Publications

Hydraulic fracturing in shallow reservoir with depth ranging between 600-800 ft and dominated by ductile properties with the Young's Modulus <2 MMpsi poses unique challenges, particularly to achieve effective proppant placement. The common stepping proppant stage design in this typical reservoir is not favorable during its execution since it will not deliver good sand packing during the execution. After several executions, the reservoir behavior was observed to evaluate the best recipe to encounter the challenges. Start with linear gels and progressing to hybrid and X-link gels, the process conducted pad fluid and proppant stages while monitoring real-time pressure using live annulus methods without packers, allowing for precise Bottom Hole Treatment Pressure (BHTP) calculations and reducing operational complexity. Phase-by-phase adjustments based on pressure treatment trends during fracturing and production outcomes included increased pad cuts and the removal of preliminary steps to shorten cycle time. These efforts establish a refined fracturing-model focused on fluid optimization and proppant selection. An outstanding accomplishment was realized in a challenging complex low-pressure, ductile, and shallow reservoir. The new recipe successfully delivered an additional 1,872 BOPD in BLSO Field-Rokan Block with low-water cut (Figure 12). Modifying the fracturing design to achieve optimal proppant packing through the Tip Screen Out (TSO) method significantly improved fracture performance that provides good conductivity enhancement. This paper introduces a safe-efficient approach to conduct hydraulic fracturing in low-quality, ductile, and shallow reservoirs, addressing a gap in existing literature. Furthermore, the application modified design and pumping strategy for optimized proppant packing, demonstrates a tailored strategy that significantly boosted conductivity to improve production. This adaptable methodology serves as a valuable model for maximizing output in similar complex reservoirs, contributing new knowledge to reservoir stimulation in the petroleum industry.