Laboratory Study and Field Application of Fiber-Based Fracture Reorientation Technology

Abstract When implement fracture treatment in fractured reservoir or wells had been fractured before, new fractures need to be formed in a beneficial position so that the reservoir can be connected with wellbore effectively. In fiber-based fracture reorientation technology, degradable fiber is utilized as diversion agent to block up original fractures, and divert the fluid to open new fractures. To validate this reorientation effect, this paper designs the physical simulation experiment with big size samples (300mm×300mm×300mm), and real tri-axial stress simulation system. This system can apply stress on the rock from 3 different directions during the fracturing physical simulation experiment. The results indicate that: multi-fracture system formed in every rock sample simulated with fiber-based fracture reorientation technology when different tri-axial stress applied on the samples. Fiber-based fluid can block up the original fractures effectively and open new fractures in different directions. That is to say, this technology can improve SRV (stimulated reservoir volume) significantly. Field test and fracture monitoring with tracer had been conducted. The tracer signature shows that multiple fractures have been created after treated by fiber-based fracture reorientation technology. Fiber-based fracture reorientation technology is an effective treatment to create multiple fractures, and it is a prominent stimulation method for the fractured reservoir and the wells need to be re-fractured.