Modeling Fractured Shale Networks for Horizontal Well Development

Development of the Devonian and other shale formations nationwide, by drilling horizontal wells and completing them with water is a commercial success. However, water as the fracturing fluid is undesirable in stimulating gas production from all of the natural fractures penetrated, resulting in poor recovery efficiency and a growing problem associated with high volumes of water demanded and the disposal of briny returned water. This warrants a concentrated R&D effort in partnership with the Federal government in addressing and solving this technical challenge. The offeror intends to develop a technology and tools to enable fracking the shale formation with liquefied natural gas (LNG) in open hole completions, therefore eliminating the use of water in the horizontal sections of the well. The design tools will include methods to assess the in-situ stress along the length of the horizontal well, determining what intervals to stimulate and determining the fluid injection pressure and rate required to inflate the natural fractures needed to stimulate production. Phase I work consists of three major efforts: model development, bench scale testing, and industry assessment. Existing models will be updated to represent a Devonian Shale in-situ stress field and the change in that stress field caused by the injection of a fluid under high pressure. Laboratory work is proposed, using shale samples, to obtain data needed to represent the Devonian Shale. A state-of-the-art industry assessment will be prepared on tools and methods currently available to measure and record downhole conditions in a horizontal well. The results will be used to design a new well completion technique to be demonstrated in the follow-on phase of the project.