Integration of Post-Fracturing Spectral Noise Log, Temperature Modeling, and Production Log Diagnoses Water Production and Resolves Uncertainties in Openhole Multistage Fracturing

Abstract

Hydrocarbon development from tight gas sandstone reservoirs is revolutionizing the current oil and gas market. The most effective development strategy for ultralow- to low-permeability reservoirs involves multistage fracturing. A cemented casing or liner completed with the plug-and-perf method allows nearly full control of fracture initiation depth. In uncemented completions equipped with fracturing sleeves and packers, clearly identifying the fracture initiation points is difficult due to lack of visibility behind the completion and long openhole intervals between packers. Also, the number of fractures initiated in each treatment is uncertain. A lateral was completed with access to 3,190 ft of openhole section across five fracturing stages in a high-temperature and high-pressure tight-gas interval. All stages were successfully stimulated, fracture cleanup flowback was conducted, and entry ports were milled out. A high-definition spectral noise log (SNL) was then conducted along with numerical temperature modeling. Additional logging was done with a set of conventional multiphase sensors. A multi-array production log suite was also performed. Finally, the bottom four stages were isolated with a high-temperature isolation plug based on the integrated diagnosis. The SNL helped to analyze the isolation packer integrity behind the liner. The initiation of multiple fractures was observed, with as many as nine fractures seen in a single-stage interval. A correlation was found between the openhole interval length and the number of fractures. A correlation of fracture gradient (FG) and initiation depths was made for the lateral in a strike-slip fault regime. The fractures were initiated at depths with low calculated FG, confirming the conventional understanding and increasing confidence in rock property calculations from openhole log data. SNL and temperature modeling aided quantitative assessment of flowing fractures and stagewise production behind the liner. Multi-array production logging results quantified the flow and flow profile inside the horizontal liner. The production flow assessments from both techniques were in good agreement. The integration of several datasets was conducted in a single run, which provided a comprehensive understanding of well completion and production. High water producing intervals were isolated. Downstream separator setup after the isolation showed a water cut reduction by 95%. The integration of the post-fracturing logs with the openhole logs and fracturing data is unique. The high-resolution SNL provided valuable insight on fracture initiation points and the integrity of completion packers. Fracturing efficiency, compared to the proppant placed, provides treatment optimization for similar completions in the future.