Optimizing Well Spacing and Fracture Design Using Advanced Multi-Stage Fracture Modeling and Discrete Fractured Reservoir Simulation in Tight Oil Reservoir

Large platforms, long horizontal sections, small well spacings and dense cutting have become economical and effective development means for tight oil reservoirs. Well spacing and fracture design are critical parameters impacting production and Internal rate of return (IRR) of tight oil reservoirs. In order to maximize the total stimulated reservoir area and fracture-controlled reserves, the well spacing and fracture spacing should be small enough. However, in order to minimize the chance of fracture hits caused by offset wells and the overlapping drainage area of a nearby well to avoid Asset spillover, the spacing well should large enough. Based on minifrac data and microseismic fracture mapping results, a natural/hydraulic fracture network was generated and input into an unstructured-grid-based discrete fracture reservoir simulation model. Its accuracy was calibrated with the well production history. For each group of fracture design and well spacing, well interference was determined by estimating ultimate recovery (EUR) difference between a single well and a middle well among multiple wells. Based on actual information of tight oil developments, the pressure interference were examined by field trail data and well spacing simulations. The real scenarios were selected to study effects of well spacing on EUR and ultimate IRR. Effects of reservoir permeability and fracture half-length on optimal well spacing were also analyzed. It was found that the decrease in Long-term EURs for different well spacings is a good indicator for well spacing optimization. Based on the reservoir simulation and economic analysis, the maximum IRR of the tight oil reservoir with permeability of 0.23mD can achieved when the well spacing is 260m. Meanwhile, the detailed results were also illustrated to show the effects of fracture half-length, reservoir permeability as well as oil price variation on IRR. The paper demonstrates an effective method and a workflow to optimize well spacing and fracture treatments design through integrating advanced multi-stage fracture modeling with discrete fracture reservoir simulation in the area of unconventional resource developments. Such optimization studies contribute to minimize operation cost and improve the economy of resource development.