Controlling net treating pressure in a subterranean region

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9297250-B2
Application number	US-201313804547-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

In some aspects, an injection treatment of a subterranean region is controlled based on a target net treating pressure. A measure of fluid pressure acting on a subterranean region during an injection treatment is received. The measure of fluid pressure is compared against a target net treating pressure for fluid acting on the subterranean region during the injection treatment. The target net treating pressure is associated with a target fracture growth orientation. The injection treatment is modified based on a result of the comparison.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An injection treatment control method comprising:
receiving a measure of fluid pressure acting on a subterranean region during an injection treatment;
comparing the measure of fluid pressure against a target net treating pressure for fluid acting on the subterranean region during the injection treatment, the target net treating pressure associated with a target fracture growth orientation, wherein the target net treating pressure is associated with:
dilation of natural fractures in the subterranean region; and
propagating dominant fractures perpendicular to a minimum stress orientation in the subterranean region; and

modifying the injection treatment based on a result of the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
detecting, in real time during the injection treatment, that an actual net treating pressure acting on the subterranean region exceeds the target net treating pressure; and
in response to the detecting, reducing a fluid pressure applied by the injection treatment.

3. The method of claim 2 , comprising, in response to the detecting, injecting blocking material into the subterranean region to temporarily or permanently block a fracture path in the subterranean region.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
detecting, in real time during the injection treatment, that the target net treating pressure exceeds an actual net treating pressure acting on the subterranean region; and
in response to the detecting, increasing a fluid pressure applied by the injection treatment.

5. The method of claim 4 , comprising, in response to the detecting, using one or more of a diversion technique or a stress interference technique to increase an actual net treating pressure.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target net treating pressure comprises a range of net treating pressures between a minimum target value and a maximum target value.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising identifying an actual net treating pressure based on:
a fluid pressure value measured in a well bore during the injection treatment; and
a fracture closure pressure for the subterranean region.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the injection treatment includes a multi-stage fracturing treatment, and the target net treating pressure is selected to propagate one or more of multiple non-intersecting dominant fractures initiated by the multi-stage fracturing treatment.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target net treating pressure is determined from the difference between minimum and maximum horizontal stresses in the subterranean region.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the injection treatment comprises manipulating an injection system control interface.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the injection treatment comprises modifying an injection treatment pumping schedule.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the injection treatment comprises altering spacing between perforations or fractures.

13. An injection treatment control method comprising using one or more computers configured to perform operations including:
receiving a measure of fluid pressure acting on a subterranean region during an injection treatment;
comparing the measure of fluid pressure against a target net treating pressure for fluid acting on the subterranean region during the injection treatment, the target net treating pressure associated with a target orientation of fracture growth, wherein the target net treating pressure is associated with:
dilation of natural fractures in the subterranean region; and
propagating dominant fractures perpendicular to a minimum stress orientation in the subterranean region; and

modifying the injection treatment based on a result of the comparison.

14. The injection treatment control method of claim 13 , the operations including:
detecting, in real time during the injection treatment, that an actual net treating pressure acting on the subterranean region exceeds the target net treating pressure; and
in response to the detecting, initiating a reduction in fluid pressure applied by the injection treatment.

15. The injection treatment control method of claim 14 , the operations including, in response to the detecting, initiating injection of temporary or permanent blocking material into the subterranean region to block a fracture path in the subterranean region.

16. The injection treatment control method of claim 13 , the operations including:
detecting, in real time during the injection treatment, that the target net treating pressure exceeds an actual net treating pressure acting on the subterranean region; and
in response to the detecting, initiating an increase in a fluid pressure applied by the injection treatment.

17. The injection treatment control method of claim 16 , the operations including increasing the actual net treating pressure by one or more of diversion or stress interference.

18. The injection treatment control method of claim 13 , the operations including identifying an actual net treating pressure based on:
a fluid pressure value measured in a well bore during the injection treatment; and
a fracture closure pressure for the subterranean region.

19. The injection treatment control method of claim 13 , wherein modifying the injection treatment includes modifying control parameters for one or more stages of a multi-stage fracturing treatment.

20. The injection treatment control method of claim 13 , wherein modifying the injection treatment comprises manipulating an injection system control interface.

21. The injection treatment control method of claim 13 , wherein modifying the injection treatment comprises modifying an injection treatment pumping schedule.

22. The injection treatment control method of claim 13 , wherein modifying the injection treatment comprises altering spacing between perforations or fractures.

23. An injection treatment system comprising
a fluid injection subsystem operable to injection fluid into a subterranean region through a wellbore in the subterranean region;
a measurement subsystem operable to obtain a measure of a fluid pressure acting on the subterranean region during the injection treatment; and
an injection treatment control subsystem operable to:
compare the measure of fluid pressure against a target net treating pressure for fluid acting on the subterranean region during the injection treatment, the target net treating pressure associated with a target orientation of fracture growth, wherein the target net treating pressure is associated with:
dilation of natural fractures in the subterranean region; and
propagating dominant fractures perpendicular to a minimum stress orientation in the subterranean region; and
control the fluid injection based on a result of the comparison.

24. The injection treatment system of claim 23 , wherein:
the injection treatment control subsystem is operable to detect, in real time during the injection treatment, that an actual net treating pressure acting on the subterranean region exceeds the target net treating pressure; and
the fluid injection subsystem is operable to reduce a fluid pressure applied to the subterranean region in response to the detecting.

25. The injection treatment system of claim 24 , wherein the fluid injection subsystem is operable to inject temporary or permanent blocking material into the subterranean region to block a fract

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Dusterhoft Ronald Glen
• Allison David Blair

Classifications

• E21B47/06 Primary

  Measuring temperature or pressure · CPC title

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title