Evaluating different energized fracturing fluids using an integrated equation-of-state compositional hydraulic fracturing and reservoir simulator

Horizontal wells are often drilled and hydraulically fractured in tight reservoirs to produce hydrocarbons or heat. Different fracturing fluids such as slick water, gas, foam, gel, or a combination can be used with slick water being the most common fracturing fluid. In this paper, we study the impacts of different fracturing fluids on fractured well productivity using an in-house integrated hydraulic fracturing and reservoir simulator with an equation-of-state compositional model. We analyzed the fracture geometry, stress interference, proppant placement, and the subsequent well productivity using different fracturing fluids. The results clearly show that different fracturing fluids result in very different fracture shape, sand distribution, and water and hydrocarbon production. By conducting fracturing and production simulations in one simulator, we ensure that no physics and data loss occurs due to data migration between two different software packages for hydraulic fracturing and reservoir simulation. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time that a single integrated equation-of-state compositional hydraulic fracturing and reservoir simulator has been presented and applied for well lifecycle simulation.