Methods and materials for evaluating and improving the production of geo-specific shale reservoirs

Abstract

Diagnostic or assisting lateral wellbores can have a significant benefit for injecting and distributing treatment fluids and other materials within complex fracture networks that surpass conventional injection at the primary lateral wellbore perforations for acquiring empirical knowledge about the numerous processes that influence shale reservoir production which occur after primary shale reservoir stimulation. Injection of diagnostic treatment fluids or treating chemicals for understanding production optimization, such as water-block removal, fines migration removal, and treating chemicals for prevention of scale and paraffin deposition, can be injected along the diagnostic lateral wellbore or frac interval lateral wellbores to give broader and / or deeper distribution into the fracture network than by using mono-bore-centric diagnostic injection techniques. Diagnostic lateral treatment techniques can also improve fluid or chemical distribution, such as the use of gas injection to help energize fluid flow to the primary lateral during production optimization treatments, including reverse diversion methodology.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to methods of obtaining information about subterranean formations and features therein using multiple wellbores, and more particularly relates, in one non-limiting embodiment, to methods of obtaining information about and treating unconventional shale subterranean formations and features thereof using multiple wellbores comprising at least one primary lateral wellbore and at least one diagnostic lateral wellbore adjacent thereto.TECHNICAL BACKGROUND[0002]It is well known that hydrocarbons (e.g. crude oil and natural gas) are recovered from subterranean formations by drilling a wellbore into the subterranean reservoirs where the hydrocarbons reside, and using the natural pressure of the hydrocarbon or other lift mechanism such as pumping, gas lift, electric submersible pumps (ESP) or another mechanism or principle to produce the hydrocarbons from the reservoir. Conventionally most hydrocarbon production is accomplished using a single...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes a method for improving the flow of oil and gas from a primary wellbore in a shale formation that is adjacent to a nearby assisting wellbore. The method involves hydraulically fracturing the shale formation from the primary wellbore to create a network of fractures that are connected to the assisting wellbore. The method also includes using ultra-high resolution imaging to determine the production flow of oil and gas within the fracture network and using treatment fluids to improve the flow of oil and gas through the fractures. The main technical effect of this patent is to provide a detailed method for studying and improving the flow of oil and gas from a shale formation that is adjacent to an assisting wellbore.

Problems solved by technology

Potential problems associated with water flooding techniques include inefficient recovery due to variable permeability or similar conditions affecting fluid transport within the reservoir.

Early breakthrough of the water through the oil is a phenomenon that may cause production and surface processing problems.

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