Abstract
An operator was in the process of planning to develop a single section in the Northern Delaware Basin targeting a multi-bench reservoir. With limited historical field data the operator sought to quickly optimize production and maximize returns on this acreage. The completion had to be designed for each target along with realistic well spacing for optimal well/field development. It was important for the initial wells to perform economically and then provide insight for further optimization of the subsequent wells. Being that the operator has a limited acreage footprint with no room for field trials, hydraulic completion modeling was vastly relied upon for efficient development of this section.
To jumpstart the optimization process on the first two-well pad targeting the Second Bone Spring Sand and the Harkey Mills Sand, a proprietary database was mined for relevant completion parameters. Simultaneously, the existing well log data was processed for required geomechanical and petrophysical properties.
A 3-D layer cake model was built, hydraulic fracture and numerical reservoir modeling were performed to create unique designs for each well given the small heterogeneities between each targeted reservoir. Additionally, a unique stage sequencing was used to help influence hydraulic fracture growth and minimize communication between landing zones.
Based on the treatment parameters and production results, models were revised, and optimization work was completed for the next four wells.
Early performance of the wells in this development indicates an improvement from direct offsets in each formation for both generations of wells. The first well in the Second Bone Spring Sand outperformed previous wells from the operator and was on par with best nearby performers. The Harkey Sand well performed above the average of Harkey wells in the area. The well performance evaluation is based on the first six months BOE normalized by lateral length. For the second generation of wells, the Second Bone Spring Sand wells were on par with the previous generation. In the Harkey, while both wells performed above average, one of the wells noted a vast improvement over the previous generation.
An integrated, iterative, and fast-paced workflow was developed and tailored for smaller acreage position with limited opportunities and was successfully executed on two generations of wells in the Northern Delaware Basin with improved performance for both generations. To help mitigate the interference between Second Bone Spring Sand and Harkey Mills Sand, a modified two well zipper sequence was developed and successfully implemented on all three pads. Production indicates no significant pressure communication between the reservoir targets.
This integrated study demonstrates the successful application of data analytics coupled with fracture and reservoir modeling. The project relied on the application of practical science, field observations and experience to maximize economics for a limited number of wells.
The success of this project is the illustration of the synergy between the petrophysical and geomechanical domains, completion modeling, and field operations using a model-measure-model workflow. The workflow provided incremental adjustments to the completions that resulted in measurable productivity improvements. Results to this point provide strong justification for the continued use of the workflow as the rest of the section is developed.
Speaker Biography
Eric Wigger is a senior geomechanics engineer specializing in reservoir characterization and data integration at Liberty Energy. Eric started his career with SLB in 2004 as a log analyst focusing on acoustic and spectroscopy analysis in unconventional shale reservoirs. During his 16 years with SLB he worked with operators in every commercial, and many non-commercial, shale plays in the U.S. and Canada. Before joining SLB Well Services as a geomechanics engineer, Eric was a part of a multi-disciplinary team evaluating unconventional resources world-wide with a focus on carrying North American expertise to the international market. In 2021 he joined the Tech Team at Liberty Energy and currently provides petrophysical and geomechanical analysis for hydraulic fracture modeling. An alumnus of the University of Oklahoma, Eric received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and has managed to spend his entire 20-year career based in Oklahoma City.
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