The Relationship Between the Production Rate and Initiation Location of New Fractures in a Refractured Well

Abstract

A reservoir model and a hydraulic fracture model are combined to describe fluid flow after refracturing to study the influence of initiation location of new fractures on well production. The finite difference method is used to solve governing equations and application software is developed to investigate influences of new fractures on pressure distribution within a flooding pattern and that of initiation location of new fractures on well production. The studies show that different initiation locations of new fractures in refracturing affects pressure distribution, especially around the fracture system. The accumulative well production decreases slowly when the new fracture initiates at the old fracture within 10 m from the well bore but with an increasing rate when 10 m is exceeded. It is suggested that the initiation location of new fractures in refracturing be controlled within 10 m of the well bore with engineering efforts.

Keywords:

• hydraulic fracture
• initiation location of new fracture
• low permeability
• refracturing
• well production rate