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FEATURE

ARTICLE

Hydraulic Fracturing in Waterflood Operations


In Kermit, Cherrykirk and Pecos Valley Fields
E. A. RILEY
JUNIOR MEMBER AIME

Abstract
A limited amount of published data is available which
presents results of hydraulic fracturing in waterflood operations. To add to this knowledge, this report presents
data resulting from frac programs performed in three different reservoirs. These programs were performed to effect both injectivity and productivity increases. The majority of applications were performed at a time during
flood life which affords valid and conclusive interpretation
of results.
Conclusions based upon results obtained from the frac
jobs mayor may not be indicative of benefits to be gained
in every field. Therefore, no panacea for lagging, negligible, or hesitant well performance is offered. However, it
is suggested that subpar well performance in waterflood
operations may be alleviated and improved by proper applications of the popular hydraulic fracturing technique.
A total of 20 producers and four injectors were treated
in the three fields. Only two applications can be termed
failures; these are believed to have been due to mechanical
features (sand-ou1t or improper frac technique).
Theoretically, the most beneficial fracture system for
flooding operations can be obtained by use of either low
injection volumes and high injection rates or medium injection volumes and low injection rates. A resultant multiple fracture system of limited radial distance from the
wellbore should occur.

Introduction
Requisite levels of well receptivity of productivity in
waterflood operations are not necessarily incurred in every operation. Several factors attributable to local wellbore
damage are possible causes.
Until quite recently, no method to improve individual
well performance, other than formation fracturing with
explosives (nitroglycerin) or acidization, was considered
safe enough to be used. Even these methods were unsure
and often created expensive cleanout work after the shot.
A new concept arose in 1953-54 utilizing the application of the hydraulic fracturing process to increase injecOriginal manuscript received in Society of Petroleum Engineers office March 19. 1959. Revised manuscript received June 17. 19p9. Pap~r
presented at the Oil Recovery Conference held by the PermIan Basm
Section. AIME. in Midland. Tex . May 7-8. 1959.
SEPTEMBER, 1959

AMBASSADOR OIL CORP.


FORT WORTH, TEX.

tivity of wells in waterflood operations. This process had


been used with great success in primary recovery operations since 1949. However, several limitations to its use
in secondary recovery operations were readily apparent,
viz., use in reservoirs with bottom water was not recommended, wells of shallow depth usually cannot be fractured due to pressure limitations, and the inherent fear
that fractures induced by the process would cause severe
channelling of injection water. Since only controversial
theoretical and laboratory-contrived conclusions, along
with very limited field results, have been reported in literature, the results reported herein are believed to offer
further insight into benefits to be derived by the successful application of the process to wells which have indicated subpar performance.
.
Extensive use of the "frac" method on both producl'fig
and injection wells in three different reservoirs, during
both primary and secondary life, has proven beneficial to
oil recovery technique with little or no detrimental effect
on sweep efficiency.
The Permian age Queen and Yates sand reservoirs in
the Kermit field, Winkler County, and in the Pecos Valley field, Pecos County, and the Pennsylvanian age Strawn
sand reservoir in the Cherrykirk field, Jack County, (all
in Texas) were subjected to frac treatments. Four different type frac jobs were used: Riverfrac, Petrofrac,
Sandoil with MCA, and gelled salt water. All processes
exhibit high fluid loss characteristics-believed to be essential i'n the creation of a localized multiple fracture system. Of the 47 jobs performed, both during primary and
secondary life, 94 per cent indicated successful application
without resultant premature or abnormal water breakthrough at oil producers.
Tabulated data showing pre- and post-job conditions,
cumulative recovery, aond other pertinent information is
herein presented. Sufficient time-lapse following application was allowed to substantiate conclusion.
Empirical and theoretical considerations of injection
rates, i'njection volumes, type of reservoir, length of induced fracture and effective permeability increases have
been analyzed in literature. A generalized criterion for
evaluating the job size and injection rates for the three reservoirs is discussed. All reported results to date suggest
that hydraulic fracturing to improve subpar performance
is no "cure-all" nor is an exact academic or classical fac-

SPE 1256-G
15

ment usually occurred. (1) Shooting with explosives


usually required extensive well cleanout to remove the
detrital material from the wellbore. (2) Most formations
subjected to waterflood operations to date contain a limited amount of acid soluble material. (3) Maintenance of
a surfactant film on the sand grains was difficult due to
the "washing effect" of the injection water. (4) Formation
breakdown pressures could easily be exceeded if careful
surveillance of injection pressure increases was not maintained.
Since the problem of subpar well performance exists to
some degree in most water floods, it was and still is, of
prime concern to all operators. Serious consequences of
flood imbalance, impaired injection profiles and reduced
oil recovery from effected sweep efficiency invariably result. Early solution of this "water-flooder's enigma" is always imperative both from a physical and from an economical viewpoint. Retarded injection and production rates
cause loss in ultimate oil recovery and/or extended flood
life-both are losses in profit and present net worth.
Some reservoirs which had been fractured during their
primary recovery life were placed under waterflood operations in the early 1950's. An inherent fear of water channelling to oil producers kept the number to a bare mini-

tor of injection rate and volume (BPM/ft) applicable to


all reservoirs. Instead, experience, thorough analyzation
of reservoir characteristics and logic appear to be at the
best evaluators.
Hydraulic Fracture History in Water Flooding
Prior to 1954
In the past, if inadequate injection or producing rates
were not due to lack of water supply or improper injecjection facilities, improvement has been realized by use of
one of the following methods: ( 1) nitroglycerin (as an
explosive) to fracture the pay zone, (2) hydrochloric or
mud acid to dissolve and remove acid soluble material
from the matrix, (3) surfactant chemicals to reduce surface tension on the sand face and oil saturation around
the well bore, thereby reducing injection pressure requirements, (4) high temperature fluids to melt and dissolve
the paraffin-type deposits in and around the wellbore, or
(5) increased injection pressures along with more careful
filtration of the injection water.
Varying success from these methods was realized. Frequently the increase in injection or producing rates was
of short life. Unfavorable complications due to each treat-

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Fig. I-A. O. C.-Flood No.1, Clapp.Walton, Kermit field, Winkler County, Tex.
16

JOlJRNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY

mum. Despite some successes, hydraulic fracturing was


believed to be an application highly detrimental to water
flooding. In late 1953-1954, one operator reported the utilization of "fracing" in waterflood operations. Even though
a large volume of additional oil recovery was realized,
the application was not believed feasible for other areas
since unconventional and expensive producing equipment
was necessary to handle the high total fluid volumes required to produce the oil.
Aonother well-known example of a reservoir being fractured during primary life and at flood initiation is the
Langston-Kleiner field in Young County, Tex. Application of the process was made to both injectors and producers. No detrimental effect on sweep efficiency was
claimed in a published article. However, some controversy
developed over conclusions stated in the paper; the main
contention being that insufficient post-job history had been
allowed to substantiate the claims. Later developed data
revealed that no discernible premature water-cut oil production or channelling had occurred after an additional 14
months had elapsed.
One other application of the frac process during water
flood was reported by an operator in Illinois; however,

only injection wells were treated and in somewhat of a


last resort measure to obtain flood balance. A surprisingly high success ratio and sustained injectivity improvement was experienced.
These successful field applications and the increasing
number of "theoretical-experimental" projects indicate that
fracturing, if properly applied, should aid materially to
the waterflood recovery technique. However, a natural
reluctance to use the frac process still exists, particularly by operators who have experienced poor results
from flooding operations in reservoirs which failed to flood
from other reasons. Several classes of waterflood "failures" exist in this category: (1) water channelling in reservoirs that had been fraced using extremely high fluid
volumes and injection rates during the primary life, (2)
reservoirs that had been subjected to excessive injection
pressures reSUlting in formation parting and premature
water production, (3) fields wherein partially successful
flood programs were sufficient to satisfy the operator's economic requirements without regard for optimum recovery
efficiency, (4) in fields where the frac process was attempted in formations having an exposed gas zone or bottom water zone.

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A. O. C. Flood No. 16-Cherryhomes, Cherrykirk field, Jack County, Tex.


II

Discussion of Parameters

Careful study of all possible types of applications revealed


that a prime choice, even though somewhat radical at that
time, was the hydraulic fracturing process used successfully in many primary recovery operations to increase
well capacity and/or drainage radius.
Since no bottom water existed i'n any of the three fields,
the decisions to frac were believed highly valid. If bottom
water had been existent, the better decision would in all
probability have been "nitro-shooting" or possibly the vibration-fracturing process (if it had been available then).

General parameters utilized in selection of job size, injection rates, maximum injection pressures, type frac job
and results are carried below; however, considerations of
fracturing in water flooding must be precluded by a thorough analysis of all conditions in each reservoir prior to
application.
1. Based on sand thickness and 1O-20-acre/well density, a maximum fluid volume of 50 gal/ft of pay zone
treated should 'I1ot be exceeded. Average fluid volume ratio used in the three fields herein reported was 25-35
gal/ft.
2. Multiple fracture systems can be more easily obtained by use of high fluid loss frac fluids and/or selective plugging agents (marbles, moth balls, resinous polymers, and sand fill-up).
3. A formula derived from the Darcy equation for
flow relating fracture length to injection rates, frac fluid
viscosity, formation permeability and fracture time can
be used in job planning.
4. Injection rates apparently are critical to fracture
length alo'l1g with items in (3); therefore, 0.5-1.0 BPM/ft
of net pay have proved sage in most cases (provided volumes are maintained at the level stated above, permeabilities average 30 to 100 md, and a true frac fluid is used).
5. Low injection rates (just above sand out) and
medium volumes or high injection rates a'l1d very low injection volumes give desired results.
6. More beneficial results were noted when using water
or a water-based gel in injection wells and a refined crude
or lease crude in producers (except i'l1 the high salinity
sands of West Texas where fresh water is best for both
type wells).
7. The injection pressures necessary to create formation fracturing normally do not exceed 1 Ib/ft of depth.
Published data gives typical "breakdown pressures" on
most producing horizo'ns.
8. Evaluation of frac jobs must allow sufficient postjob history.

Kermit Field, Winkler County, Tex.


This field, an anticlinal structure trending NE-SW, is
located in the central sector of the Central Platform and
covers 11,500 acres. The discovery well was completed in
1928 from the Queen sand formation of Permian age at
an average depth of 3,000 ft. Development resulted in the
completion of 1,008 wells on lO-acre/well density; some
variations in the spacing were incurred due to drilling on
small irregular-shaped tracts. I'nitial potentials varied from
50 to 2,000 BOPD, averaging about 300 BOPD per well.
The leases comprising the reported area consist of 320
acres in Sec. 26, Block 26, PSL Survey. (See Fig. 1)

r
r;
200

DAilY PRODUCTION

BB;;;lS.lDA~Y

CUM. Oil

'"

fii

Ul",~1

RECOVERY-

t--____+-_~iO_--__'_i~__,_- i? --':\'+---.:L.~j,--I---1 BBlS.


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t--------~t---~~----~~/------+_--------~2

1957

r
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200

DAilY PRODUCTION BBlS.lDAY

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2r---~~t_------+_------,L/~~~/----~2
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1957

1958

Fig. 2-Production performance history on


the O. Clapp 4-A. Oil recovery from date
of frac joh to 7-1-58 equals 48,313 hhl.
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1956

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1958

Fig. 3-Production performance history on


the O. Clapp 6-A. Oil recovery from date of
frac joh to 7-1-58 equals 47,501 hhl.

100

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1955

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RECOVERY
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200

General Discussions of Pre-Frac Conditions


Several wells in the three fields discussed herein exhibited subpar performance relative to adjacent or other
wells on the lease. With nearly all other reservoir characteristics being equal it was apparent that wellbore damage
or localized formation capacity restrictiO'ns were existent.

DAilY PRODUCTION BBlS.lDA:

I
1956

1957

1958

Fig. 4--Production performance history on


the O. Clapp 7-A. Well fraced after flood
response. Additional oil recovery due to frac
joh is 21,100 hhl.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY

Treatment and Results

Peak lease oil production was 43,200 bbl in Aug., 1937.


A total of 1,440,442 bbl of oil were produced to 1946 by
the primary producing energy, a solution gas drive of an
undersaturated crude.
The productive horizon characteristics are: (1) a twomember sand body laminated with numerous shale and
anhydrite stringers occurred over an estimated 270 ft interval, (2) net pay thickness encountered was 20 ft, average permeability 20 and 60 md, average porosity 1~ and
21 per cent in the upper and lower members, ~espectIvel~,
and (3) little or no water was produced durmg the PrImary life of the field.
The injection water from a shallow sandy-gravel is handled through an open system. Injection was initiated in
Aug., 1954. High injection rates in the order of 300 to 450
BWPD have been utilized throughout the flood life. Injection is downhole through casing into the two-member
reservoir which had been left uncased during completion,
since this was common practice. This afforded optimum
sand interval available for injection purposes.
Initial production response due to water flooding was
indicated in several wells in late 1954 when daily oil rates
of 100 to 300 BWPD were attained. However several wells
lagged beyond anticipated response time or indicated abnormally low producing rates after slight response. After
a reasonable time was allocated for response, it was decided that some type of production stimulation was needed.
A program consisti-ng of treating one well at a time and
analyzing results prior to full-scale treatment was chosen.

DAILY PRODUCTION B8LS.lDA..Y

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OIL
RECOVERY'

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Subsequent Treatments and Results


After this well responded strongly to hydraulic fracturing treatment, seven additional wells were treated during
late 1956 and early 1957, resulting in 100 per cent successful applications. The job size varied from 10,000 to
20,000 gal of fresh water with a sand concentration of 1
lb/gal in all cases. Injection rates varied from 18 to 37
BPM down the casing.
It was found, after trial and error, that frac jobs on
each individual pay section were more beneficial. The wide
variation in permeability between the two zones made it
almost impossible to obtain injection rates and/or sufficient pressures to treat both zones simultaneously since
the lower zone would "thief" frac fluid intended for the
upper zone at pressures -necessary to frac it. Two methods for treating the zones independently were successfully
utilized: (1) single stage frac by isolation of the lower
zone through filling the well bore to the bottom of the upper zone with sand, and (2) a multi-stage frac job using
a plugging material (mothballs)' in the lower zone after
it had been treated. The mechanics of the water frac
method are thoroughly explained in literature.
Investigation of Figs. 2 through 5 and Table 1 will verify that -no abnormal watercut increase occurred after any
frac job.

B8LS.

200 ~------~~--~--~----~--~----~,--~
100

Selection of Riverfrac as the most beneficial frac process


was believed to be the most prudent since the producing
horizon contains a high degree of salt. The fresh water
utilized ion the process reduces this salinity by dissolution
of salt crystals within the formation, thus affording enlargement of existenting pore channels and possibly creating new ones.
The initial well subjected to treatment (0. Clapp No.
4-A) was fractured on Aug. 8, 1956, with 10,000 gal of
fresh water carrying one lb/gal of 20-40 mesh Ottawa
sand. The injection rate was maintained at 34 BPM down
the casing which required a surface injection pressure of
890 psig. A normal job routine was carried out with no
interruptions due to downhole or mechanical difficulties.
The well went on vacuum upon job completion. After
checking with a sand pump to i-nsure that the well bore
was free of sand, the well was placed back on productive
status. Production was increased from 24 BOPD + 15
BSWPD to 115 BOPD + 517 BSWPD, tested 90 days
after treatment. Payout for the frac was almost immediate. These excellent results were very encouraging. An
additional 48,313 bbl of oil attributable to the frac job
and subsequent flood response has been recovered to July
1, 1958 (Fig. 2).

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1955

1956

1957

1958

Fig. 5--Production performance history on


the Ray Clapp B3. Well stage fraced in an
old shot hole. Additional oil recovery due to
frac job on 21457 equals 26,437 bbl.

TASLE 1-KERMIT fiELD, fLOOD NO.1 CLAPP-WALTON, WINKLER COUNTY, TEX.


Test Before

8 856
1113-56
11-2756
121856
12-2756

Job Size
All 1#
Sand/gal
10,000
12,000
10,000
10,000
12,000

21457

20,000

32

32

30

221-57
51457
530-58

20,000
10,000
5,000

36
18
22

47
42
42

121
24
92

Frae

lease and Well No.


O. Clapp 4A
O. Clapp 15A
O. Clapp 6-A
Walton "A" 6-C
O. Clapp 12-A
Ray Clapp "S" No. 3
(Stage frae, old
slot hole, 750#
Mothballs)
O. Clapp 7A
(Stage frae)
O. Clapp 13A
Walton "A" 4-e
(400# Mothballs)
All wells are producers

SEPTEMBER, 1959

Date

Frae

Inj.
Rote

34
33
32
36
37

Wtr. flood Cum.


Oil Recovery
Before Frae

Cum. Wtr.
Inj. Ard.
Well at

Since froe
Initial Prod.
Test After Froe
Following
Cum Oil Cum. Water
90 days Recovered Recovered
frae
30 days
60 days
Oil Water Oil Water Oil Water Oil Water
to 7-158
*117
57 118
61 115
57
48,313
52,307
91 131
52,720
* 20
24,411
95
60 120
64
83
37
65
43 197
90 226 108 224 104 162
47,501 131,280
17,229
*163
61
28
54
20
20,981
33
26
53
24,346 126,690
10 214 *83 263
87 247 III 216

Water
2,600
400
8,200
800
8,800

Frae Time

19,800

5,800

914,000

95

154

72

69

81

75

57

77

26,437

43,474

68,100
27,964
25,740

48,000
7,893
41,490

1,183,000
1,026,373
966,353

136
190
80

155
20
60

77
105
49

163
79
105

85
108
83

158
87
149

77
95

163
84

89,200
33,944
2,595

139,294
40,475
6,830

Oil Water
Oil
24
15
6,800
13
2,300
12
41
3,300
18
1,800
3
34
37 11,500

870,000
448,000
520,000
590,000
816,000

All froe jobs were Riverfrac

*Not capacity of well

19

A frac job using 3,000 gal of lease crude and 3,000


lb of 20-40 mesh Ottawa sand was performed on the well
in March, 1956. The injection rates were intentionally
maintained at a very low rate (5.0 BPM down tubing at
a pressure of 1,090 psig). It wag believed that this was the
m~ximum. rate to be used on the 11.8 ft of net pay in
thIS well m order to reduce possibility of fracing into the
adjacent injection wells. The producing rates on the well
were increased immediately from 0.58 BOPD to 251
BOPD (Fig. 7). No abnormal watercut production has
been experienced from this well. This statement is based
upon performance curve study of offset and adjacent producers that were not subjected to frac treatment.

Cberrykirk Field, Jack County, Tex.


This Pennsylvanian age sand reservoir was discovered in
Dec., 1951. (See Fig. I-A). The producing horizon grades
structurally from a fine-grained sandstone i'n the field
proper to a slightly coarse sandstone along the southwestern flank. Occurring at an average depth of 2,290 ft from
the surface, the pay zone averages 10.5 ft thick, has a 58
md permeability, 18.7 per cent porosity and 36.5 per cent
connate water saturation.
The undersaturated 39 API gravity crude was produced
by a solution gas drive mechanism. Nearly all wells were
completed in the open hole as low volume oil producers on
pump. Average initial potential for the field was 78
BOPD. Some were completed as commercial producers
only by the use of hydraulic fracture stimulatiO'l1. A verage job size was 2,500 to 3,000 gal carrying 1 lbjgal of
frac sand. Nine wells were fracture treated upon initial
completion and 10 within a short period of time in an attempt to arrest the severe production decline. Stripper-level
production was experienced in mid-year 1955 after the
production of 804,545 STB from 45 wells drilled on 10acre locations which is 159 bbljacre or 17.7 per cent of
volumetrically calculated original oil in place.

Subsequent Treatments and Results


Expansion from the pilot patteI'll to full field flooding
that nine ~ells would require some type
stImulatIOn to enable mamtenance of requisite injection
rates in the injectors and to promote or provide sufficient
productive capacity in the hesitant producers. The injectors were subjected to frac treatInent using gelled or emulsified salt water-carrying sand as a propping agent. A
typical job was performed on the Cherryhomes No. 2 on
s~on re~ealed

Waterflood History

fOAl LY PRODUCTION BBLS.lDAY

A 20-acre double five-spot pilot flood was initiated in


Oct., 1955, utilizing converted producers as injectors. The
injection water was produced from another Pennsylvanian
age reservoir overlying the oil producing horizon and has
proved highly compatible with the produced water. Early
pilot life injection rates were at a level of 300 to 400 BSW j
DjW, declining in normal fashion to 200 to 300 BSW j
D/W after reservoir voidage fill-up.
. An increase in oil production due to waterflood operatIons was first indicated in the Cherryhomes No.6 (Fig.
6) in Dec., 1955. The Shawver "A" No. 1 responded in
Jan., 1956. When the other enclosed producer, Cherryhomes No. 15, failed to indicate response within a reasonable time, it was subjected to remedial workover consisting
of casing swabbing and sand pumping. Superficial and temporary relief was obtained.
After careful evaluation of all pertinent reservoir characteristics, job technique and application, a decision was
made to hydraulically fracture the well in spite of a prior
application during the primary life.
4tiiDAIlY PRODUCTION

BB L S.I DAY

300

...

.;

200

~
"-',.,-

0>

, ' ,...r:j,a, ../.I '--'-'

CUM. OIL
RECOVER
BBLS.

20

10

\~

40 - . - - 30

I
--j_.
fw
~~

~~

WATER
OIL
RATiO
2

1956

1958

1957

Fig. 7-T. H. Cherryhomes 15. Well would


not respond to flooding long after adjacent
wells had.
fDAllY

300

INJECTION

BBLS.lDAY

.,

!!l

<D

i'.:

,,;

.,;
,'\ 1"-:.

\:/

'.:'

~I
~n

c;

0>

o:r,,' "

'i

,.

......,

CUM. WATERI
INJ.

"

I-

.-

'"

~~

l-W. D.R.

1958

10 ~-------4----~"~""-+---------+--------~IOOO

"-

/)\ /./
1957

20

V\

. . ~=~=t-------+-----------l

50
40
30

/\

1956

I':"'W.D.R.

.i-WAT R INJ.

1~1I

~~

-t-.

OIL

1955

vYrf-.:

-1)\/

,1

CUM.'Oll
RECOVERY
BelS.

....;._.,.

~r

5
4

~DIL

.-

10- .....

10

... :"

i- WATER

20

!t-

. ....

-"0'

0>

50

100

WATER
OIL
RATIO

_, __ ,

._ . . . -.

5~______-+____~-L~T-~~~!~=-~~~~:~..~PR~ES~S~~~;_______~
4
/
T
SURFACE
3

~--------t-----i/~-+--.-------1-------~ PRESSURE
INJECTION

20

2r-----~--~!~-~;-------+------~2oo

Io

r-~1~95~5~-i---1~9~56~--+i!--~19~5~7----~--19-5-8--~100

Fig. 6-Production performance history on


the T. H. Cherryhomes 6. Well did not require frac job.
20

'"

r i

100

."

1955

;<;

r...

'"

200

200

WATER-;
r'

50
40
30

0>

0>
N.

/'..

100

.,

.-

..

300

r;;!

...- ._._._._.i~
.' ..' ".-.-

or

Fig. 8-Injection performance history on


T. H. Cherryhomes 2. Immediate oil increase noted in encl()jied producer.
10URNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY

TAiLE 2-FlOOD NO. 16 CHERRYKIRK FIELD JACK COUNTY, TEXAS

Type
Leose and Well N~.
T. H. Cherryhornes
No. 15

Frac Dote

**T. H. Chetryhomes
No.2

.... T. H. Ch.rryhomes

No. 37
T. H. Cherryhomes
No. 21

,,,"

Job Size
AIIIW
Sand/gal

Inj.
Rale

Test Before
Frcsc
Oil
Water

Wtr. Flood Cum. Cum. Wtr.


Oil Recovery
Inl. Ard.
Before Frac
Well at
Oil Water
Froc Time

rest After Frac

Froe

011

Water

10

T,.

60 Days
Water
011

T,.

T,.

T,.

2,500

4.7

50 BWPD@
700 psig

300 BWPD @
700 psig

312 BWPD @
500 psig

200 aWPD @
600 psig

200 aWPD @
600 psig

13.4,029

827.56 WltMCA
Hel

2,700

5.

.52 8WPD @
480 psig

8 BWPD@
450 psig

9 BWPO@
600 psig

100 BWPD @
700 psig

134 BWPD@
740 psig

73,466

9 356 "'Sd

2,000

0.5

922

Tr.

129,011

.4.4.3

3.5

9.3

5.8

133

C.I

20.3

T. H. Cherryhomes

No.13

9 356

r. H. Cherryhomes
No. 3.4 {Inj. weill

8.09

1.00

400

50

193,489

2.02

2.32

1,.568

700

82,360

2,000

122756 Wtr-MCA
He!

3,200

32557 Sd.-MC,6,.

2,200

4.7

0.59

5-15-27 Wtr HCI

2,500

5.5

New Weil

2,000

5.5

1.5

Newmont No.2
tTNewmon! No .5

n. H. Cherryhomes

2,000

1127-56 "'Sd

No. 18
tT. H. Cherryhomes

Since Frac
Cum. Oil Cum. Water
Recovered Recovered
to 71-58

82756 WtrMe:

3.49

22.0

90 Days
Water
Oil

3,200

Tr,

16.4,017

30 days
Oil
Water

"2.456 SdHCI

1.69

1,000
E.st.

Initial Prod.
Following

12-27-57 *Sd

N. 5

3.7

Now Well

T<.

T,.

1,232

1,512

'0

11.04
6.

0.50

10.75

1.5

7.5

1.50

33.12

I.

40.97

8.

2.

10.4

2.0

193 8WPD @
680 psig

65 BWPD@
700 psig

21 BWPO@
720 psig

.42 BWPD@
740 psig

21 8WPD @
750 pslg

10

30

160

61.7

47.462

212 8WPD@
1.40 psig
34.6

.5,

17.5

155,071

15,490

9,256

4.4,637

26.761

7,911

10,758
81,126

159 BWPD@
760 psig

159 BWPD @
620 psig
71,693

3,

53,587

5.4.3

33.4

17,361

13,935

60,177
.45,312

221.338

Cherryhomes No.7 well effected by injectivify increase in Cherryhome, No.2


Cherryhomes No. 32 well effected by injectivity increase and "back-up" in Cherryhomes No. 37
tCherryhomes No. 32 well effected by "back-up" csnd injection in Cherryhomes No. 3.4
ttNewmont No.2 well had production decline arrested by completion of Newmont No.5
tTexas Royalty Co.
Sd-Sandoil, Hel-hydrochloric ocid, Wtr-Waterfroc. MCA-Mud Cleanout Acid

Aug. 27, 1956, and increased the injection rates from 50


BSWPD at 700 psig to 300 BSWPD at 700 psig (Fig. 8).
This increase in injection rates was very essential since all
surrounding injection wells were maintaining rates of 350
BSWPD at 300 to 500 psig. The lower rate would have
created a strong flood imbalance. No adverse or premature
water breakthrough in adjacent producers has been indicated.
Five producing wells a'nd four injection wells were subsequently treated with frac jobs when they indicated subpar well performance. No treatment resulted in a failure.
No feasible means of estimating or extrapolating additional oil recovery due to the frac treatments are available;
however, it is readily apparent that considerable benefit in
economic oil recovery resulted. It seems logical to conclude that an appreciable amount of additional oil recovery resulted mainly from improved sweep efficiency due
to more proper flood balance. The increased rate of oil
recovery with resultant abbreviation of flood life definitely
indicates high economic advantages of this application.
(See Table

2.r

Pecos Valley Low and High Gravity Fields,


Pecos County, Tex.

The results of the application of hydraulic fracturing on


the Yates sand reservoirs in the subject field are presented
for a twofold purpose-to show how frac jobs on wells
in this reservoir were applied and to offer interpretations
as to why some of these jobs were either not entirely
satisfactory or were failures.
The timing of the frac treatments on producing wells in
this field was not completely correct since sufficient time
for fill-up and resultant response due to waterflood operations was not allowed prior to treatment. It is believed
that fracture treatment would have been successful if it
had been applied after this period, provided the frac job
effected the productive horizon. Subsequent history on injection and producing wells revealed that a "thief" gas
sand overlying the main pay section probably took all the
frac fluid; thus the producing sand was subjected to only
a small portion of the treatment.
The producing body in these two fields consists of interbedded sand stringers separated by thin anhydritic-dolomitic laminae. The reservoir is the Yates formation of Permian age occurring at average depths of 1,450 and 1,500
ft, and averages 18 and 20 ft in net pay thiclmess, has a
SEPTEMBER, 1959

permeability of 30 and 60 md, porosities of 18 and 18.5


per cent, and connate water saturation of 31 and 30 per
cent in the two fields respectively. The oil is 27 API in
the low gravity field and 30 API in the high gravity field.
The primary producing mechanism was a typical undersaturated solution gas drive.
The leases were developed for primary production in
1936 on a very irregular lO-acre/well density pattern. The
fields were sporadically developed over some 10 to 20
years. Primary recovery averaged 150 bbljacre and 175
bbljacre in two fields.
Waterflood History

The two fields were placed under pilot flood operations


in 1956 when water from shallow sands was injected into
nine wells.
Since several producers were subjected to treatment early
in their secO'lldary life, it is difficult to determine if any
beneficial results might have occurred. However, it is apparent that poor to failing results were obtained in most
cases. The application and technique, along with the prematureness of the jobs, seemed to forecast such results at
that time. No water breakthrough, directly traceable to

DAILY PRODUCTION BSLS.lDAY

~~i

CUM. OIL
RECOVERY-

"'
N'"
02
,.,
BBLS,
200~-------+------~m1---~--~~____~__~
w

IOOr---------~--------~~~~--------_+--------~

mu

.,

r
! ..
50~=========~~=========Nt'
~~~:~'-S. .....::~+=:L~====~

40

30r----~-----_++----_+----~

20~--------~------- ~4+i-~WA~T~ER~--_+--------~

i\ I!1\ j'._\
'\ r\: T7 \1'/

IO~--------+-------~~~~~~+-~~----~

51------+--...;/-'\~.
4

OIL

.-,y.:.

.,:

~-

il/Y,-\,:
: ~ ':f/

3
2

i/
1955

1956

\\

I.OIL

'-W.O.R.

II
1957

Fig. 9-Production performance history on


the Pecos Valley Oil Co. G-IJ. Well was
fraced too early in flood life and with overlying gas zone open (low gravity field).
21

Froe

lease and Well No.


Date
P. V.O.C. "E" 2J
12 456
P.V.O.C. "E" IJ
122056
P.V.O.C. "G" IJ
122956
P.V.O.C. "A" 5RJ
3-19-57

TABLE 3-PECOS VALLEY HIGH GRAVITY AND LOW GRAVITY FIELD, PECOS COUNTY, TEX.
Since froe
Wtr. Flood Cum. Cum. Wtr. Initial Prod.
Yest After Frae
Test Before
Job Size
Oi I Recovery
Inj. Ard.
Following
Cum. Oil Cum. Water
Type
Inj.
Frae
Before Frae
Frae
30 days
90 days Recovered Recovered
All 1#
Well at
60 days
Frae
Sand/gal Rate Oil Water Oil
Water
Froe Time
Oil Water Oil Water Oil Water Oil Water to 7158 to 7158
7,500
32
1
Riverfrae
206
131,859
3,624
5,817
2
93
2 64
13
5.5
8
4.6 8.2 4.1
10,000
42
0.5
Sandoil
1.5
571
430
185,333
2 83
22
4.5 34
6.2 15.2 3.1
4,396
588
10,000
2.5 3
Sandoil
33
861 1,258
176,416
24,480
3 56
19
43
12.5 42.9
9.7 49.1
2,997
Petrofroc
35 14
991
174,848
14
1.0 2,008
2.8 14,556
12,520
0.7 61.4 2.8 61.6 1.4 58.2

the application, resulted. In a few wells only temporary


and superficial oil production increases were realized.
The results in Figs. 9 and 10 and Table 3 are from
the frac jobs applied in the two fields. Unfortunately, the
results were fairly ineffective or were too ambiguous for
proper interpretation. However, it should not be concluded
from these results that proper application of the hydraulic
fracture treatment to wells in this reservoir, while it is
under waterfiood operations, will not afford successful
alleviation of individual well condition problems as herein
described-namely local wellbore restrictions. Rather, it
is firmly believed that proper application of the frac treatment will prove highly beneficial to waterfiood recovery
efficiency in such situations. It is hoped that this data will
prove helpful to other operators when they are confronted
with a similar problem in this type reservoir.

The prime factors to be considered in frac job applications are frac job size and injection rates, net pay thickness, and type of frac job.
References

Conclusions
The success ratio of the application of hydraulic fracturing in waterfiood operations. should encourage others to
evaluate its merit.
The use of the hydraulic fracture process has begun to
be more widely accepted and utilized in waterfiood operations.
Injectivity and productivity stimulation on wells in
waterfiood operations can frequently be obtained by properly applied hydraulic fracture treatment.
No classic factors of job size or injection rates have
evolved; rather, correlative analysis appears more appropriate.

DAILY PRODUCTION BBLS.lDAY",

~'"

'"

~--l
_

200 r-----+-----'U>=t---...~----f------'-'---J

CUM. OIL
RECOVERYBBLS.

100~-----1------~----_1----~

I r-/
~-----+--------r'-f--~\~-+'-------

I'--/~-----l~'=:~-:--1--

1---0-----1------+-1
!:~1
OIL-;)

~:

!-WAT R

'-----+----.---f-"'."'---i --/(. U...

f - - - - - - - WATER

:\ ;--I--~/-'-

:/ ___' \ "

1-_____-+-__-//_-+-+""'.;-"-00'__':'_

\ 1\"
1956

j-W.O.R.

OIL
RATIO
2

/y
1957

1958

Fig. 10-Production performance history on


Pecos Valley Oil Co. A-5RJ. Excellent results. Gas zone cased off (high gravity
field)

22

1. Clark, Roscoe c., Jr., and Reynolds, Jack J.: "Increasing Oil
and Gas Production by Vertical Hydraulic Fracturing", What
the Oil and Gas Journal Has Published on Hydraulic Frac
turing, Mid-Continent District Meeting of API, Oklahoma
City (1954) 10.
2. Crawford, Paul B.: "Fracturing Report", Loc cit.
3. McHugh, Jerome P.: "112,000 Extra Barrels of Oil in 11
Months", Oil and Gas Jour. (March 7, 1955) 53, No. 44,
104.
4. Roark, Gene E., and Lindner, J. D.: "Effects of Extensive
Well Fracturing on a Waterflood Operation in the North
Texas Strawn Sand", Trans. AIME (1955) 204, 16.
5. Parkinson, H. R.: "Water Injection Well Fracture Treatments, Benton Field, Franklin County, Ill.", Paper 753-G,
Presented at Second Biennial Secondary Recovery Symposium,
North Tex. Section Society of Petroleum Engineers, Wichita
Falls, Tex. (Nov. 19.20, 1956).
6. Walters, J. D. : "Waterflooding Pays Off on Prolific Dora
Roberts Lease", Paper 752-G, Loc cit.
7. Martinez, S. J., and Hurst, R. E.: "Fresh Water Fracturing
in the Permian Basin", Pet. Engr. (Dec., 1956) 28, No. 13,
B68.
8. Hurst, R. E.: "Fresh-Water Fracturing~Bane or Boon?" Oil
and Gas Jour. (Sept. 3, 1956) 54, 160.
9. Stengelman, Arthur, Jr.: "Considerations and Results of Hydraulic Fracturing in Water Flood Areas", Prod. Monthly
(Jan., 1956) 28.
10. Crawford, Paul B. and Collins, R. E.: "Estimated Effect of
Vertical Fractures on Secondary Recovery", Trans. AI ME
(1954) 201, 297.
11. Davis, J. G., Reynolds J. J. and Coffer, H. F.: "The Effect of Fluid Loss on Fracture Extension", Paper 496G presented at annual meeting, Rocky Mountain Petroleum 'Sections, Denver, Colo. (May 2627, 1955).
12. "Why Should I Fracture My Well-and How?", Oil and
Gas Jour., special feature reprint.
13. Fast, C. R.: "Multiple Fractures Can Increase Recovery and
So Can Deeper Fractures", presented AIME Symposium,
Ponca City, Okla. (Dec. 14, 1953).
14. Clark, J. B., Fast, C. R. and Howard, G. c.: "A Multiple
Frac Process for Increasing the Productivity of W'ells", Paper
No. 85126F, API (March 22, 1952).
15. Riley, E. A.: "Cherrykirk Field - A Successful Strawn Sand
Water Flood", Jour. Pet. Tech. (Oct., 1958) X, No. 10,20.
16. Garlanq" T. M., Elliott, W. c., Jr., Dolan, Pat and Dobyns,
R. P.: "Effects of Hydraulic Fracturing Upon Oil Recovery
from the Strawn and Cisco Formations in North Texas", RI
5371, USBM (Nov., 1957).
17. Company Records and Reports, Ambassador Oil Corporation.
18. Paul, James R. and Noble, Charles W.: "Waterflood Project
Performance Following Formation Fracturing in Eastern Kansas", Prod. Monthly (April, 1955) XIX, No.6, 56.
19. Hurst, R. E., Moore, J. M. and Ramsey, D. E.: "Development
and Application of Frac Treatments in the Permian Basin",
Trans. AI ME (1955) 204, 58.
20. Metzger, Herbert A.: "A Preliminary Report on the Results of VibroFrac", Jour. Pet. Tech. (Nov., 1958) X, No.
11, 13.

***

JOlJRN<\L OF PETIlOLEUM TECHNOLOGY

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