2012 Williston Basin Petroleum Conference Number of Completion Stages – Does it Matter 2012 Williston Basin Petroleum Conference Bismarck, ND May 22 - 24, 2012 Jim Thompson Bakken D&C Manager Marathon Oil Corporation
Marathon Oil Corporation Topics of Discussion Bakken completion stages Effect on IP and cumulative production Optimum number of stages Other considerations Proppant types and selection criteria Function Selection Transport Messenger word of thanks Drilling & Completion Team SS Team Ahmad Salman UT Team Steve Baumgartner Marathon Oil Corporation
Bakken Completion Stages 9-5/8” 7” 16” Single Stage Completions OH Uncemented preperforated liner Crosslinked polymer , linear gel, and/or slickwater fracs Diverter slugs or balls UBS 9000+’ 6” Hole MBS LBS Marathon Oil Corporation
Bakken Completion Stages Marathon Oil Corporation
Bakken Completion Stages 9-5/8” 7” 16” Multi Stage Completions Plug and Perf Frac Sleeves Rapid adoption of 10 stage Sleeve Technology ¼” graduated ball seats Linear Gel and Crosslinked polymer fracs UBS 9000+’ 6” Hole MBS LBS Marathon Oil Corporation
Bakken Completion Stages Marathon Oil Corporation
Bakken Completion Stages Evolved to 20 stage sleeve technology with 1/8” graduated ball seats Decreased spacing between stages Increased amount of stimulated rock volume (SRV) Versus 10 stage Progression to 40 stages continued with move to 1/16” graduated ball seats Number can be tweaked to operators preference with mixing of sleeves and plug and perf typically referred to as hybrid completion UBS MBS LBS Marathon Oil Corporation
Bakken Completion Stages Marathon Oil Corporation
Bakken Completion Stages Marathon Oil Corporation
Bakken Completion Stages Marathon Oil Corporation
Bakken Completion Stages Marathon Oil Corporation
Bakken Completion Stages Marathon Oil Corporation
Bakken Completion Stages Marathon Oil Corporation
Bakken Completion Stages Marathon Oil Corporation
2006 – 2011 Dunn County Middle Bakken Wells 2006 – 2007 Open Hole Wells 2006 – 2007 Open Hole Completion Wells Average Proppant Density (lb/ft): 71 2008 Staged Wells 2008 Stage Completion Wells Average # of Stages: 6 Average Proppant Density (lb/ft): 144 2009 Staged Wells 2009 Stage Completion Wells Average # of Stages: 9 Average Proppant Density (lb/ft): 171 2010 Staged Wells 2010 Stage Completion Wells Average # of Stages: 19 Average Proppant Density (lb/ft): 268 2011 Staged Wells 2011 Stage Completion Wells Average # of Stages: 20 Average Proppant Density (lb/ft): 228 Open Hole 6 Stage Completion 9 Stage Completion 19 Stage Completion 20 Stage Completion Mean 12 Month Cumulative Oil Production (BBL Oil) 41,000 45,000 59,000 88,000 91,000* 2011 staged wells cumulative oil production based on extrapolation Data obtained from NDIC public information. Marathon Oil Corporation
Bakken Completion Stages Conclusions Number of completion stages does have an effect on IP and cumulative production during first year Increases stimulated rock volume Other considerations which may effect optimum number of stages Geology or rock quality Understand natural fractures to determine vertical vs horizontal growth dominance Flowback practices Conservative or Aggressive choke management Be consistant to evaluate proper number of stages Frac design per stage Fluid volumes Proppant volumes Proppant type Consistency is key to determine effect of varying the number of stages Change one variable at a time keeping others the same Understand cost implications of each variable for well economic considerations Marathon Oil Corporation
2012 Williston Basin Petroleum Conference Proppants and Selection Criteria 2012 Williston Basin Petroleum Conference Bismarck, ND May 22 - 24, 2012 Jim Thompson Bakken D&C Manager Marathon Oil Corporation
Proppant Types and Selection Criteria %Fines per API/ISO procedure Marathon Oil Corporation
Proppant Types and Selection Criteria Marathon Oil Corporation
Proppant Types and Selection Criteria Proppant Function Keep the created fracture (length and height) open Provide conductivity contrast to accelerate flow to the wellbore Proppant Selection Cost Proppant pack conductivity – minimum 500 md-ft Size – as large as you can place with frac design Effective Closure Stress on Proppant = Minimum Horizontal Stress – Fracture Face Flowing Pressure (Pressure in the Producing Propped Fracture) Fracturing fluid damage – slick water, linear gel, cross link fluids Crush test Less than 10% fines generated at maximum closure stress Predict-K Tool to predict proppant pack conductivity of planned fracture treatments Evaluate conductivity of what can be placed, 2 lb/ft2 of 20/40 versus 2.5 lb/ft2 of 30/50, etc. Marathon Oil Corporation
Proppant Types and Selection Criteria Proppant Selection (cont’d) Proppant pack conductivity over the life of well Production damage (scale, salt, fines, etc.) Proppant degradation from stress cycling Embedment into formation face Proppant Transport Larger proppant provides higher conductivity but may be more difficult to place Settling rate increases in proportion to the diameter squared Bridging Perforation diameter should be six times larger than proppant diameter Pumping hydraulic fracture width should be three times larger than proppant diameter Marathon Oil Corporation
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