Determination of a potentially optimal zone to perform hydraulic fracturing work, Upper Magdalena Valley basin, Colombia

Abstract

The present study was carried out for an oil field located in the upper Magdalena Valley basin, Colombia, in which successful hydraulic fracturing was carried out in a well, which we denote fractured. The main objective is to replicate this technique in an existing well in the same field. For this work, electrical logs from twelve  wells, including the fractured well, were analyzed to obtain a correlation between the area of interest, located  in the Monserrate Formation, and each of the wells under study. By using gamma ray, resistivity, neutron and  density logs, the petrophysical properties were calculated to determine the shale volume, effective porosity,  total porosity, water saturation and permeability in each well. Additionally, the production history of each of  the wells and the calculations described above were used to suggest a new site where hydraulic fracturing  could also be successful. Two candidates were proposed in this study, one based on the similarity of its  petrophysical properties, and another based on the consideration of additional production data. Notably, this well stimulation technique has global importance and has produced positive impacts on increased oil  production where it has been implemented. The purpose of this study is to provide technical support for the  decision to replicate this procedure in a new area of the field.