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This paper was prepared for presentation at the 2007 SPE Annual Technical Conference and
Exhibition held in Anaheim, California, U.S.A., 1114 November 2007.
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE Program Committee following review of
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Abstract
This case study will summarize the lessons learned during the
stimulation and operation of horizontal laterals completed in
the Middle Bakken formation of North Dakota and Montana.
This paper will compare the production histories of these wells
to offset wells completed with other techniques to evaluate
best industry practices. Insight will be shared as to the effect
of lateral length, wellbore azimuth and stimulation design on
well production and overall well economics.
The Bakken formation of the Williston Basin is undergoing
significant development in Manitoba, Saskatchewan,
Montana, and North Dakota. Numerous operators are active
in the area, with a wide variety of development approaches.
The industry has not yet reached consensus on optimal drilling
and stimulation strategies.
Results indicate significant progress in improving well
production, while reducing the drilled lateral length and the
treatment size. Efforts to improve diversion and optimize
proppant type and size appear to provide more effective
fracture treatments, while eliminating production problems
related to the flowback of frac sand.
This paper will provide the following benefits to readers:
Operators in the Bakken have experienced significant
problems with flowback of frac sand, requiring frequent
pump changes, conservative production strategies, and
expensive cleanouts prior to restimulation. This paper
will describe the steps taken to eliminate proppant
flowback into the wellbore and the estimated economic
impact.
Introduction
The Middle Bakken play of the Williston Basin has generated
significant interest, with over 45 companies completing wells
in North Dakota and Montana and additional development
activity accelerating in Canada (Figure 1).
AB
SK
MB
ND
MT
SD
WY
SPE 110679
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1300
100
1200
90
Rate/frac [bopd]
1100
80
70
Rate/frac [bopd]
900
800
60
700
50
600
40
500
400
30
300
20
200
10
100
0
0
N-10
N-11
S-14
S-15
S-12
N-12
S-11
N-14
N-15
N-5
N-7
1000
Field Results
Proppant Flowback One of the notable successes with this
design strategy has been the virtual elimination of proppant
flowback. Many operators in the Bakken report tremendous
problems with production of frac sand, requiring frequent
pump changes as the pumps are damaged by crushed frac
sand. Stuck pumps are a common problem, resulting in strip
jobs to recover the pump, rods, and tubing from the well. The
cost to strip a well generally exceeds $35,000 plus the cost of
lost/deferred production. A review of wells completed by
three operators using ceramic proppant indicates zero pump
failures due to crushed reservoir sand or proppant. Recent
wells treated with uncoated ceramic proppant (without any
additives or surface modification agents), have experienced
zero proppant production problems. While the elimination of
proppant flowback with spherical grains is surprising to some
SPE 110679
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Months from Initial Production
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Months from Initial Production
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Since only six of the 23 ceramic wells have been on-line for
22 months, there remains uncertainty regarding the long term
performance of Bakken wells. However Figure 11 suggests
that greater long-term production is provided by the ceramic
completions. Figure 12 shows the cumulative production
reported to the State for these completions. The unusual
flattening of the sand curve after 20 months is due to changes
in well population, as some of the recent tri-lateral sand wells
utilizing 1 million pounds of frac sand have provided
improved initial production rates, but have not been on-line
long enough to affect production rates beyond 20 months,
which is increasingly dominated by older, lower productivity
sand wells.
60000
40000
20000
0
0
10
15
20
25
30
80000
Wells Known to be Completed with Ceramic
(Avg. of 23 wells)
60000
400
40000
20000
0
0
10
15
20
25
30
80000
XL1
XL2
XL3
XL4
XL5
XL6
XL7
XL8
XL9
LV2
LV1
LV5
LV4
LV3
Avg XLG with 20/40 LWC
Avg SL with 40/70 Sand
Avg SL with 30/50 LWC
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
0
Geological Variation
While these state-wide trends suggest fracture conductivity
affects production (evidence of transverse fracs), it is
important to examine the results in smaller regions to ensure
that the results are not skewed by the use of ceramic proppant
10
12
800
FERGUSON SMITH 1-30H
BOPD, Monthly Cumulative/ Days On-Line
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700
500
E. BURDICK 29-32H
SVEEN 14X-34
400
300
200
100
0
0
10
15
20
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250
200
100
50
0
1
11
13
15
17
19
21
23
25
27
29
31
33
35
Although Figure 18 does not show the same trend as the North
Dakota results, the Montana analysis may be skewed by
reservoir quality variation across the 34 townships (over
750,000 acres) these results represent. It is well known that
reservoir quality varies throughout the Bakken. In Montana,
the authors wells are concentrated in seven townships.
Figure 19 indicates that five of the authors townships are
below average and two townships are above average.
500
400
300
400
200
100
0
0
10
15
20
25
350
30
600
250
200
150
100
50
0
1
11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37
Months from Initial Production
10
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11
Nomenclature
BOPD
ELWC
EUR
ISP
LWC
Sand
max
min
Xf
References
1
12
SPE 110679
Oct 3-6.
Meza, B., Tremblay, B., Doan, Q.: Visualization of Sand
Structures Surrounding a Horizontal Well Slot During Cold
Production, paper SPE 79025 presented at the 2002 SPE
International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium,
Calgary, Nov. 4-7.
18
Meza-Diaz, B, Tremblay, B., Doan, Q. Mechanisms of Sand
Production Through Horizontal Well Slots in Primary Production,
JCPT Oct. 2003, p 36-46.
19
Vincent, M.C., Miller, H.B, et al. Erosion by Proppant: A
Comparison of the Erosivity of Sand and Ceramic Proppants
During Slurry Injection and Flowback of Proppant, paper SPE
90604 presented at the 2004 Annual Technical Conference,
Houston, Sep 26-29.
17
Appendix
Simplified Frac Design for a Single Short Lateral Designed for Transverse Fracs from a Horizontal Wellbore
Pumping rates vary based on lateral length/orientation/conditions/design. Typical rates 30 to 70 bpm
Water-based fluids, linear gel for flush, cross-linked gel for treatment
SMA denotes Surface Modification Agent
Stage
Fluid
Volume (gal)
Prop Type
Pad
16,000
2
3
Shut-In
Pad
0
10,000
0
0
0
0
Shut-In
Pad
10,000
5,000
Pad
10,000
8
9
5,000
16,000
10
11
12
16/20 LWC
5,000
1
0
16/20 LWC
5,000
0
20,000
2.5
16/20 LWC
50,000
2,000
16/20 LWC+SMA
16,000
Pad
8,000
13
20,000
2.5
14
15
2,000
8,000
8
0
16
20,000
2.5
16/20 LWC
50,000
17
2,000
16/20 LWC+SMA
16,000
18
Pad
18,000
19
20,000
20
Flush
as needed
Totals
192,000
0
16/20 LWC+SMA
50,000
16,000
0
0
16/20 LWC
60,000
0
268,000