Paper: FIRST SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS AND ISSUES WHEN HYDRAULICALLY FRACTURING THE AVALON SHALE

Recent activity in the Avalon Shale play, an upper member of the Leonard series in southeastern New Mexico1, has opened up a new horizon for production from an unconventional formation. Key to the potential success of the Avalon Shale play will be the ability to adapt and refine horizontal completion methods and stimulation techniques. The effectiveness of hydraulic fracture stimulations is critical for optimal economic production of this natural gas and oil shale play. The initial stimulation methods used for the early wells in this play have revealed several challenges while hydraulically fracturing the Avalon Shale interval. Some of the issues are high treating pressure, near wellbore tortuosity, early fluid leak off, natural fractures, and a propensity for sand-outs that lead to shorter effective fractures and wellbore damage. This paper will present field case study demonstrating most of the previously mentioned problems and issues with hydraulically fracturing in the Avalon Shale and the steps that were taken to remedy them.