Published: 06/17/2010
Published: 06/17/2010
YPF, S.A., produces gas and condensate from Loma La Lata (LLL) field in Argentina. The field’s largest accumulations of gas are located in the central region of the Neuquén basin, where the Sierras Blancas formation is the main producing reservoir. From the late Jurassic period, this formation is deposited in different nonmarine environments characterized by two lithofacies associations: green-gray Eolian sandstones at the top (productive zone) and red fluvial sandstones at the bottom.
Because of declining production rates and increased demand, YPF, S.A., sought new technologies to increase gas recovery.
The company elected to use HiWAY channel fracturing to stimulate a well in LLL. Instead of relying on proppant pack conductivity, this fracturing technique creates infinitely conductive channels for hydrocarbons to flow through. It allows for higher effective fracture half-lengths, reduced flowback times, and faster polymer recovery.
For this well, 90,800 lbm of proppant was placed, while an offset well used a conventional fracturing technique with 129,000 lbm of proppant placed. Postfracture drawdown and buildup tests for the HiWAY well showed the fracture conductivity to exceed the data interpretation’s sensitivity, meaning the fracture was infinitely conductive.
The initial production rate for the well treated with HiWAY channel fracturing was 30% more than that of the offset well (4.4 Mcf/d versus 3.4 Mcf/d). And from 2 years of production data, the HiWAY well’s 10-year EUR was calculated at 47% (0.7 Bcf) higher than the offset’s EUR.
Challenge: Stimulate and increase gas production for a well in a late-Jurassic Eolian sandstone reservoir.
Solution: Apply HiWAY flow-channel hydraulic fracturing technique for reduced flowback times and improved fracture half-lengths and polymer recovery.
Results: Increased initial gas production and estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) by 30 and 47%, respectively, compared to conventionally treated offset well.
