THE SPE IMAGE LIBRARY

SPE 17534

Multiple Hydraulic Fracture Propagation in Oil Sands 17534 Kular, G.S., Chhina, H.S., and Best, D.A., Alberta Oil Sands Tech. and Research Authority, and MacKenzie, W.T., Amoco Canada Petroleum Ltd. SPE Members Copyright 1988, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Inc. This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting, held in Casper, WY, May 11-13, 1988. This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE Program Committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Papers presented at SPE meetings are subject to publication review by Editorial Committees of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. Permission to copy is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words. Illustrations may not be copied. The abstract should contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper is presented. Write Publications Manager, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3836. Telex, 730989 SPEDAL. ABSTRACT: A multiple hydraulic fracture field test was conducted in the McMurray formation of the Athabasca oil sands in Alberta, at a depth of 235 mKB. Due to the low fluid injectivity into the formation, hydraulic fracturing preceding hot water and/or steam injection was considered a viable means of establishing interwell communication. In situ stress tests conducted at the wells indicated the minimum principal stress to be in the vertical direction. This meant horizontal fracturing was feasible at 235 mKB. Subsequently two fracture treatments were conducted, a mini-fracture

THE SPE IMAGE LIBRARY test followed by the main propped fracture. The fracture monitoring methods used were as follows: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Tiltmeters Temperature observation well Radioactive proppant Fracture extension pressures Post fracture log evaluation wells

SPE 17534

Tiltmeter and observation well data indicated horizontal fracturing during the mini-fracture test. The subsequent main fracture treatment showed similar results during the initial injection stage, however evidence of vertical fracturing was prevalent during the proppant injection stage. Numerical modelling conducted at a later date, using a finite element stress-strain model, indicated that in a near isotropic stress environment there existed a critical maximum formation strain, beyond which the minimum principal stress direction can change. As a result of the above work, the fracture design parameters for oil sands, such as injection rates and fracture fluid viscosities can be adjusted to minimize vertical fracturing at shallow depths, where initially horizontal fractures are favoured. INTRODUCTION: High viscosity bitumen (i.e. 10 mpa.s) bearing formations such as the McMurray in the Athabasca deposit, offer little or no injectivity to fluids at initial reservoir conditions. In order to mobilize the bitumen the viscosity must be decreased significantly by using thermal recovery methods such as steam flooding and steam stimulation. However due to the limited injectivity into the formation, hydraulic fracturing plays an extremely important role in implementing heat injection. p. 477