3D Modeling of Fracturing and Refracturing in Unconventional Reservoirs

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dc.contributor.advisorAguilera, Roberto
dc.contributor.authorUrban Rascón, Edgar
dc.contributor.committeememberAguilera, Roberto
dc.contributor.committeememberKantzas, Apostolos K.
dc.contributor.committeememberMoore, Robert Gordon Gord
dc.contributor.committeememberMehta, Sudarshan A. Raj
dc.contributor.committeememberLines, Larry R.
dc.contributor.committeememberCamacho, Rodolfo C. V.
dc.date2019-11
dc.date.accessioned2019-09-24T22:00:56Z
dc.date.available2019-09-24T22:00:56Z
dc.date.issued2019-09-20
dc.description.abstractUnconventional gas reservoirs considered in this thesis include low and ultralow permeability shales and tight reservoirs. Gas production from unconventional reservoirs has grown dramatically in the United States during the last decade and has helped that country to become a top gas producer around the world. Extensive use of natural gas has in turn reduced CO2 emissions to levels not seen in the United States since the 1990s. This has happened due to innovations associated with two main technologies: (1) Drilling of horizontal wells and (2) multistage hydraulic fracturing. This success in the United States has inspired the primary objective of this thesis: Finding means of improving gas rates and recoveries by fracturing and refracturing unconventional reservoirs. To this end, the thesis presents the development of an original 3D fracture propagation model that helps to understand hydraulic fractures and their growth in unconventional reservoirs. Results from the 3D fracture propagation model are calibrated with microseismic data and are used in (1) an original hybrid hydraulic fracture (HHF) simulation model for estimating stimulated reservoir volume (SRV), (2) reservoir modeling with a fully coupled HHF-geomechanics model, and (3) a comparison of refracturing vs. infill drilling. The thesis closes with an evaluation that discusses the economic aspects of refracturing. It is concluded that the fracture propagation model developed in this thesis provides valuable information regarding fracturing and refracturing of unconventional reservoirs. Furthermore, it generates useful input data for fluid flow simulations, and improvements in production rates and recoveries of natural gas from unconventional tight and shale reservoirs.en_US
dc.identifier.citationUrban Rascón, E. (2019). 3D Modeling of Fracturing and Refracturing in Unconventional Reservoirs (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/37121
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/111059
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisher.facultySchulich School of Engineeringen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.en_US
dc.subjecthydraulic fracturingen_US
dc.subjectrefracturingen_US
dc.subjectmodelingen_US
dc.subjectunconventional reservoirsen_US
dc.subjectmicroseismicityen_US
dc.subjectmaterial balanceen_US
dc.subjectsrv modelingen_US
dc.subjectgeomechanicalen_US
dc.subject.classificationEngineeringen_US
dc.subject.classificationEngineering--Petroleumen_US
dc.title3D Modeling of Fracturing and Refracturing in Unconventional Reservoirsen_US
dc.typedoctoral thesisen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineEngineering – Chemical & Petroleumen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgaryen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)en_US
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrueen_US
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