Expanding upon the former paper “Completions Optimization and Fracture Evaluation of Infill Wells: A Southern Delaware Basin Case Study”, a high-viscosity friction reducer coupled with increased proppant concentration and reduced fluid volume load was utilized to restrict fluid interaction, increase near wellbore fracture complexity, and enhance conductivity. Completion optimization was implemented to avoid large scale changes in RockMSE and potential depleted fracture intervals (DFIs). Additionally, active frac guidance was run using high-frequency pressure monitoring from the treatment wells and offset wells to restrict adverse fracture driven interactions (FDIs) with nearby depleted parent wells. Chemical tracers were pumped to validate the efficacy of the completion optimization and active frac guidance programs. ESPs were tested for parent well recovery operations to reach pre frac production rates and test child well flowback strategies for production enhancement.
Production data confirmed completion optimization and active frac guidance effectively limited FDIs.
Parent well production increased beyond rates recorded prior to completion of the child well. This data-driven procedure formulated to develop infill locations along with the implementation of low-cost completion alternatives will capitalize on resource capture from asset and maximize value of invested capital.
There are many recent endeavors to avoid adverse fracture-driven interactions (FDI’s) and ensure economically competitive infill wells (Scherz, 2020). Operators often struggle to overcome asymmetrical fracture propagation caused by existing depleted wells through restricting “runaway fracs” drawn toward pressure sinks surrounding the primary/parent wells. The ultimate challenge encountered is to maximize resource capture between existing parent wells while minimizing degradation to the expected ultimate recovery (EUR). The primary goal of this study is to create robust fracture complexity per barrel of fluid pumped using active guidance fracture diagnostics by monitoring FDI’s in real time to optimize the completion program. The study also evaluated the use of alternative artificial lift systems (gas lift versus ESP) to restore parent wells to production after sustaining FDIs.
Results from the previous study (Brady, 2022) revealed that engineered perforation placement in rock with similar mechanical properties and evasion of depleted fracture networks, coupled with reduced fluid volumes pumped at high rate, yielded the optimal outcome with regards to communication with the parent well and performance of the child well. To maximize the amount of proppant pumped while using less fluid, a high-viscosity friction reducer (HVFR) was implemented in the child wells. HVFR systems show superior proppant carrying capacity over traditional slickwater systems (Sochovka, 2021).