COMPLETION PRACTICES ADDRESSING ZONAL ISOLATION AND PERFORATION DESIGNS FOR LIMITED ENTRY FRACTURING OF HORIZONTAL WELLS
Drilling and completing long, horizontal sections in low to moderate permeability reservoirs has become commonplace in many oil and gas producing regions of the world. Economically successful exploitation of these types of reservoirs usually requires hydraulic fracture stimulation in both vertical and horizontal completions. Many completion techniques have been used for fracture stimulation of horizontal wells. Multiple stage fracturing treatments are highly effective, but the high cost and risk associated with this type of completion often make it unattractive. Limited-entry fracturing has proved to be an effective stimulation method for horizontal wells with an acceptable level of cost and risk.Successful limited-entry fracturing of horizontal wells is highly dependent on effective zonal isolation and perforation design. This paper presents a case history of horizontal completions using limited-entry fracture stimulation. Zonal isolation methods, perforating strategies, and their effects on limited-entry fracturing success are discussed and compared.