4 September 2018

This Fundamentals E-Lecture investigates the effectiveness of hydraulic-fracturing completions in a tight-oil play in Canada by illustrating detailed examples of the passively recorded microseismicity. The case history format enables an easy to follow interpretation on the inference of fracture wing length, height and azimuth based on event distribution on several projects. The distribution of microseismicity further shows that isolated event clusters of out-of-zone events are interpreted to have occurred on unpropped fractures. Slickwater fracturing fluids, in comparison to gelled oil or foamed water, are shown to produce more diffuse and scattered microseismic expression and a higher cumulative oil production. The results of these studies indicate the value that microseismic imaging of horizontal multistage fracturing wells has on guiding future oil field development, especially in maximizing Estimated Ultimate Recovery (EUR).

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