Investigation of Multistage Hydraulic Fracture Optimization Design Methods in Horizontal Shale Oil Wells in the Ordos Basin

Abstract

Based on the analysis of the typical Ordos well groups, this study began with the accurate characterization of the fracture geometry by adopting advanced laboratory experiment methods and monitoring techniques. Then, with the integration of fracture geometry characterization and in situ stress distributions, fracture optimizations of the target wells were performed through numerical simulations methods. Finally, this study established a sweet spot prediction and identification method for long horizontal shale oil wells and constructed a set of optimization design methods for multistage hydraulic fracturing. This investigation revealed that the hydraulic fractures in Chang-7 terrestrial shale oil reservoirs exhibited the belt pattern, and the primary fractures generated the secondary fractures, which activated the natural fractures and induced shear failure. Macroscopic fractures were found to be perpendicular to the direction of the minimum principal stress. Secondary fractures and activated natural fractures were distributed around the primary fracture in the form of fracture types I and II. Multicluster perforation optimization techniques, which were based on shale reservoir classification and evaluation, and aimed at activating multiclusters and determining fracture sweet spots, were developed. These were successfully applied to the field operation and achieved production enhancement performance.