Updating the Field Development Practices After the Acquisition of an Asset, an Eagle Ford Case Study

Abstract

Abstract This paper retraces the journey of an Operator to update a Field Development Plan after the acquisition of an asset in the Eagle Ford where drilling has been suspended for several years. The objective is to explore how development practices can be upgraded by updating completion, well spacing and management of the Parent-Child in the context of a mature asset. Now that the acreage is ours, what will we do to develop it? The asset features different generations of completion styles from small hybrid to large slickwater treatments. Production performance is analyzed along with acquired data and field tests run by previous Operators. After a complete reservoir characterization (both petrophysics and geomechanics), an integrated numerical model for hydraulic fracturing and production is implemented by history matching 3 different pads along with performing a sensitivity study to explore various well spacing and completion scenarios for the new development. Finally, a new pad is drilled and completed with new data acquired to re-assess the accuracy of the assumption made during the pre-drill planning phase. The history matching of existing pads, constrained by previous data acquisition programs, allows to understand hydraulic fracture geometry and build some certainty on the predictability of the numerical modelling. While the increase of completion intensity shows an increase in recovery, the question is how the additional stimulation volume should be distributed to maximize economics. Field test and numerical modelling show that too large of a number of perforation clusters might become counter-productive because of the trade-off with a lower volume per cluster. Post-frac perforation imaging is run in the new pad to assess the hypothesis. Well spacing and distance to nearby Parent offset is evaluated pre-drill, and observations from the completion and flow-back of the new pad are used to challenge the initial assessment. Offset pressure monitoring is performed with the neighboring pads to evaluate the potential interferences. Ultimately actual production of the new pad is compared against the pre-drill forecast with a reasonable agreement. This work illustrates the complete cycle of development from the pre-drill study and planning to the post-drill analysis of the actual results. The methodology and learnings target key considerations around field development and are applicable to most Operators in tight resources.