Schlumberger has developed a formation fracturing technique to enable sequential stimulation of perforation clusters in wells drilled in unconventional reservoirs – tight oil and gas including shale resources.
Extensive trials have already demonstrated significant cost and time savings, plus enabled an appreciable increase in well productivity.
Broadband Sequence sequentially isolates fractures at the wellbore to ensure every cluster in each zone is fractured resulting in greater production and completion efficiency compared to conventional methods.
Developed using a composite fluid comprising a proprietary blend of degradable fibres and multi-modal particles, world famous Schlumberger says the technique is suited for use in new wells and in recompletions.
The technique is seen as particularly suitable for re-fracturing operations, given its ability to promote temporary cluster isolation without the aid of mechanical devices such as bridge plugs.
Schlumberger has already proven the technology with “robust and consistent” performance in more than 500 operations conducted to date in several unconventional plays including the Eagle Ford, Haynesville, Woodford, Spraberry and Bakken shales.
According to the company, sequential fracking has so far enabled customers in South Texas to increase production from new completions in unconventional reservoirs by more than 20%.
It has also reduced well completion time by up to 46% in plug-and-perf(oration) operations by stimulating longer intervals compared with conventional methods.
In addition, this technology was applied to a well in South Texas for a refracturing operation, which resulted in double the production with a four-fold increase in flowing pressure.
Schlumberger has posted various case studies on its website.
“Optimising the stimulation of wellbore perforation clusters in unconventional reservoirs is a significant challenge for our industry,” said Amerino Gatti, president, Well Services, Schlumberger.
“The BroadBand Sequence technique addresses this challenge and increases our customers’ well production by enhancing stimulation contact in every zone in the reservoir.”