Multi-stage and multi-cluster fracturing(MMF)is a crucial technology in unconventional oil and gas development,aiming to enhance production by creating extensive fracture networks.However,achieving uniform expansion o...Multi-stage and multi-cluster fracturing(MMF)is a crucial technology in unconventional oil and gas development,aiming to enhance production by creating extensive fracture networks.However,achieving uniform expansion of multi-cluster hydraulic fractures(HFs)in MMF remains a significant challenge.Field practice has shown that the use of temporary plugging and diversion fracturing(TPDF)can promote the balanced expansion of multi-cluster HFs.This study conducted TPDF experiments using a true triaxial fracturing simulation system setting a horizontal well completion with multi-cluster jetting perforations to investigate the equilibrium initiation and extension of multi-cluster fractures.The influence of key parameters,including cluster spacing,fracturing fluid viscosity,differential stress,and fracturing fluid injection rate,on fracture initiation and propagation was systematically examined.The results indicate that while close-spaced multi-cluster fracturing significantly increases the number of HFs,it also leads to uneven extension of HFs in their propagation.In contrast,TPDF demonstrates effectiveness in mitigating uneven HF extension,increasing the number of HFs,and creating a larger stimulated reservoir volume,ultimately leading to improved oil and gas well productivity.Moreover,under conditions of high differential stress,the differential stress within the formation exerts a stronger guiding effect in HFs,which are more closely aligned with the minimum principal stress.Low-viscosity fluids facilitate rapid and extensive fracture propagation within the rock formation.High-volume fluid injection,on the other hand,more comprehensively fills the formation.Therefore,employing lowviscosity and high-volume fracturing is advantageous for the initiation and extension of multi-cluster HFs.展开更多
Temporary plugging and diversion fracturing(TPDF)is widely used to promote the uniform and complex distribution of multi-clustered hydraulic fractures(HFs)in a horizontal well of the unconventional formations.However,...Temporary plugging and diversion fracturing(TPDF)is widely used to promote the uniform and complex distribution of multi-clustered hydraulic fractures(HFs)in a horizontal well of the unconventional formations.However,the migration behavior of temporary plugging agent(TPA),as a function of the concentration and particle size of TPA and cluster-perforation numbers,etc.,determining the effectiveness of this technique,remains unclear.Therefore,this study conducted innovatively a series of TPDF simulation experiments on transparent polymethyl methacrylate(PMMA)specimens(cubic block of 30 cm×30 cm×30 cm)to explore visually the migration behavior of TPA in multi-clustered HFs in a horizontal well.A laboratory hydraulic sandblasting perforation completion technique was implemented to simulate the multi-cluster perforations.All the distributions of wellbore,perforations,HFs,and TPA can be seen clearly inside the PMMA specimen post the experiment.The results show that there are four characteristic plugging positions for the TPA:mouth of HF,middle of HF,tip of HF,and the intersection of HFs.Small particle size TPA tends to migrate to the fracture tip for plugging,while large particle size TPA tends to plug at the fracture mouth.The migration of the TPA is influenced obviously by the morphology of the fracture wall.A smooth fracture wall is conducive to the migration of the TPA to the far end of HFs,but not conducive to generating the plugging zone and HF diversion.In contrast,a"leaf vein"fracture of rough wall is conducive to generating the plugging layer and the diversion of HFs,but not conducive to the migration of the TPA to the far end of HFs.The migration ability of TPA in a"shell"pattern is intermediate between the two above cases.Increasing TPA concentration can encourage TPA to migrate more quickly to the characteristic plugging position,and thereby to promote the creation of effective plugging and subsequently the multi-stage diversion of the HFs.Nevertheless,excessive concentration may cause the TPA to settle prematurely,affecting the propagation of the HFs to the far end.Increasing the number of clusters to a certain extent can encourage TPA to migrate into the HFs and form plugging,and promote the diversion.An evaluation system for the migration ability of granular TPA has been established,and it was calculated that when there is no plugging expectation target,the comprehensive migration ability of small particle size TPA is stronger than that of large particle size TPA.This research provides theoretical foundation for the optimization of temporary plugging parameters.展开更多
Lost circulation critically jeopardizes drilling safety and efficiency,and remains an unresolved challenge in oil and gas engineering.In this paper,by utilizing the self-developed dynamic plugging apparatus and synthe...Lost circulation critically jeopardizes drilling safety and efficiency,and remains an unresolved challenge in oil and gas engineering.In this paper,by utilizing the self-developed dynamic plugging apparatus and synthetic cores containing large-scale fractures,experimental research on the circulation plugging of different materials was conducted.Based on the D90 rule and fracture mechanical aperture model,we analyze the location of plugging layer under dynamic plugging mechanism.By setting different parameters of fracture width and injection pressure,the laws of cyclic plugging time,pressure bearing capacity and plugging layers formation were investigated.The results show that the comprehensive analysis of particle size and fracture aperture provides an accurate judgment of the entrance-plugging phenomenon.The bridging of solid materials in the leakage channel is a gradual process,and the formation of a stable plug requires 2–3 plug-leakage cycles.The first and second cyclic plugging time was positively correlated with the fracture width.Different scales of fractures were successfully plugged with the bearing pressure greater than 6 MPa,but there were significant differences in the composition of the plugging layer.The experimental results can effectively prove that the utilized plugging agent is effective and provides an effective reference for dynamic plugging operation.展开更多
During drilling operations in deep fractured tight gas reservoirs,lost circulation of working fluid frequently occurs due to the formationʼs low pressure-bearing capacity.Adding lost circulation materials(LCMs)to dril...During drilling operations in deep fractured tight gas reservoirs,lost circulation of working fluid frequently occurs due to the formationʼs low pressure-bearing capacity.Adding lost circulation materials(LCMs)to drilling fluids is the most common method for controlling lost circulation.Among these,granular LCMs are widely used,but the application frequency of flaky LCMs has been increasing annually due to their unique morphology.However,the migration and plugging behavior of flaky LCMs within fractures,and the mechanisms enhancing the pressure-bearing capacity of the plugging zone are not well understood.Therefore,this study conducted visual plugging experiments and dynamic fracture plugging experiments to evaluate the plugging mode and pressure-bearing capacity of the plugging slurry with various particle sizes and concentrations of flaky LCMs.The experimental results demonstrate that the fracture plugging process can be divided into four stages:uniform flow stage of the plugging slurry,formation and development stage of the bridging area,formation and development stage of the plugging area,and pressure-bearing stage of the plugging zone.The inclusion of flaky LCMs notably reduces the duration of stages 1 and 2,while simultaneously increasing the proportion of the plugging zone and enhancing its surface porosity.Flaky LCMs reduce the effective fracture width through“interception”and“co-bridging”modes,thus improving plugging zone formation efficiency.Appropriate particle size and concentration of flaky LCMs increase the area and length of the plugging zone.This reduces the fracture width increment caused by injection pressure and enhances frictional force between the plugging zone and fracture surface,thereby improving the pressure-bearing capacity of the plugging zone.However,excessively high concentrations of flaky LCMs result in decreased structural stability of the plugging zone,and excessively large particle sizes increase the risk of plugging outside fracture inlet.The recommended concentration of flaky LCMs in the plugging slurry is 2%–3%,with a particle size 1.2 to 1.5 times that of the bridging granular LCMs and not exceeding twice the fracture width.This study provides a theoretical foundation for selecting LCMs and designing plugging formulations for field applications.展开更多
Intra-stage multi-cluster temporary plugging and diverting fracturing(ITPF)is one of the fastest-growing techniques to obtain uniform reservoir stimulation in shale gas reservoirs.However,propagation geometries of mul...Intra-stage multi-cluster temporary plugging and diverting fracturing(ITPF)is one of the fastest-growing techniques to obtain uniform reservoir stimulation in shale gas reservoirs.However,propagation geometries of multiple fractures during ITPF are not clear due that the existing numerical models cannot capture the effects of perforation plugging.In this paper,a new three-dimensional FEM based on CZM was developed to investigate multiple planar fracture propagation considering perforation plugging during ITPF.Meanwhile,the fluid pipe element and its subroutine were first developed to realize the flux partitioning before or after perforation plugging.The results showed that the perforation plugging changed the original distribution of the number of perforations in each fracture,thus changing the flux partitioning after perforation plugging,which could eliminate the effect of stress interference between multiple fractures and promote a uniform fluid distribution.The standard deviation of fluid distribution in the perforation plugging case was only 8.48%of that in the non-diversion case.Furthermore,critical plugging parameters have been investigated quantitatively.Specifically,injecting more diverters will create a higher fluid pressure rise in the wellbore,which will increase the risk of wellbore integrity.Comprehensively considering pressure rise and fluid distribution,the number of diverters should be 50%of the total number of perforations(N_(pt)),whose standard deviation of fluid distribution of multiple fractures was lower than those in the cases of injecting 10%N_(pt),30%N_(pt)and 70%N_(pt).The diverters should be injected at an appropriate timing,i.e.40%or 50%of the total fracturing time(tft),whose standard deviation of the fluid distribution was only about 20%of standard deviations in the cases of injecting at20%tftor 70%tft.A single injection with all diverters can maintain high bottom-hole pressure for a longer period and promote a more uniform fluid distribution.The standard deviation of the fluid distribution in the case of a single injection was 43.62%-55.41%of the other cases with multiple injection times.This study provides a meaningful perspective and some optimal plugging parameters on the field design during IPTF.展开更多
Lost circulation of drilling fluid is one of the most common engineering problems in the drilling process of fractured formations.In this study,an oil-absorbing polymer gel synthesized using compound monomers with rig...Lost circulation of drilling fluid is one of the most common engineering problems in the drilling process of fractured formations.In this study,an oil-absorbing polymer gel synthesized using compound monomers with rigid and flexible chains was applied to control the oil-based drilling fluid loss while drilling.The microstructure,oil-absorbing performance,and plugging performance the gel was investigated.A large number of dense pores on the surface of the gel were observed,which allowed the oil molecules to enter the internal space of the gel.The initial oil absorption capacity of the gel was fast,and it increased with the increase in the temperature and decrease in the particle size,reaching 20.93 g/g at140℃.At a high temperature of 140℃,the bearing pressure capacity of the gel formula containing particles of different particle sizes reached 7.6 MPa for a fracture of a width of 3 mm,showing that the oil-absorbing gel have excellent plugging performance at high temperature.Plugging mechanism of the gel was investigated through visualized fracture plugging experiments.Results show that the dynamic migratio n,particle-swelling,particle-bridging,particle-aggregation,deformation-filling,and compaction-plugging contribute to the whole lost circulation control process,reflecting that the plugging performance can be effectively enhanced by improving the aggregation and filling degrees of the gel with different particle sizes.展开更多
Using the visualized experimental device of temporary plugging in hydraulic fractures, the plugging behaviors of temporary plugging particles with different sizes and concentrations in hydraulic fractures were experim...Using the visualized experimental device of temporary plugging in hydraulic fractures, the plugging behaviors of temporary plugging particles with different sizes and concentrations in hydraulic fractures were experimentally analyzed under the conditions of different carrier fluid displacements and viscosities. The results show that the greater the carrier fluid viscosity and displacement, the more difficult it is to form a plugging layer, and that the larger the size and concentration of the temporary plugging particle, the less difficult it is to form a plugging layer. When the ratio of particle size to fracture width is 0.45, the formation of the plugging layer is mainly controlled by the mass concentration of the temporary plugging particle and the viscosity of the carrier fluid, and a stable plugging layer cannot form if the mass concentration of the temporary plugging particle is less than 20 kg/m^(3)or the viscosity of the carrier fluid is greater than 3 mPa·s. When the ratio of particle size to fracture width is 0.60, the formation of the plugging layer is mainly controlled by the mass concentration of the temporary plugging particle, and a stable plugging layer cannot form if the mass concentration of the temporary plugging particle is less than 10 kg/m^(3). When the ratio of particle size to fracture width is 0.75, the formation of the plugging layer is basically not affected by other parameters, and a stable plugging layer can form within the experimental conditions. The formation process of plugging layer includes two stages and four modes. The main controlling factors affecting the formation mode are the ratio of particle size to fracture width, carrier fluid displacement and carrier fluid viscosity.展开更多
In this paper,a viscoelasticity-plastic damage constitutive equation for naturally fractured shale is deduced,coupling nonlinear tensile-shear mixed fracture mode.Dynamic perforation-erosion on fluid re-distribution a...In this paper,a viscoelasticity-plastic damage constitutive equation for naturally fractured shale is deduced,coupling nonlinear tensile-shear mixed fracture mode.Dynamic perforation-erosion on fluid re-distribution among multi-clusters are considered as well.DFN-FEM(discrete fracture network combined with finite element method)was developed to simulate the multi-cluster complex fractures propagation within temporary plugging fracturing(TPF).Numerical results are matched with field injection and micro-seismic monitoring data.Based on geomechanical characteristics of Weiyuan deep shale gas reservoir in Sichuan Basin,SW China,a multi-cluster complex fractures propagation model is built for TPF.To study complex fractures propagation and the permeability-enhanced region evolution,intersecting and competition mechanisms between the fractures before and after TPF treatment are revealed.Simulation results show that:fracture from middle cluster is restricted by the fractures from side-clusters,and side-clusters plugging is benefit for multi fractures propagation in uniformity;optimized TPF timing should be delayed within a higher density or strike of natural fractures;Within a reservoir-featured natural fractures distribution,optimized TPF timing for most clustered method is 2/3 of total fluid injection time as the optimal plugging time under different clustering modes.展开更多
This study conducted temporary plugging and diversion fracturing(TPDF)experiments using a true triaxial fracturing simulation system within a laboratory setting that replicated a lab-based horizontal well completion w...This study conducted temporary plugging and diversion fracturing(TPDF)experiments using a true triaxial fracturing simulation system within a laboratory setting that replicated a lab-based horizontal well completion with multi-cluster sand jetting perforation.The effects of temporary plugging agent(TPA)particle size,TPA concentration,single-cluster perforation number and cluster number on plugging pressure,multi-fracture diversion pattern and distribution of TPAs were investigated.A combination of TPAs with small particle sizes within the fracture and large particle sizes within the segment is conducive to increasing the plugging pressure and promoting the diversion of multi-fractures.The addition of fibers can quickly achieve ultra-high pressure,but it may lead to longitudinal fractures extending along the wellbore.The temporary plugging peak pressure increases with an increase in the concentration of the TPA,reaching a peak at a certain concentration,and further increases do not significantly improve the temporary plugging peak pressure.The breaking pressure and temporary plugging peak pressure show a decreasing trend with an increase in single-cluster perforation number.A lower number of single-cluster perforations is beneficial for increasing the breaking pressure and temporary plugging peak pressure,and it has a more significant control on the propagation of multi-cluster fractures.A lower number of clusters is not conducive to increasing the total number and complexity of artificial fractures,while a higher number of clusters makes it difficult to achieve effective plugging.The TPAs within the fracture is mainly concentrated in the complex fracture areas,especially at the intersections of fractures.Meanwhile,the TPAs within the segment are primarily distributed near the perforation cluster apertures which initiated complex fractures.展开更多
As formation mechanisms of plugging zone and criteria for fracture plugging remain unclear,plugging experiments and methods testing granular material mechanical properties are used to study the formation process of th...As formation mechanisms of plugging zone and criteria for fracture plugging remain unclear,plugging experiments and methods testing granular material mechanical properties are used to study the formation process of the plugging zone in fractured formations,analyze composition and ratios of different sizes of particles in the plugging zone,and reveal the essence and driving energy of the formation and damage of the plugging zone.New criteria for selecting lost circulation materials are proposed.The research results show that the formation of the plugging zone has undergone a process from inertial flow,elastic flow,to quasi-static flow.The plugging zone is composed of fracture mouth plugging particles,bridging particles and filling particles,and the proportion of the three types of particles is an important basis for designing drilling fluid loss control formula.The essence of the construction of the plugging zone is non-equilibrium Jamming phase transition.The response of the plugging zone particle system to pressure is driven by entropy force;the greater the entropy,the more stable the plugging zone.Lost circulation control formula optimized according to the new criteria has better plugging effect than the formula made according to conventional plugging rules and effectively improves the pressure-bearing capacity of the plugging zone.The research results provide a theoretical and technical basis for the lost circulation control of fractured formations.展开更多
The effective plugging of artificial fractures is key to the success of temporary plugging and diverting fracturing technology,which is one of the most promising ways to improve the heat recovery efficiency of hot dry...The effective plugging of artificial fractures is key to the success of temporary plugging and diverting fracturing technology,which is one of the most promising ways to improve the heat recovery efficiency of hot dry rock.At present,how temporary plugging agents plug artificial fractures under high temperature remains unclear.In this paper,by establishing an improved experimental system for the evaluation of temporary plugging performance at high temperature,we clarified the effects of high temperature,injection rate,and fracture width on the pressure response and plugging efficiency of the fracture.The results revealed that the temporary plugging process of artificial fractures in hot dry rock can be divided into four main stages:the initial stage of temporary plugging,the bridging stage of the particles,the plugging formation stage,and the high-pressure dense plugging stage.As the temperature increases,the distribution distance of the temporary plugging agent,the number of pressure fluctuations,and the time required for crack plugging increases.Particularly,when the temperature increases by 100℃,the complete plugging time increases by 90.7%.展开更多
Focused on the lost circulation control in deep naturally fractured reservoirs, the multiscale structure of fracture plugging zone is proposed based on the theory of granular matter mechanics, and the structural failu...Focused on the lost circulation control in deep naturally fractured reservoirs, the multiscale structure of fracture plugging zone is proposed based on the theory of granular matter mechanics, and the structural failure pattern of plugging zone is developed to reveal the plugging zone failure mechanisms in deep, high temperature, high pressure, and high in-situ stress environment. Based on the fracture plugging zone strength model, key performance parameters are determined for the optimal selection of loss control material(LCM). Laboratory fracture plugging experiments with new LCM are carried out to evaluate the effect of the key performance parameters of LCM on fracture plugging quality. LCM selection strategy for fractured reservoirs is developed. The results show that the force chain formed by LCMs determines the pressure stabilization of macro-scale fracture plugging zone. Friction failure and shear failure are the two major failure patterns of fracture plugging zone. The strength of force chain depends on the performance of micro-scale LCM, and the LCM key performance parameters include particle size distribution, fiber aspect ratio, friction coefficient, compressive strength, soluble ability and high temperature resistance. Results of lab experiments and field test show that lost circulation control quality can be effectively improved with the optimal material selection based on the extracted key performance parameters of LCMs.展开更多
Fault fractures usually have large openings and considerable extension. Accordingly, cross-linked gel materials aregenerally considered more suitable plugging agents than water-based gels because the latter often unde...Fault fractures usually have large openings and considerable extension. Accordingly, cross-linked gel materials aregenerally considered more suitable plugging agents than water-based gels because the latter often undergo contaminationvia formation water, which prevents them from being effective over long times. Hence, in this study, aset of oil-based composite gels based on waste grease and epoxy resin has been developed. These materials havebeen observed to possess high compressive strength and resistance to the aforementioned contamination, therebyleading to notable increase in plugging success rate. The compressive strength, thickening time, and resistance toformation water pollution of these gels have been evaluated indoors. The results show that the compressivestrength of the gel can reach 11 MPa;additionally, the related gelation time can be controlled to be more than3 h, thereby providing a safe construction time;Invasion of formation water has a small effect on the gel strengthand does not shorten the thickening time. All considered performance indicators of the oil-based gel confirm itssuitability as a plugging agent for fault fractures.展开更多
A coupled CFD-DEM method is used to simulate the formation process of fracture plugging zone.A photo-elastic system characterizing mesoscale force chain network developed by our own is used to model the pressure evolu...A coupled CFD-DEM method is used to simulate the formation process of fracture plugging zone.A photo-elastic system characterizing mesoscale force chain network developed by our own is used to model the pressure evolution in fracture plugging zone to reveal the evolution mechanism of the structure of fracture plugging zone.A theoretical basis is provided for improving the lost circulation control effect in fractured reservoirs and novel methods are proposed for selecting loss control materials and designing loss control formula.CFD-DEM simulation results show that bridging probability is the key factor determining the formation of fracture plugging zone and fracture plugging efficiency.Critical and absolute bridging concentrations are proposed as the key indexes for loss control formula design.With the increase of absolute bridging concentration,the governing factor of bridging is changed from material grain size to the combination of material grain size and friction force.Results of photo-elastic experiments show that mesoscale force chain network is the intrinsic factor affecting the evolution of pressure exerting on the fracture plugging zone and determines the macroscopic strength of fracture plugging zone.Performance parameters of loss control material affect the force chain network structure and the ratio of stronger force chain,and further impact the stability and strength of fracture plugging zone.Based on the study results,the loss control formula is optimized and new-type loss control material is designed.Laboratory experiments results show that the fracture plugging efficiency and strength is effectively improved.展开更多
When deep and ultra-deep shale gas well fracturing is carried out,multi-cluster fracturing can hardly realize synchronous initiation and propagation of hydraulic fractures due to the combined effects of heterogeneity ...When deep and ultra-deep shale gas well fracturing is carried out,multi-cluster fracturing can hardly realize synchronous initiation and propagation of hydraulic fractures due to the combined effects of heterogeneity of deep in-situ stress and"dense cluster"fracture arrangement,and the strong interference between fractures aggravates the unbalanced fracture propagation degree.Field practice proves that the fracture-opening temporary plugging fracturing technology can effectively control the unbalanced propagation of multiple fractures.In addition,the application effect of temporary plugging process can be improved by developing a method for simulating fracture control during fracture-opening temporary plugging fracturing of deep/ultra-deep shale-gas horizontal wells.Based on rock mechanics,elasticity mechanics,fluid mechanics and fracture propagation theory,combined with the flow distribution equation of horizontal-well multi-cluster fracturing and the plugging equation of temporary plugging balls,this paper establishes a fracture propagation model and a fracture control simulation method for the fracture-opening temporary plugging fracturing of deep/ultra-deep shale gas horizontal wells.Then,the influences of the number of temporary plugging balls and the times and timing of temporary plugging on temporary plugging control are simulated,and the influences of temporary plugging balls on fracture propagation morphology and SRV(stimulated reservoir volume)distribution are analyzed by taking Sinopec's one deep shale gas well in Dingshan-Dongxi structure of southeast Sichuan Basin as an example.And the following research results are obtained.First,fracture-opening temporary plugging can significantly promote the balanced propagation of multiple fractures,and the simulation confirms that the number of temporary plugging balls and the times and timing of temporary plugging play an important role in fracture control.Second,as the number of temporary plugging balls increase,the SRV increases firstly and then decreases,so there is an optimal number of temporary plugging balls.Third,increasing the times of temporary plugging can improve the fault tolerance rate of temporary plugging and diverting process,but it is necessary to increase the number of temporary plugging balls appropriately.Fourth,when the timing of temporary plugging is appropriate,the balanced propagation of multiple fractures is achieved and the maximum SRV is reached.In conclusion,this method is of great significance to optimizing the design of temporary plugging fracturing,improve the implementation level of field process and develop deep and ultra-deep shale gas efficiently.展开更多
Refracturing is an importa nt technique to tap the potential of reservoirs and boost production in depleted oil and gas fields.However,fracture propagation during refracturing,including both conventional refracturing ...Refracturing is an importa nt technique to tap the potential of reservoirs and boost production in depleted oil and gas fields.However,fracture propagation during refracturing,including both conventional refracturing and temporary-plugging refracturing remains poorly understood,especially for cases with non-uniform distribution of formation pressure due to long-term oil production and water injection.Therefore,taking pilot tests of refracturing with sidetracking horizontal wells in tight reservoirs in the Changqing Oilfield,China as an example,we establish a three-dimensional numerical model of conventional refracturing and a numerical model of temporary-plugging refracturing based on the discrete lattice method.Non-uniform distributions of formation pressure are imported in these models.We discuss the effects of key operating parameters such as injection rate,cluster spacing,and number of clusters on the propagation of multi-cluster fractures for conventional refracturing.For temporaryplugging refracturing,we examine the impacts of controlling factors such as the timing and number of temporary plugging on fracture propagation.In addition,we analyze a field case of temporaryplugging refracturing using well P3 in the Changqing Oilfield.The results show that fractures during re fracturing tend to propagate preferentially and dominantly in the depleted areas.Improved stimulation effect can be obtained with an optimal injection rate and a critical cluster spacing.The proposed model of temporary-plugging refracturing can well describe the temporary plugging of dominant existingfractures and the creation of new-fractures after fracturing fluid is forced to divert into other clusters from previous dominant clusters.Multiple temporary plugging can improve the balanced propagation of multi-cluster fractures and obtain the maximum fracture area.The established numerical model and research results provide theoretical guidance for the design and optimization of key operating parameters for refracturing,especially for temporary-plugging refracturing.展开更多
Hydraulic fracturing,an effective method for enhancing coal seam productivity,largely determines coalbed methane(CBM)production,which is significantly influenced by geological and engineering factors.This study focuse...Hydraulic fracturing,an effective method for enhancing coal seam productivity,largely determines coalbed methane(CBM)production,which is significantly influenced by geological and engineering factors.This study focuses on the L block to investigate the mechanisms influencing efficient fracture propagation and enhanced stimulated reservoir volume(SRV)in fracturing.To explore the mechanisms influencing effective fracture propagation and enhanced SRV,the L block was selected as the research object,with a comprehensive consideration of geological background,reservoir properties,and dynamic production data.By combining the discrete lattice method with numer-ical analysis and true triaxial experimental simulation,the fracture morphology of a single cluster and the propagation patterns of multiple clusters of complex fractures were obtained.Additionally,the optimization of temporary plugging timing and the fracture map under multiple factors were innovatively proposed.Results indicate that greater flow rate and viscosity can effectively overcome the stress shadow effect of the outermost fractures(1st and 6th clusters),increasing the fracture pressure of the single cluster and the equilibrium degree of multiple fracture propagation,thus forming a more complex fracture network.Moreover,when viscosity exceeds 45 pressure concentrates at fracture mPa⋅s,tips,promoting discontinuous propagation and reducing flow resistance.Conversely,increased gangue thickness and spacing between horizontal wells increase the vertical propagation pressure,suppressing fracture growth and reducing central flow velocity.This study provides a multi-cluster fracture propagation map for optimizing volumetric fracturing in coal seams and suggests that the optimal temporary plugging time significantly enhances the SRV.展开更多
Due to downhole complexities,shale-gas horizontal well fracturing in the Sichuan Basin suffered from casing deformation and failure to apply the technique of cable-conveyed perforation bridge plug.In view of these pro...Due to downhole complexities,shale-gas horizontal well fracturing in the Sichuan Basin suffered from casing deformation and failure to apply the technique of cable-conveyed perforation bridge plug.In view of these problems,a new technique of staged volume fracturing with temporary plugging by sand filling is employed.Based on theoretical analyses and field tests,a design of optimized parameters of coiled tubingconveyed multi-cluster sand-blasting perforation and temporary plugging by sand filling was proposed.It was applied in the horizontalWell ZJ-1 in which casing deformation occurred.The following results are achieved in field operations.First,this technique enables selective staged fracturing in horizontal sections.Second,this technique can realize massive staged fracturing credibly without mechanical plugging,with the operating efficiency equivalent to the conventional bridge plug staged fracturing.Third,full-hole is preserved after fracturing,thus it is possible to directly conduct an open flow test without time consumption of a wiper trip.The staged volume fracturing with temporary plugging by sand filling facilitated the 14-stage fracturing in Well ZJ-1,with similar SRV to that achieved by conventional bridge plug staged fracturing and higher gas yield than neighboring wells on the same well pad.Thus,a new and effective technique is presented in multi-cluster staged volume fracturing of shale gas horizontal wells.展开更多
Due to the reservoir heterogeneity and the stress shadow effect, multiple hydraulic fractures within one fracturing segment cannot be initiated simultaneously and propagate evenly, which will cause a low effectiveness...Due to the reservoir heterogeneity and the stress shadow effect, multiple hydraulic fractures within one fracturing segment cannot be initiated simultaneously and propagate evenly, which will cause a low effectiveness of reservoir stimulation. Temporary plugging and diverting fracturing(TPDF) is considered to be a potential uniform-stimulation method for creating multiple fractures simultaneously in the oilfield. However, the multi-fracture propagation morphology during TPDF is not clear now. The purpose of this study is to quantitatively investigate the multi-fracture propagation morphology during TPDF through true tri-axial fracturing experiments and CT scanning. Critical parameters such as fracture spacing, number of perforation clusters, the viscosity of fracturing fluid, and the in-situ stress have been investigated. The fracture geometry before and after diversion have been quantitively analyzed based on the two-dimensional CT slices and three-dimensional reconstruction method. The main conclusions are as follows:(1) When injecting the high viscosity fluid or perforating at the location with low in-situ stress, multiple hydraulic fractures would simultaneously propagate. Otherwise, only one hydraulic fracture was created during the initial fracturing stage(IFS) for most tests.(2) The perforation cluster effectiveness(PCE) has increased from 26.62% during the IFS to 88.86% after using diverters.(3) The diverted fracture volume has no apparent correlation with the pressure peak and peak frequency during the diversion fracturing stage(DFS) but is positively correlated with water-work.(4) Four types of plugging behavior in shale could be controlled by adjusting the diverter recipe and diverter injection time, and the plugging behavior includes plugging the natural fracture in the wellbore, plugging the previous hydraulic fractures, plugging the fracture tip and plugging the bedding.展开更多
Based on analysis of the reasons for low efficiency and low production after fracturing of some wells in the ultra-deep fractured tight reservoirs of the Kuqa piedmont zone, Tarim Basin and the matching relationship b...Based on analysis of the reasons for low efficiency and low production after fracturing of some wells in the ultra-deep fractured tight reservoirs of the Kuqa piedmont zone, Tarim Basin and the matching relationship between the in-situ stress field and natural fractures, technological methods for creating complex fracture networks are proposed. Through theoretical study and large-scale physical simulation experiments, the mechanical conditions for forming complex fracture network in the Kuqa piedmont ultra-deep reservoirs are determined. The effectiveness of temporary plugging and diversion, and multi-stage fracturing to activate natural fractures and consequently realize multi-stage diversion is verified. The coupling effect of hydraulic fractures and natural fractures activating each other and resulting in "fracture swarms" is observed. These insights provide theoretical support for improving fracture-controlled stimulated reservoir volume(FSRV) in ultra-deep tight reservoirs. In addition, following the concept of volume fracturing technology and based on the results of fracture conductivity experiments of different processes, fracturing technologies such as multi-stage fracture-network acid fracturing, "multi-stage temporary plugging + secondary fracturing", fracturing of multiple small layers by vertically softness-and-hardness-oriented subdivision, and weighted-fluid refracturing are proposed to increase the FSRV. New environment-friendly weighted-fluid with low cost and new fracturing fluid system with low viscosity and high proppant-carrying capacity are also developed. These techniques have achieved remarkable results in field application.展开更多
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52104046).
文摘Multi-stage and multi-cluster fracturing(MMF)is a crucial technology in unconventional oil and gas development,aiming to enhance production by creating extensive fracture networks.However,achieving uniform expansion of multi-cluster hydraulic fractures(HFs)in MMF remains a significant challenge.Field practice has shown that the use of temporary plugging and diversion fracturing(TPDF)can promote the balanced expansion of multi-cluster HFs.This study conducted TPDF experiments using a true triaxial fracturing simulation system setting a horizontal well completion with multi-cluster jetting perforations to investigate the equilibrium initiation and extension of multi-cluster fractures.The influence of key parameters,including cluster spacing,fracturing fluid viscosity,differential stress,and fracturing fluid injection rate,on fracture initiation and propagation was systematically examined.The results indicate that while close-spaced multi-cluster fracturing significantly increases the number of HFs,it also leads to uneven extension of HFs in their propagation.In contrast,TPDF demonstrates effectiveness in mitigating uneven HF extension,increasing the number of HFs,and creating a larger stimulated reservoir volume,ultimately leading to improved oil and gas well productivity.Moreover,under conditions of high differential stress,the differential stress within the formation exerts a stronger guiding effect in HFs,which are more closely aligned with the minimum principal stress.Low-viscosity fluids facilitate rapid and extensive fracture propagation within the rock formation.High-volume fluid injection,on the other hand,more comprehensively fills the formation.Therefore,employing lowviscosity and high-volume fracturing is advantageous for the initiation and extension of multi-cluster HFs.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China Joint Fund for Enterprise Innovation and Development,Enrichment Mechanism and Stereoscopic Development of Shale Oil in Continental Rift Basins(No.U24B6002).
文摘Temporary plugging and diversion fracturing(TPDF)is widely used to promote the uniform and complex distribution of multi-clustered hydraulic fractures(HFs)in a horizontal well of the unconventional formations.However,the migration behavior of temporary plugging agent(TPA),as a function of the concentration and particle size of TPA and cluster-perforation numbers,etc.,determining the effectiveness of this technique,remains unclear.Therefore,this study conducted innovatively a series of TPDF simulation experiments on transparent polymethyl methacrylate(PMMA)specimens(cubic block of 30 cm×30 cm×30 cm)to explore visually the migration behavior of TPA in multi-clustered HFs in a horizontal well.A laboratory hydraulic sandblasting perforation completion technique was implemented to simulate the multi-cluster perforations.All the distributions of wellbore,perforations,HFs,and TPA can be seen clearly inside the PMMA specimen post the experiment.The results show that there are four characteristic plugging positions for the TPA:mouth of HF,middle of HF,tip of HF,and the intersection of HFs.Small particle size TPA tends to migrate to the fracture tip for plugging,while large particle size TPA tends to plug at the fracture mouth.The migration of the TPA is influenced obviously by the morphology of the fracture wall.A smooth fracture wall is conducive to the migration of the TPA to the far end of HFs,but not conducive to generating the plugging zone and HF diversion.In contrast,a"leaf vein"fracture of rough wall is conducive to generating the plugging layer and the diversion of HFs,but not conducive to the migration of the TPA to the far end of HFs.The migration ability of TPA in a"shell"pattern is intermediate between the two above cases.Increasing TPA concentration can encourage TPA to migrate more quickly to the characteristic plugging position,and thereby to promote the creation of effective plugging and subsequently the multi-stage diversion of the HFs.Nevertheless,excessive concentration may cause the TPA to settle prematurely,affecting the propagation of the HFs to the far end.Increasing the number of clusters to a certain extent can encourage TPA to migrate into the HFs and form plugging,and promote the diversion.An evaluation system for the migration ability of granular TPA has been established,and it was calculated that when there is no plugging expectation target,the comprehensive migration ability of small particle size TPA is stronger than that of large particle size TPA.This research provides theoretical foundation for the optimization of temporary plugging parameters.
基金financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52422402)。
文摘Lost circulation critically jeopardizes drilling safety and efficiency,and remains an unresolved challenge in oil and gas engineering.In this paper,by utilizing the self-developed dynamic plugging apparatus and synthetic cores containing large-scale fractures,experimental research on the circulation plugging of different materials was conducted.Based on the D90 rule and fracture mechanical aperture model,we analyze the location of plugging layer under dynamic plugging mechanism.By setting different parameters of fracture width and injection pressure,the laws of cyclic plugging time,pressure bearing capacity and plugging layers formation were investigated.The results show that the comprehensive analysis of particle size and fracture aperture provides an accurate judgment of the entrance-plugging phenomenon.The bridging of solid materials in the leakage channel is a gradual process,and the formation of a stable plug requires 2–3 plug-leakage cycles.The first and second cyclic plugging time was positively correlated with the fracture width.Different scales of fractures were successfully plugged with the bearing pressure greater than 6 MPa,but there were significant differences in the composition of the plugging layer.The experimental results can effectively prove that the utilized plugging agent is effective and provides an effective reference for dynamic plugging operation.
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52274009).
文摘During drilling operations in deep fractured tight gas reservoirs,lost circulation of working fluid frequently occurs due to the formationʼs low pressure-bearing capacity.Adding lost circulation materials(LCMs)to drilling fluids is the most common method for controlling lost circulation.Among these,granular LCMs are widely used,but the application frequency of flaky LCMs has been increasing annually due to their unique morphology.However,the migration and plugging behavior of flaky LCMs within fractures,and the mechanisms enhancing the pressure-bearing capacity of the plugging zone are not well understood.Therefore,this study conducted visual plugging experiments and dynamic fracture plugging experiments to evaluate the plugging mode and pressure-bearing capacity of the plugging slurry with various particle sizes and concentrations of flaky LCMs.The experimental results demonstrate that the fracture plugging process can be divided into four stages:uniform flow stage of the plugging slurry,formation and development stage of the bridging area,formation and development stage of the plugging area,and pressure-bearing stage of the plugging zone.The inclusion of flaky LCMs notably reduces the duration of stages 1 and 2,while simultaneously increasing the proportion of the plugging zone and enhancing its surface porosity.Flaky LCMs reduce the effective fracture width through“interception”and“co-bridging”modes,thus improving plugging zone formation efficiency.Appropriate particle size and concentration of flaky LCMs increase the area and length of the plugging zone.This reduces the fracture width increment caused by injection pressure and enhances frictional force between the plugging zone and fracture surface,thereby improving the pressure-bearing capacity of the plugging zone.However,excessively high concentrations of flaky LCMs result in decreased structural stability of the plugging zone,and excessively large particle sizes increase the risk of plugging outside fracture inlet.The recommended concentration of flaky LCMs in the plugging slurry is 2%–3%,with a particle size 1.2 to 1.5 times that of the bridging granular LCMs and not exceeding twice the fracture width.This study provides a theoretical foundation for selecting LCMs and designing plugging formulations for field applications.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52174045,No.52104011)Natural Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region(2022D01B77)。
文摘Intra-stage multi-cluster temporary plugging and diverting fracturing(ITPF)is one of the fastest-growing techniques to obtain uniform reservoir stimulation in shale gas reservoirs.However,propagation geometries of multiple fractures during ITPF are not clear due that the existing numerical models cannot capture the effects of perforation plugging.In this paper,a new three-dimensional FEM based on CZM was developed to investigate multiple planar fracture propagation considering perforation plugging during ITPF.Meanwhile,the fluid pipe element and its subroutine were first developed to realize the flux partitioning before or after perforation plugging.The results showed that the perforation plugging changed the original distribution of the number of perforations in each fracture,thus changing the flux partitioning after perforation plugging,which could eliminate the effect of stress interference between multiple fractures and promote a uniform fluid distribution.The standard deviation of fluid distribution in the perforation plugging case was only 8.48%of that in the non-diversion case.Furthermore,critical plugging parameters have been investigated quantitatively.Specifically,injecting more diverters will create a higher fluid pressure rise in the wellbore,which will increase the risk of wellbore integrity.Comprehensively considering pressure rise and fluid distribution,the number of diverters should be 50%of the total number of perforations(N_(pt)),whose standard deviation of fluid distribution of multiple fractures was lower than those in the cases of injecting 10%N_(pt),30%N_(pt)and 70%N_(pt).The diverters should be injected at an appropriate timing,i.e.40%or 50%of the total fracturing time(tft),whose standard deviation of the fluid distribution was only about 20%of standard deviations in the cases of injecting at20%tftor 70%tft.A single injection with all diverters can maintain high bottom-hole pressure for a longer period and promote a more uniform fluid distribution.The standard deviation of the fluid distribution in the case of a single injection was 43.62%-55.41%of the other cases with multiple injection times.This study provides a meaningful perspective and some optimal plugging parameters on the field design during IPTF.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant 52074327,51991361)the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province,China(ZR2020QE107)
文摘Lost circulation of drilling fluid is one of the most common engineering problems in the drilling process of fractured formations.In this study,an oil-absorbing polymer gel synthesized using compound monomers with rigid and flexible chains was applied to control the oil-based drilling fluid loss while drilling.The microstructure,oil-absorbing performance,and plugging performance the gel was investigated.A large number of dense pores on the surface of the gel were observed,which allowed the oil molecules to enter the internal space of the gel.The initial oil absorption capacity of the gel was fast,and it increased with the increase in the temperature and decrease in the particle size,reaching 20.93 g/g at140℃.At a high temperature of 140℃,the bearing pressure capacity of the gel formula containing particles of different particle sizes reached 7.6 MPa for a fracture of a width of 3 mm,showing that the oil-absorbing gel have excellent plugging performance at high temperature.Plugging mechanism of the gel was investigated through visualized fracture plugging experiments.Results show that the dynamic migratio n,particle-swelling,particle-bridging,particle-aggregation,deformation-filling,and compaction-plugging contribute to the whole lost circulation control process,reflecting that the plugging performance can be effectively enhanced by improving the aggregation and filling degrees of the gel with different particle sizes.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (U21A20105)Science and Technology Innovation Fund of PetroChina (2020D-5007-0208)。
文摘Using the visualized experimental device of temporary plugging in hydraulic fractures, the plugging behaviors of temporary plugging particles with different sizes and concentrations in hydraulic fractures were experimentally analyzed under the conditions of different carrier fluid displacements and viscosities. The results show that the greater the carrier fluid viscosity and displacement, the more difficult it is to form a plugging layer, and that the larger the size and concentration of the temporary plugging particle, the less difficult it is to form a plugging layer. When the ratio of particle size to fracture width is 0.45, the formation of the plugging layer is mainly controlled by the mass concentration of the temporary plugging particle and the viscosity of the carrier fluid, and a stable plugging layer cannot form if the mass concentration of the temporary plugging particle is less than 20 kg/m^(3)or the viscosity of the carrier fluid is greater than 3 mPa·s. When the ratio of particle size to fracture width is 0.60, the formation of the plugging layer is mainly controlled by the mass concentration of the temporary plugging particle, and a stable plugging layer cannot form if the mass concentration of the temporary plugging particle is less than 10 kg/m^(3). When the ratio of particle size to fracture width is 0.75, the formation of the plugging layer is basically not affected by other parameters, and a stable plugging layer can form within the experimental conditions. The formation process of plugging layer includes two stages and four modes. The main controlling factors affecting the formation mode are the ratio of particle size to fracture width, carrier fluid displacement and carrier fluid viscosity.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52192622,52204005,U20A20265)Sichuan Outstanding Young Scientific and Technological Talents Project(2022JDJQ0007).
文摘In this paper,a viscoelasticity-plastic damage constitutive equation for naturally fractured shale is deduced,coupling nonlinear tensile-shear mixed fracture mode.Dynamic perforation-erosion on fluid re-distribution among multi-clusters are considered as well.DFN-FEM(discrete fracture network combined with finite element method)was developed to simulate the multi-cluster complex fractures propagation within temporary plugging fracturing(TPF).Numerical results are matched with field injection and micro-seismic monitoring data.Based on geomechanical characteristics of Weiyuan deep shale gas reservoir in Sichuan Basin,SW China,a multi-cluster complex fractures propagation model is built for TPF.To study complex fractures propagation and the permeability-enhanced region evolution,intersecting and competition mechanisms between the fractures before and after TPF treatment are revealed.Simulation results show that:fracture from middle cluster is restricted by the fractures from side-clusters,and side-clusters plugging is benefit for multi fractures propagation in uniformity;optimized TPF timing should be delayed within a higher density or strike of natural fractures;Within a reservoir-featured natural fractures distribution,optimized TPF timing for most clustered method is 2/3 of total fluid injection time as the optimal plugging time under different clustering modes.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51974332).
文摘This study conducted temporary plugging and diversion fracturing(TPDF)experiments using a true triaxial fracturing simulation system within a laboratory setting that replicated a lab-based horizontal well completion with multi-cluster sand jetting perforation.The effects of temporary plugging agent(TPA)particle size,TPA concentration,single-cluster perforation number and cluster number on plugging pressure,multi-fracture diversion pattern and distribution of TPAs were investigated.A combination of TPAs with small particle sizes within the fracture and large particle sizes within the segment is conducive to increasing the plugging pressure and promoting the diversion of multi-fractures.The addition of fibers can quickly achieve ultra-high pressure,but it may lead to longitudinal fractures extending along the wellbore.The temporary plugging peak pressure increases with an increase in the concentration of the TPA,reaching a peak at a certain concentration,and further increases do not significantly improve the temporary plugging peak pressure.The breaking pressure and temporary plugging peak pressure show a decreasing trend with an increase in single-cluster perforation number.A lower number of single-cluster perforations is beneficial for increasing the breaking pressure and temporary plugging peak pressure,and it has a more significant control on the propagation of multi-cluster fractures.A lower number of clusters is not conducive to increasing the total number and complexity of artificial fractures,while a higher number of clusters makes it difficult to achieve effective plugging.The TPAs within the fracture is mainly concentrated in the complex fracture areas,especially at the intersections of fractures.Meanwhile,the TPAs within the segment are primarily distributed near the perforation cluster apertures which initiated complex fractures.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(51991361,52074327)Major Engineering Technology Field Test Project of CNPC(2020F-45)。
文摘As formation mechanisms of plugging zone and criteria for fracture plugging remain unclear,plugging experiments and methods testing granular material mechanical properties are used to study the formation process of the plugging zone in fractured formations,analyze composition and ratios of different sizes of particles in the plugging zone,and reveal the essence and driving energy of the formation and damage of the plugging zone.New criteria for selecting lost circulation materials are proposed.The research results show that the formation of the plugging zone has undergone a process from inertial flow,elastic flow,to quasi-static flow.The plugging zone is composed of fracture mouth plugging particles,bridging particles and filling particles,and the proportion of the three types of particles is an important basis for designing drilling fluid loss control formula.The essence of the construction of the plugging zone is non-equilibrium Jamming phase transition.The response of the plugging zone particle system to pressure is driven by entropy force;the greater the entropy,the more stable the plugging zone.Lost circulation control formula optimized according to the new criteria has better plugging effect than the formula made according to conventional plugging rules and effectively improves the pressure-bearing capacity of the plugging zone.The research results provide a theoretical and technical basis for the lost circulation control of fractured formations.
基金supported financially by the Beijing Natural Science Foundation Project(No.3222030)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51936001,No.52274002 and No.52192622)+1 种基金the PetroChina Science and Technology Innovation Foundation Project(2021DQ02–0201)Award Cultivation Foundation from Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology(No.BIPTACF-002).
文摘The effective plugging of artificial fractures is key to the success of temporary plugging and diverting fracturing technology,which is one of the most promising ways to improve the heat recovery efficiency of hot dry rock.At present,how temporary plugging agents plug artificial fractures under high temperature remains unclear.In this paper,by establishing an improved experimental system for the evaluation of temporary plugging performance at high temperature,we clarified the effects of high temperature,injection rate,and fracture width on the pressure response and plugging efficiency of the fracture.The results revealed that the temporary plugging process of artificial fractures in hot dry rock can be divided into four main stages:the initial stage of temporary plugging,the bridging stage of the particles,the plugging formation stage,and the high-pressure dense plugging stage.As the temperature increases,the distribution distance of the temporary plugging agent,the number of pressure fluctuations,and the time required for crack plugging increases.Particularly,when the temperature increases by 100℃,the complete plugging time increases by 90.7%.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51604236)Science and Technology Program of Sichuan Province(Grant No.2018JY0436)the Sichuan Province Youth Science and Technology Innovation Team Project(Grant No.2016TD0016)
文摘Focused on the lost circulation control in deep naturally fractured reservoirs, the multiscale structure of fracture plugging zone is proposed based on the theory of granular matter mechanics, and the structural failure pattern of plugging zone is developed to reveal the plugging zone failure mechanisms in deep, high temperature, high pressure, and high in-situ stress environment. Based on the fracture plugging zone strength model, key performance parameters are determined for the optimal selection of loss control material(LCM). Laboratory fracture plugging experiments with new LCM are carried out to evaluate the effect of the key performance parameters of LCM on fracture plugging quality. LCM selection strategy for fractured reservoirs is developed. The results show that the force chain formed by LCMs determines the pressure stabilization of macro-scale fracture plugging zone. Friction failure and shear failure are the two major failure patterns of fracture plugging zone. The strength of force chain depends on the performance of micro-scale LCM, and the LCM key performance parameters include particle size distribution, fiber aspect ratio, friction coefficient, compressive strength, soluble ability and high temperature resistance. Results of lab experiments and field test show that lost circulation control quality can be effectively improved with the optimal material selection based on the extracted key performance parameters of LCMs.
基金“Research and Application of Key Techniques for Drilling and Completion of Bozhong 19-6 Condensate Gas Field Development-Phase I”sub topic 4“Research on Leakage Prevention and Plugging Techniques for Fault and Buried Hill Reservoirs”,a Project of China National Offshore Oil (China)Co.,Ltd. (Project No.YXKY-2020-TJ-03).
文摘Fault fractures usually have large openings and considerable extension. Accordingly, cross-linked gel materials aregenerally considered more suitable plugging agents than water-based gels because the latter often undergo contaminationvia formation water, which prevents them from being effective over long times. Hence, in this study, aset of oil-based composite gels based on waste grease and epoxy resin has been developed. These materials havebeen observed to possess high compressive strength and resistance to the aforementioned contamination, therebyleading to notable increase in plugging success rate. The compressive strength, thickening time, and resistance toformation water pollution of these gels have been evaluated indoors. The results show that the compressivestrength of the gel can reach 11 MPa;additionally, the related gelation time can be controlled to be more than3 h, thereby providing a safe construction time;Invasion of formation water has a small effect on the gel strengthand does not shorten the thickening time. All considered performance indicators of the oil-based gel confirm itssuitability as a plugging agent for fault fractures.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51604236)Open Fund of the State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation(PLN201913)+1 种基金Science and Technology Planning Project of the Sichuan Province,China(2018JY0436)Sichuan Youth Science and Technology Innovation Research Team Project for Unconventional Oil and Gas Reservoir Protection(2016TD0016)。
文摘A coupled CFD-DEM method is used to simulate the formation process of fracture plugging zone.A photo-elastic system characterizing mesoscale force chain network developed by our own is used to model the pressure evolution in fracture plugging zone to reveal the evolution mechanism of the structure of fracture plugging zone.A theoretical basis is provided for improving the lost circulation control effect in fractured reservoirs and novel methods are proposed for selecting loss control materials and designing loss control formula.CFD-DEM simulation results show that bridging probability is the key factor determining the formation of fracture plugging zone and fracture plugging efficiency.Critical and absolute bridging concentrations are proposed as the key indexes for loss control formula design.With the increase of absolute bridging concentration,the governing factor of bridging is changed from material grain size to the combination of material grain size and friction force.Results of photo-elastic experiments show that mesoscale force chain network is the intrinsic factor affecting the evolution of pressure exerting on the fracture plugging zone and determines the macroscopic strength of fracture plugging zone.Performance parameters of loss control material affect the force chain network structure and the ratio of stronger force chain,and further impact the stability and strength of fracture plugging zone.Based on the study results,the loss control formula is optimized and new-type loss control material is designed.Laboratory experiments results show that the fracture plugging efficiency and strength is effectively improved.
基金Major Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China Basic Theory of Efficient Development of Shale Oil and Gas(No.51490653)Theory and Method of Efficient Con struction of Fracture Network in Deep and Ultra-Deep Shale Gas Horizontal Wells(No.U19A2043)National Natural Science Foundation of China Theory and Method of Long term Propping for Deep Shale Gas Hydraulic Fractures based on DEM-LBM Hydro-Mechanical Coupling(No.52104039).
文摘When deep and ultra-deep shale gas well fracturing is carried out,multi-cluster fracturing can hardly realize synchronous initiation and propagation of hydraulic fractures due to the combined effects of heterogeneity of deep in-situ stress and"dense cluster"fracture arrangement,and the strong interference between fractures aggravates the unbalanced fracture propagation degree.Field practice proves that the fracture-opening temporary plugging fracturing technology can effectively control the unbalanced propagation of multiple fractures.In addition,the application effect of temporary plugging process can be improved by developing a method for simulating fracture control during fracture-opening temporary plugging fracturing of deep/ultra-deep shale-gas horizontal wells.Based on rock mechanics,elasticity mechanics,fluid mechanics and fracture propagation theory,combined with the flow distribution equation of horizontal-well multi-cluster fracturing and the plugging equation of temporary plugging balls,this paper establishes a fracture propagation model and a fracture control simulation method for the fracture-opening temporary plugging fracturing of deep/ultra-deep shale gas horizontal wells.Then,the influences of the number of temporary plugging balls and the times and timing of temporary plugging on temporary plugging control are simulated,and the influences of temporary plugging balls on fracture propagation morphology and SRV(stimulated reservoir volume)distribution are analyzed by taking Sinopec's one deep shale gas well in Dingshan-Dongxi structure of southeast Sichuan Basin as an example.And the following research results are obtained.First,fracture-opening temporary plugging can significantly promote the balanced propagation of multiple fractures,and the simulation confirms that the number of temporary plugging balls and the times and timing of temporary plugging play an important role in fracture control.Second,as the number of temporary plugging balls increase,the SRV increases firstly and then decreases,so there is an optimal number of temporary plugging balls.Third,increasing the times of temporary plugging can improve the fault tolerance rate of temporary plugging and diverting process,but it is necessary to increase the number of temporary plugging balls appropriately.Fourth,when the timing of temporary plugging is appropriate,the balanced propagation of multiple fractures is achieved and the maximum SRV is reached.In conclusion,this method is of great significance to optimizing the design of temporary plugging fracturing,improve the implementation level of field process and develop deep and ultra-deep shale gas efficiently.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41772286,42077247)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central UniversitiesOpen Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering,Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics,Chinese Academy of Sciences(Z020009)。
文摘Refracturing is an importa nt technique to tap the potential of reservoirs and boost production in depleted oil and gas fields.However,fracture propagation during refracturing,including both conventional refracturing and temporary-plugging refracturing remains poorly understood,especially for cases with non-uniform distribution of formation pressure due to long-term oil production and water injection.Therefore,taking pilot tests of refracturing with sidetracking horizontal wells in tight reservoirs in the Changqing Oilfield,China as an example,we establish a three-dimensional numerical model of conventional refracturing and a numerical model of temporary-plugging refracturing based on the discrete lattice method.Non-uniform distributions of formation pressure are imported in these models.We discuss the effects of key operating parameters such as injection rate,cluster spacing,and number of clusters on the propagation of multi-cluster fractures for conventional refracturing.For temporaryplugging refracturing,we examine the impacts of controlling factors such as the timing and number of temporary plugging on fracture propagation.In addition,we analyze a field case of temporaryplugging refracturing using well P3 in the Changqing Oilfield.The results show that fractures during re fracturing tend to propagate preferentially and dominantly in the depleted areas.Improved stimulation effect can be obtained with an optimal injection rate and a critical cluster spacing.The proposed model of temporary-plugging refracturing can well describe the temporary plugging of dominant existingfractures and the creation of new-fractures after fracturing fluid is forced to divert into other clusters from previous dominant clusters.Multiple temporary plugging can improve the balanced propagation of multi-cluster fractures and obtain the maximum fracture area.The established numerical model and research results provide theoretical guidance for the design and optimization of key operating parameters for refracturing,especially for temporary-plugging refracturing.
基金the project of the State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Engineering(No.PRE/open-2307)the CNOOC Research Institute(No.2020PFS-03).
文摘Hydraulic fracturing,an effective method for enhancing coal seam productivity,largely determines coalbed methane(CBM)production,which is significantly influenced by geological and engineering factors.This study focuses on the L block to investigate the mechanisms influencing efficient fracture propagation and enhanced stimulated reservoir volume(SRV)in fracturing.To explore the mechanisms influencing effective fracture propagation and enhanced SRV,the L block was selected as the research object,with a comprehensive consideration of geological background,reservoir properties,and dynamic production data.By combining the discrete lattice method with numer-ical analysis and true triaxial experimental simulation,the fracture morphology of a single cluster and the propagation patterns of multiple clusters of complex fractures were obtained.Additionally,the optimization of temporary plugging timing and the fracture map under multiple factors were innovatively proposed.Results indicate that greater flow rate and viscosity can effectively overcome the stress shadow effect of the outermost fractures(1st and 6th clusters),increasing the fracture pressure of the single cluster and the equilibrium degree of multiple fracture propagation,thus forming a more complex fracture network.Moreover,when viscosity exceeds 45 pressure concentrates at fracture mPa⋅s,tips,promoting discontinuous propagation and reducing flow resistance.Conversely,increased gangue thickness and spacing between horizontal wells increase the vertical propagation pressure,suppressing fracture growth and reducing central flow velocity.This study provides a multi-cluster fracture propagation map for optimizing volumetric fracturing in coal seams and suggests that the optimal temporary plugging time significantly enhances the SRV.
基金supported by the National Major Science and Technology Project“Experimental study on shale gas production in Zhaotong County,Yunnan Province”(No.:2012ZX0518-006)Major Project of CNPC“Field test of shale gas drilling and production engineering technology in Zhaotong demonstration zone”(No.:2012F-47-02).
文摘Due to downhole complexities,shale-gas horizontal well fracturing in the Sichuan Basin suffered from casing deformation and failure to apply the technique of cable-conveyed perforation bridge plug.In view of these problems,a new technique of staged volume fracturing with temporary plugging by sand filling is employed.Based on theoretical analyses and field tests,a design of optimized parameters of coiled tubingconveyed multi-cluster sand-blasting perforation and temporary plugging by sand filling was proposed.It was applied in the horizontalWell ZJ-1 in which casing deformation occurred.The following results are achieved in field operations.First,this technique enables selective staged fracturing in horizontal sections.Second,this technique can realize massive staged fracturing credibly without mechanical plugging,with the operating efficiency equivalent to the conventional bridge plug staged fracturing.Third,full-hole is preserved after fracturing,thus it is possible to directly conduct an open flow test without time consumption of a wiper trip.The staged volume fracturing with temporary plugging by sand filling facilitated the 14-stage fracturing in Well ZJ-1,with similar SRV to that achieved by conventional bridge plug staged fracturing and higher gas yield than neighboring wells on the same well pad.Thus,a new and effective technique is presented in multi-cluster staged volume fracturing of shale gas horizontal wells.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China fund (Project number: 52174045 and No. 52104011)Research Foundation of China University of Petroleum-Beijing at Karamay (No. XQZX20210001)PetroChina Innovation Foundation (2020D50070207)。
文摘Due to the reservoir heterogeneity and the stress shadow effect, multiple hydraulic fractures within one fracturing segment cannot be initiated simultaneously and propagate evenly, which will cause a low effectiveness of reservoir stimulation. Temporary plugging and diverting fracturing(TPDF) is considered to be a potential uniform-stimulation method for creating multiple fractures simultaneously in the oilfield. However, the multi-fracture propagation morphology during TPDF is not clear now. The purpose of this study is to quantitatively investigate the multi-fracture propagation morphology during TPDF through true tri-axial fracturing experiments and CT scanning. Critical parameters such as fracture spacing, number of perforation clusters, the viscosity of fracturing fluid, and the in-situ stress have been investigated. The fracture geometry before and after diversion have been quantitively analyzed based on the two-dimensional CT slices and three-dimensional reconstruction method. The main conclusions are as follows:(1) When injecting the high viscosity fluid or perforating at the location with low in-situ stress, multiple hydraulic fractures would simultaneously propagate. Otherwise, only one hydraulic fracture was created during the initial fracturing stage(IFS) for most tests.(2) The perforation cluster effectiveness(PCE) has increased from 26.62% during the IFS to 88.86% after using diverters.(3) The diverted fracture volume has no apparent correlation with the pressure peak and peak frequency during the diversion fracturing stage(DFS) but is positively correlated with water-work.(4) Four types of plugging behavior in shale could be controlled by adjusting the diverter recipe and diverter injection time, and the plugging behavior includes plugging the natural fracture in the wellbore, plugging the previous hydraulic fractures, plugging the fracture tip and plugging the bedding.
基金National Science and Technology Major Project(2016ZX05023)PetroChina Science and Technology Major Project(2018E-1809)。
文摘Based on analysis of the reasons for low efficiency and low production after fracturing of some wells in the ultra-deep fractured tight reservoirs of the Kuqa piedmont zone, Tarim Basin and the matching relationship between the in-situ stress field and natural fractures, technological methods for creating complex fracture networks are proposed. Through theoretical study and large-scale physical simulation experiments, the mechanical conditions for forming complex fracture network in the Kuqa piedmont ultra-deep reservoirs are determined. The effectiveness of temporary plugging and diversion, and multi-stage fracturing to activate natural fractures and consequently realize multi-stage diversion is verified. The coupling effect of hydraulic fractures and natural fractures activating each other and resulting in "fracture swarms" is observed. These insights provide theoretical support for improving fracture-controlled stimulated reservoir volume(FSRV) in ultra-deep tight reservoirs. In addition, following the concept of volume fracturing technology and based on the results of fracture conductivity experiments of different processes, fracturing technologies such as multi-stage fracture-network acid fracturing, "multi-stage temporary plugging + secondary fracturing", fracturing of multiple small layers by vertically softness-and-hardness-oriented subdivision, and weighted-fluid refracturing are proposed to increase the FSRV. New environment-friendly weighted-fluid with low cost and new fracturing fluid system with low viscosity and high proppant-carrying capacity are also developed. These techniques have achieved remarkable results in field application.
