Paper: SUCCESS ACHIEVED IN LENTICULAR RESERVOIRS THROUGH ENHANCED VISCOSIPI, INCREASED SAND VOLUME, AND MINIMIZATION OF ECHELON FRACTURES

A common trend in our industry is to minimize gel concentrations and utilize the lowest viscosity fluid availah to place proppant. Barrett Resources Corporation has found, for lenticuiar microdarcy formations, that one of the keys for success is enhanced proppant transport, This is achieved incorporating stable gels which maintain greater than 1000 cps viscosity at bottomhole static temperature for the duration of the treatment. An extensive case study has been completed, involving over 500 fracture stimulation treatments in mom than 175 wells, that illustrates the poor results achieved in the Williams Formation of the Mesaverde Groups using low viscosity fluids. Low viscosity fluids invariable exhibit poor proppant transport. The statistical study shows that larger treatments utilizing "perfect proppant transport" fluids gain superior results. Based upon the case study, 100% economic success has been achieved upon incorporating stable fluids containing delayed breakers, reducing pad volumes to less than 50h of total job size, and minimizing echelon fractures while implementing a limited entry stimulation technique.