An Overview of Horizontal Well Completions in the Haynesville Shale

Abstract

Abstract A steep learning curve has evolved in drilling and completing horizontal wells in the Haynesville shale. The challenge is to understand the production mechanism of the Haynesville and how completion practices in relation to lateral lengths, stages, and stimulation treatments relate with production. This paper gives an overview of the Haynesville horizontal well production, the dominant factors which effect production, and a detailed analysis of the completions. Dominant factors which effect production in the Haynesville shale can be broken into four categories: geology/petrophysics/geomechanics, landing and placement of the lateral, completions, and production control. Integrating all four categories together is critical to characterize well performance and optimize future production; however, this paper focuses primarily on the completions. Self-organizing maps (SOMs) of 49 wells in the Strait area of the Haynesville shale reveal that high producing wells have been treated primarily with slickwater, high fluid and proppant volumes, moderate amounts of 100-mesh sand, and moderate pump rates per perforation. These wells are typically located in cluster spacing of about 75 ft and have stage lengths of about 300 ft. Most show lower post-fracture instantaneous shut-in pressure (ISIP) than lower-producing wells. These observations and characteristics of high producing wells along with best completion practices can help design optimal completions and stimulation treatments in the Haynesville.