.8
50 ft 4,654 1.3 psi/ft 13.3
20 ft 4,568 16.6
10 ft 4,503 6.5 psi/ft 19.0
5 ft 4,439 21.5
3 ft 4,391 23.3
2 ft 4,000 850 psi/ft 24.8
1 ft 3,150 27.3
(Pwf) 0 ft 2,000 1,150 psi/f 100

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Major Goals of Matrix Treatment

1. Restore Natural Permeability

By Treating the Critical Matrix

2. Minor Stimulation

3. Leave Zone Barrier Intact

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Matrix Acidizing
1. Sandstone:
Major Effects:
Dissolves/Disperses Damage
Restores Permeability
Minor Effects:
Minor Stimulation

2. Limestone:
Major Effects:
Enlarge Flow Channels/Fractures
Disperse Damage by Dissolving Surrounding Rock
Creation of Highly Conductive Wormholes

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Applications For Matrix Treatment

High Permeability Formation with Damage.

Unproppable Formations.

Treating Limitations.

Thick Zones.

To Supplement Fracturing.

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Low Permeability Reservoir
Increase well productivity by creating a highly conductive path
compared to the reservoir permeability.

Damage

XL = Fracture half length

XL

The fracture will extend through the damaged near wellbore area.
The fracture size is limited to two criteria :
Drainage Radius
Cost
Fracturing is : Pumping fluid into the formation above fracture
pressure.

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Darcys Equation

Oil Well : Gas Well :

q=
kh (P e - P wf ) kh (P e 2 - P wf2 )
q=
141.2 (In rrw
e
+ S) 1424 zT (In rrwe
+ S)

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 Skin (s)
The total Skin (ST) is the combination of mechanical and pseudo-skins. It
is the total skin value that is obtained directly from a well-test analysis.

Mechanical Skin:
Mathematically defined as an infinitely thin zone that creates a steady-
state pressure drop at the sand face.
S>0 Damaged Formation
S=0 Neither damaged nor stimulated
S<0 Stimulated formation

Pseudo Skin:
Includes situations such as fractures, partial penetration, turbulence,
and fissures.
The Mechanical Skin is the only type that can be removed by stimulation.

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Skin Example
Pseudo Skin:
Producing at high rates --> turbulence
Collapsed tubing, perforations
Partial penetration / Partial perforation
Low Perforation Density (Shots/ft)
Etc.

Formation Damage:
Scales
Organic/Mixed Deposits
Silts & Clays
Emulsions
Water Block
Wettability Change

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 Example
An oil well produces 57 B/D under the following reservoir and producing
conditions:
k = 10 md
h = 50 ft
o = 1.23 res bbl/stb
o = 0.6 cp
Pr = 2,000 psi
Pwf = 500 psi
rw = .33 ft
re = 1,320 ft

What is the Skin Factor?

Is there potential for Stimulation?

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INTRODUCTION TO MATRIX
TREATMENT

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Formation Damage

Damage Definition :

Partial or complete plugging of the near wellbore area

which reduces the original permeability of the formation.

Damage is quantified by the skin factor ( S ).

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Types of Formation Damage
Emulsions

Wettability Change

Water Block

Scale Formation

Organic Deposits

Mixed Deposits

Silt & Clay

Bacterial Slime

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Areas of Damage

Tubing Gravel Pack Perforations Formation

Scales
Organic deposits
Silicates, Aluminosilicates
Emulsion
Water block
Wettability change

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 Emulsions
Definition:
Formed by invasion of filtrates into oil zones or mixing of oil-based filtrates with
formation brines.
Any two immiscible fluids

Keys to Diagnosis:
Sharp decline in production
Water breakthrough
Production of solids
Fluid samples
Injection of inhibitors

Treatment:
Surfactants
Mutual solvents

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Wettability Change
Definition:
Oil wetting of rock from hydrocarbon deposits or adsorption of an
oleophilic (attracts oil) surfactant from treating fluid.

Keys to Diagnosis: (Normally difficult to diagnose)

Rapid production decline
Casing leak
Water breakthrough
Water coning
Decrease or disappearance of gas

Treatment:
Mutual solvent followed by water-wetting surfactant.

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Water Block
Definition:
Caused by an increase in water saturation near the wellbore
which decreases the relative permeability to hydrocarbons.

Keys to Diagnosis:
Rapid oil or gas production decline
Casing leak
Water breakthrough
Water out
Abnormally high water cut through lower perforations

Treatment:
Mutual solvents or surfactants

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 Scale Formation
Definition:
Scales are precipitated mineral deposits. Scale deposition occurs during
production because of lower temperatures and pressures encountered in or
near the wellbore.
Keys to Diagnosis:
Sharp drop in production
Visible scale on rods/tubing
Water breakthrough
Treatment:
Carbonate (Most Common)
HCl, Aqueous Acetic
Sulfate
Iron
EDTA
HCl with various iron control agents
NARS
Silica
Chloride
Mud Acid
1 - 3% HCl

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Keys to Diagnosis of a Sample
Yes
Floats in H2O 2 Organic

No

Yes
Soluble in H 2O NaCl (probably)

No

Yes Odor of
Soluble in HCl rotten eggs
Yes
No
FeS (possible)

FeCO 3
CO 2
Fe 2 (CO 3 ) 3
Evolves
No CaCO 3
MgCO 3
Ca(SO 4 ) 2 slowly soluble
(also soluble in U42)

Soluble in hot HCl

Yes
No
Yes
Iron Oxide Soluble in hot HCl/HF Silica Base (sand/clay)

No

Magnetic
Yes Yes
Magnetite Soluble in U42 SrSO 4 (slow)
FeCo 3 BaSO 4 (very slow)

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Scales : Inorganic Mineral Deposits

Types of Usual Treating

Scale Occ urrence Fluids Comments

Carbonates HCl Very

CaCO3
Common

CaSO4 2H2 O
EDT A Common
(gypsum)
Sulfates
BaSO 4 /SrSO4 EDT A Rare

Chlorides NaCl H 2 O/HCl Gas Wells

Fe S HCl + EDT A CO2 /H2 S

Iron Possible
Fe 2 O3 HCl + Seques tering
Produced
Agent

Silica SiO 2 HF Very Fine

Hydroxides Mg/Ca(OH)2 HCl

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 Organic Deposits
Definition:
Organic deposits are precipitated heavy hydrocarbons (parrafins or
asphaltenes). They are typically located in the tubing, perforations and/or
the formation.
The formation of these deposits are usually associated with a change in
temperature or pressure in or near the wellbore during production.

Keys to Diagnosis:
Sharp decline in production
Visual parrafin on rods and pump
Operator is "hot oiling"

Treatment:
Aromatic Solvents (Xylene, Toluene)
Mutual Solvents

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Keys to Diagnosis of Actual Organic Deposit
Floats in water Yes Organic Deposit

1. Burns evenly with clean flame Yes Paraffin/wax

No

Black sooty flame Yes Asphaltene

2. Soluble in pentane Yes Paraffin

No

Asphaltene

3. Soluble in Toluene/Xylene Yes Paraffin/

Asphaltene

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Silts & Clays
Definition:
Damage from silts and clays includes the invasion of the reservoir permeability
by drilling mud and the swelling and/or migration of reservoir fines.
Keys to Diagnosis:
Sharp drop in production
Lost circulation during drilling
Production tests
ARC tests
Treatment:
HCl: Carbonate Reservoirs
HF Systems: Sandstone
Quaternary Amine Polymers (L55)
Cationic Surfactant (M38B)
Fusion (Clay Acid)

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Bacterial Slime

Definition:
Anaerobic bacteria grows downhole without oxygen up
to 150F. Bacteria may chemically reduce sulfate in a
reservoir to H2S.

Treatment:
M91 (Bleach+Caustic soda)

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Sources of Formation Damage
Drilling

Cementing

Perforating

Completion and Workover

Gravel Packing

Production

Stimulation

Injection Operations

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30
Successful Matrix Treatment

REQUIREMENTS :

Enough Treating Fluid Volume

Correct Reactive Chemicals

Low Injection Pressure

Total Zone Coverage

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INTRODUCTION TO FRACTURING

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Applications For Hydraulic Fracturing

If wells natural permeability is low ( Ke < 10 md )

Natural production is below economic potential

Skin By-Pass HyperSTIM or higher permeability and soft

formations.

The injected fluid is pumped at a rate above the

fracture pressure of the reservoir to create cracks or
fractures within the rock itself.

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Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment

Primary Purpose :
To increase the effective wellbore area by creating a
fracture of length XL whose conductivity is greater than
that of the formation.

Dimensionless Conductivity ( Fcd ) = Kf Wf / Ke Xf

Two Methods :
Sand Frac
Acid Frac

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 Propped Frac & Acid Frac

fracture tends to close

open fracture 1/2" once the pressure has been
during job released

sand used to
prop the acid etched frac
frac open walls

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Propped Fracture Optimization
Optimize the reservoir deliverability by balancing fracture
characteristics and reservoir properties
Analyze the effect of production systems :
Perform => Nodal Analysis
Determine the pumping parameters :
DataFRAC
Tailor the fracturing fluid and proppant to the reservoir
Determine treatment size (Fluid & proppant amount)
Calculate XLand FCD
Calculate the benefit of the treatment => $
FracNPV

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Acid Fracture

Bottom hole pressure above fracturing pressure

Acid reacts with the formation

Fracture is etched

Formation must retain integrity without fracture collapse

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Hydraulic Fracturing Accomplishes:

Creates Deep Penetrating Fractures to :

Improve productivity
Interconnect formation permeability
Improve ultimate recovery
Aid in secondary recovery
Increase ease of injectivity

A hydraulic Fracture has to be cost effective to the

customer.

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Fracture Penetration is influenced by:
FORMATION CHARACTERISTICS :
Type
Hardness
Permeability
Zone Height Presence of Barriers
Drainage Radius
FRAC FLUID CHARACTERISTICS :
Base Fluid
Viscosity
Volume
Pump Rate
Fluid Loss

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Orientation Of The Fracture

The fracture will extend perpendicular to the axis of the

least stress.
Overburden Pressure
X - Y - Z Coordinate :

Favored Fracture Direction

Least Principal Stress

(i.e. Vertical Fracture)

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Vertical Or Horizontal Fracture

Vertical fracture plane is perpendicular Horizontal fracture with a pancake like

to earths surface due to overburden geometry. Usually associated with
stress being too great to overcome shallow wells of less than 3,000 ft. depth

Rule-Of-thumb :
Frac Gradient < 0.8 psi / ft --------> Vertical Fracture
Frac Gradient > 1.0 psi / ft --------> Horizontal Fracture

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Fracture Propagation Models

KGD
XL < h

PKN
XL > h

Radial
XL = h/2

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Rock Mechanical Behavior
Youngs Modulus :
E=d/e

Poissons Ratio :
u = e2 /e1

D1
e1 = L1 - L2 / L1 D2

e2 = d1 - d2 / d1

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Rock Mechanical Behavior

Youngs Modulus :
E=d/e

Poissons Ratio :
u = e2 /e1

e1 = L1 - L2 / L1
e2 = d1 - d2 / d1

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Fracture Width
W = ( m Q L) 1/4 PKN
E

W = (m QL2)1/4 KGD
EH

m = Viscosity of fluid
Q = Injection Rate
H = Gross Height
L = Xf
E = Youngs Modulus

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Net Present Value FracNPV
BENEFITS :
Design lowest cost job
Realize full production rate potential
Forecast post treatment decline
Study impact of treatment variables

APPLICATION :
Select optimum XL, W & proppant type
Aid in determining whether or not to fracture a new well
Determine size of production equipment
Evaluation of the fracture treatment based on well
performance

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FracNPV

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 Design
FracCADE* Well XXXX
1235.5//1249.5
08-26-1997
Net Present Value

600000

500000

400000
Net Present Value - $(US)

300000

200000

100000 Fluid Type

YF120LG
0
ClearFRAC (3

-100000
0 100 200 300 400 500
Hydraulic Half-Length - ft
Production time 1 year

*Mark of Schlumberger

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Conclusion
Three Types of Stimulation :
Wellbore Clean-up
Matrix Treatment
Hydraulic Fracturing
Well Candidate Selection :
What is it ?
How does Dowell Schlumberger use it ?
What are some of the tools associated with it ?
NPV
What is it ?
How can it be used to design a treatment ?
How does the output benefit our customers and us ?

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