C&P: Unconventional Reservoir Development – The Economics of Fracturing
Production for Unconventional Reservoirs is a complicated issue. We have developed reservoirs over the years with widely varying properties. Early reservoirs usually consisted of formations with very high permeabilities and the capacity to produce naturally. Pressure transients in the reservoirs reached the boundaries in a matter of days, hours or even minutes or seconds in some cases. Hydraulic fracturing was introduced and developed to enable lower permeability reservoirs to produce at economic rates through traditional vertical wellbores. Horizontal drilling was combined with hydraulic fracturing to open the door to the development of even lower permeability reservoirs. The pressure transients in these reservoirs may take months or even years to reach reservoir boundaries. Why is the time it takes for the pressure transient to move through the reservoir important? It determines the efficiency in which the reservoir can be drained and the time to get that done. Time is important as the economic success depends on recovering our investment in a timely manner. This talk will focus on the factors surrounding fracture treatments that effect the economics and productivity of a horizontal well in a Unconventional Reservoir.
Location:
Greenspoint Club
16925 Northchase Dr.
Houston
,
Texas 77060