SPE-181837-MS

Optimum Time and Critical Re-Orientation Pressure of Re-Fracturing

Jiang Wei, Cai Bo, Li Yang, He Chunming, Yan Xuemei, and Xu Zhihe, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration
and Development-Langfang, CNPC Key Laboratory of Reservoir Stimulation, CNPC

Copyright 2016, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Asia Pacific Hydraulic Fracturing Conference held in Beijing, China, 24-26 August 2016.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents
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Abstract
Up to 2014, low production wells of CNPC oil fields account for 10%~30% in all the production wells,
the number of old wells is huge. How to develop the low production wells effectively is one of the key
research aspects under such low international oil price, and old wells re-fracturing is an important mean
to improve single well recovery and reduce the cost. In this paper, we took tight oil wells for example;
stress distribution of more than 100 wells was studied. Finite element analysis software COMSOL was
used to simulate the in-situ stress and induced stress distribution by production effect. The equations of
induced stress distribution by fracture net pressure were derived, stress distribution by production effect
and induced stress distribution by fracture net pressure was coupled, and the re-fracturing stress distribution
software was programmed. The calculation results show that: in-situ stress distribution will be changed by
production effect as wells produce, but for tight oil formation, stress change by production effect is little
because seepage flow rate is very slow. Stress change becomes large at first and then becomes small; so there
is a change extreme point - optimum re-fracturing opportunity. Re-fracturing has a critical re-orientation
fracture net pressure, the stress variation locates in the weak stress reversal region under the critical pressure,
it is difficult for re-orientation; above the critical pressure, the stress variation lies in the strong stress reversal
region, re-orientation could occur. Taking x well for example, after 10 years production, Stress change is
small when fracture net pressure is under 3.5MPa, it locates in the weak stress reversal region. Stress change
increases as fracture net pressure increases when net pressure is above 3.5MPa, but the increase amplitude
stress change is reduced, and the re-orientation radius is 53m when fracture net pressure is 3.5MPa. Stress
distribution with time at critical re-orientation fracture net pressure shows that: Stress change becomes
large at first and then becomes small, the change extreme point- optimum re-fracturing time is 1-5 year,
the re-orientation radius is 63-78m under optimum re-fracturing time, the stress distribution locates in the
weak stress reversal region after 10 years production and re-orientation becomes difficult. The critical re-
orientation fracture net pressure drops dramatically under optimum re-fracturing time, and the re-orientation
radius under same fracture net pressure is obviously longer than that of non-optimum time. Furthermore,
re-fracturing candidates under optimum time were screened, temporary plugging agents improving fracture
net pressure were selected preferably, and 15 wells stimulation were guided based on the simulation results,
25-100Kg temporary plugging agents were added for each candidate. The treatment pressure was improved
by 4.0-10.0MPa, fluid production was improved by 2.15 times and oil production was improved by 3.5
2 SPE-181837-MS

times. The re-fracturing stress distribution software can provide basis data for re-fracturing candidates
screening and temporary plugging agents selection, and it is beneficial for old well re-fracturing and new
technologies exploration under low oil price.

Introduction
Re-fracturing concept was developed in the 1950s, but limited by the technology and understanding at
that time, secondary fracture was generally considered to propagate along the initial hydraulic fracture,
so re-fracturing must pump much more fracturing fluid and proppant than initial fracturing. In the 1980s,
as the development with the re-fracturing, it was recognized that the azimuth of secondary fracture was
different from the initial fracture. in the 1990s, secondary fracture re-orientation was confirmed by field
measurements, it was realized that in-situ stress field would be altered by pore pressure change, and stress
field distribution prediction technology was programmed based on those observations and understandings.
Since the beginning of twenty-first Century, re-fracturing with temporary plugging agents to increase
fracture net pressure was proposed, which can force the secondary fracture to propagate perpendicularly to
the initial fracture, it could improve the ultimate oil/gas recovery, because those areas perpendicular to the
initial fracture direction was less depleted. With the oil field development, the proportion of low production
wells is gradually increasing, up to 2014, low production wells of CNPC oil fields account for 10%~30%
in all the production wells, and the demand of re-fracturing is obviously increased. Old wells’ re-fracturing
is a cost-effective method to improve single well recovery and reduce the cost. How to develop the low
production wells effectively is one of the key research aspects under such low international oil price.

Fracture re-orientation mechanism

The re-fracturing stress field re-orientation related theoretical research and practical measurement were
conducted by lots of researchers in home and abroad. They mainly focused on two factors of stress field re-
orientation: one of them is initial fracture, the other is pore pressure depletion.
In 1987, stress field alteration experiments were conducted by the US department of energy among multi-
wells, it was clear that one well stress field was affected by nearby well during simultaneous stimulation of
two adjacent wells, it’s the first demonstration that stress field was influenced by nearby well fracture.
In 1991, it was certified by Bruno and Nakagawa (1991) through laboratory experiments that fracture
propagation and re-orientation were controlled by pore pressure alteration, fracture propagation direction
was controlled by local pore pressure gradients near the fracture tip. If the in-situ stress field wasn’t the
dominant factor, fracture would propagate towards high local pore pressure direction.
In 1993, Elbel and Mack (1993) put forward the fracture re-orientation theory through laboratory
experiments; they confirmed that pore pressure is distributed elliptically around the initial fracture with a
two dimension numerical model considering the fluid and solid coupling. During oil and gas production,
reservoir pore pressure was constantly changed, and was unevenly distributed around the fracture; pore
pressure gradient was altered, which in turns led to stress flied re-distribution. If the induced horizontal
principal stress difference was bigger than the original horizontal principal stress difference, then the
azimuth of the minimum horizontal principal stress became the maximum within an elliptical region around
the initial fracture, under this condition, secondary fracture would propagate orthogonal to the initial
fracture. This theory was applied to tight gas production in 1988.
In 1994, Wright and Stewart (1994) proposed a simplified porous elastic model, which was used to
evaluate the effect of pore pressure depletion on stress field. The model described the relationship among
minimum horizontal stress, vertical stress, Boit’s coefficient, Poisson’s ratio, pore pressure and induced
stress. In the same year, 200 wells re-fracturing were conducted by Chevron in Lost Hills oil field, it was
realized from field practice that secondary fracture may not propagate along the initial fracture, and they
SPE-181837-MS 3

began to focus on the fracture re-orientation mechanism research, their research showed that in-situ stress
field was altered by pore pressure decreasing of fluid production, stress field re-orientation occurred.
In 2007, Wolhart (2007) reported a successful re-fracturing case in Codell formation in Colorado State.
Surface tilt meter was used to monitor 5 wells fracture propagation, the measurements showed that the
average value of original fracture azimuth was N66°E and the average value of secondary fracture azimuth
was N29°E, re-fracturing re-orientation was testified.
In 2008, Vasudev Singh, Nicolas P. Roussel and Mukul M. Sharma (2008) research showed that stress
field re-orientation would occur in all the injection well and production well under any formation conditions.
The level of stress re-orientation depended on fluid injection pressure, pore pressure, production well
pressure, original stress difference and well distance.
In 2010, Nicolas P. Roussel and Mukul M. Sharm (2010) conducted a comprehensive and quantitative
study on stress re-orientation. Three dimensional finite difference program (FLAC3D) was used to simulate
vertical fracture model, this model took the reservoir boundary, rock mechanism, fluid properties, in-situ
stress and permeability heterogeneity and anisotropy into consideration. They proposed dimensionless
parameters to evaluate the stress re-orientation region and optimum time for re-fracturing through finite
difference and numerical methods. In the meanwhile, they believed that the magnitude and opportunity of
stress re-orientation depended on initial horizontal deviatoric stress, formation height and shear modulus.
In addition, fluid driving boundary condition was also an important factor.
Chinese researcher Huang Rongzhun (1984) developed "Huang’s model" in discussion on prediction
model of formation break-down pressure, he investigated the relationship between maximum, minimum
horizontal stress and pore pressure:

(1)

(2)

Where:
σH = maximum horizontal principal stress, MPa
σh = minimum horizontal principal stress, MPa
μ = Poisson’s ratio, dimensionless
str1 = tectonic stress coefficient along maximum horizontal stress direction,
dimensionless
str2 = tectonic stress coefficient along minimum horizontal stress direction,
dimensionless
σv = overburden stress, MPa
Pp = pore pressure, MPa
α = Boit’s coefficient, dimensionless
As production, formation pore pressure decreases gradually, forming an elliptical pore pressure reduction
region. It is obvious that the longitudinal fracture axis is much longer than the vertical fracture axis.
The maximum and minimum horizontal stress is reduced by pore pressure decreasing, but, the reduction
amplitude is different as the difference of tectonic stress coefficient along maximum and minimum
horizontal stress direction. Maximum horizontal principal stress reduces faster than minimum horizontal
principal stress, stress difference reduces gradually, stress isotropic point could be achieved and stress
reversal region is formed in the elliptical region. In the stress reversal region, the direction of initial
maximum horizontal stress turns to be minimum horizontal stress direction, and initial minimum horizontal
stress turns to be maximum horizontal stress direction, secondary fracture propagate along the direction
of new maximum horizontal stress, in other words, perpendicular to the initial fracture. Outside the stress
reversal region, initial maximum horizontal stress keeps the initial direction, and fracture will turn back
4 SPE-181837-MS

to the initial fracture direction gradually. The half-length of secondary fracture between the well bore and
turning back to the initial fracture direction is called re-fracturing re-orientation radius, Lxf. The behavior
is illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1—Schematic showing orthogonal fracture propagation

Numerical model
The numerical model in this paper was based on one tight oil field, which was developed by rhombus pattern.
The numerical model was used to investigate the stress alteration induced by formation pore pressure under
different production time.

Model parameters
The reservoir is assumed in two dimensions, which represents a reservoir with infinite thickness, the
reservoir has a rectangular shape with a dimension of 2100m in x-direction and 2100m in y-direction. The
reservoir is developed by rhombus pattern, well spacing is 450m, row spacing is 390m, and the production
well initial fracture has a half-length of 150m and is shaped as a straight line in x-direction. The permeability
is 1.0mD, the porosity is 11%, rock density is 2500Kg/m3, Young’s Modulus is 25 GPa, Poisson’s Ratio is
0.28, Biot’s Coefficient is 0.85, fluid Viscosity is 10cP, and fluid Compressibility Factor is 1e-7 1/Pa over
the total area. The fracture is assumed to be infinite conductivity. The reservoir geometry is illustrated in
Figure 2 and the reservoir model parameters are shown in Table 1.

Figure 2—Reservoir geometry and well pattern structure

SPE-181837-MS 5

Table 1—Model parameters

Parameter Value Unit

Reservoir Length 2100 m

Reservoir Width 2100 m

Fracture Half Length 150 m

Permeability 1.0 mD

Porosity 0.11 1

Reservoir Rock Density 2500 Kg/m3

Young’s Modulus 25 GPa

Poisson’s Ratio 0.28 1

Biot’s Coefficient 0.85 1

Fluid Viscosity 10 cP

Fluid Compressibility Factor 1e-7 1/Pa

Initial and boundary conditions

The reservoir boundary is set to be constant pressure boundary, initial formation pore pressure is 20MPa,
maximum horizontal principal stress is 29 MPa, minimum horizontal principal stress is 26 MPa, BHP of
Injection Wells is 24 MPa, BHP of Production Wells is 5 MPa. Reservoir initial and boundary conditions
are shown in Table 2.

Table 2—Initial and boundary conditions

Parameter Value Unit

Reservoir Pressure 20 MPa

BHP of Injection Wells 24 MPa

BHP of Production Wells 5 MPa

Maximum Horizontal Pressure 29 MPa

Minimum Horizontal Pressure 26 MPa

Stress distribution induced by production effect

Finite element analysis software COMSOL was used to simulate the in-situ stress and induced stress
distribution by production effect. The pore pressure distribution, maximum horizontal stress distribution
and minimum horizontal stress distribution were calculated and shown in Table 3.
6 SPE-181837-MS

Table 3—Stress distribution induced by production effect

As shown in Table 3, pore pressure distribution under different production time was investigated. Orange
color represents the initial pore pressure of 20 MPa, dark blue indicates the production well pressure of 5
MPa, and dark red displays the injection well pressure of 24 MPa. At the beginning of the seepage, the
drainage area spreads to an elliptical shape around the fracture. With the progress of production, pressure
depletion region spreads outside. After 5 years, integrated elliptical pressure depletion region comes into
being. It is obvious that pore pressure reduction along y-axis is much steeper than that along x-axis. This
behavior is responsible for the occurrence of stress re-orientation.
In the maximum horizontal stress distribution images, red color represents the initial maximum horizontal
stress of 29 MPa, dark blue displays the lowest maximum horizontal stress of 23.5 MPa, the maximum stress
SPE-181837-MS 7

drop induced by pore pressure reduction achieves 5.5 MPa. In the minimum horizontal stress distribution
images, orange color shows the minimum horizontal stress of 26 MPa, dark blue indicates the lowest
minimum horizontal stress of 22.6 MPa, the maximum stress drop induced by pore pressure reduction is
3.4 MPa. Comparing the maximum horizontal stress drop with the minimum horizontal stress drop, it is
clear that the former one is bigger than the later one, which makes it possible for forming the stress reversal
region within the elliptical pressure depletion area.
It also can be seen from the above images that stress field is altered by pore pressure depletion, but
for tight oil reservoir, production seepage flow rate is slow, stress field alteration is limited and mainly
concentrated in the vicinity near the fracture. With the production going on, fracture propagation tension is
changed; stress changes induced by pore pressure diffusion reach a maximum value, and then diminish to
initial conditions. These stress alteration results in an optimum time at which to conduct a re-fracturing to
ensure a longer penetration into the less depletion area.
To address the limitations of stress alteration in tight oil formation, temporary plugging agents are
developed to temporary plug the initial fractures, which can artificially increase the net pressure in
the fractures. The induced stress was reinforced, and forcing the fracture re-orientation. The lowest re-
orientation fracture net pressure is called critical re-orientation net pressure, the stress variation locates in
the weak stress reversal region under the critical pressure, it is difficult for re-orientation; above the critical
pressure, the stress variation lies in the strong stress reversal region, re-orientation could occur. In this paper,
the equations of induced stress distribution by fracture net pressure were derived, stress distribution by
production effect and induced stress distribution by fracture net pressure was coupled, and the effect of
production time and fracture net pressure on re-orientation radius was analyzed.

Stress distribution induced by fracture net pressure

In order to analyze the stress induced by manmade fracture, mathematical-mechanical model must be
established (LI Xiaogang et al. 2013). A symmetrical two-wing vertical fracture in infinite reservior is
simplied and shown in Figure 3, the fracture length is 2a, the pressure acting on the fracture surface is P,
also called fracture net pressure during fracturing.

Figure 3—Physical model

Switch the x-y plane in Figure 3 to y-z plan in Figure 4, two dimensional vertical fracture schematic
showing is shown in Figure 4.
8 SPE-181837-MS

Figure 4—Schematic showing of two-dimensional vertical fracture

Combined the model with the theory of complex variable, the real part and imaginary part are separated.
The expressions of the stress components can be obtained.
The equations of induced stress distribution in above model are derived:

(3)

(4)

(5)

Where, p is the pressure acting on the fracture surface, also called fracrure net pressure during fracturing,
c is the fracture half-length, σy-Induced is stress component along y-axis, σz-Induced is stress component along z-
axis, σyz-Induced is shear stress component, the relationship among the geometry parameters is shown below:

(6)

(7)

If the calculated values of θ, θ1, and θ2 from Equation 10 are negative, then θ+180°, θ1+180°, and θ2+180°
are used to replace θ, θ1, and θ2 respectively. The induced stress field in vertical fracture can be obtianed
with these equations.
A software was programmed to calculate the stress field induce by fracture net pressure, the stress
distribution under different fracture net pressure are simulated and shown in Figure 5. Stress changes
increase with the fracture net pressure increasing.
SPE-181837-MS 9

Figure 5—Stress difference distribution of different fracture net pressure

Stress distribution of production effect and induced stress distribution for fracture net pressure was
coupled. The stress flield distribution under different production time and different fracture net perssure
conditions was investigated.

The coupled analysis of stress induced by production effect and fracture net
pressure
The re-orientation radius of different fracture net pressure after 10 years production
Stress flied distribution induced by pore pressure after 10 years production was calculated, and it was
coupled with stress flied distribution induced by different fracture net pressure, the coupled stress field
distribution after 10 years production was obtained.
From the coupled stress field distribution, it can be seen that stress difference around the target well
is positive under 3.5MPa net pressure, stress locates in the weak stress reversal region and fracture re-
orientation is hard. Fracture net pressure higher than 3.5MPa, stress difference is negative, stress locates in
the strong stress reversal region which means stress reversal occur, if re-fracturing is implemented under
this condition, re-fracture will propagate along the direction orthogonal to the initial fracture. The relation
curve between re-orientation radius and fracture net pressure is plot in Figure 6.
10 SPE-181837-MS

Figure 6—The re-orientation radius of different fracture net pressure after 10 years production

As it can be seen from Figure 6, after 10 years production, the critical re-orientation fracture net pressure
is 3.5 MPa. Under 3.5 MPa, induced stress field locates in weak stress reversal region, the change is not
sufficient for re-fracturing re-orientation. Higher than 3.5MPa, it lies in strong stress reversal region, re-
orientation radius increases with the net pressure increasing. The re-orientation radius is 53m of 3.5MPa
net pressure, re-orientation radius reaches 60m when net pressure is 4.0MPa, and it gets 69m when net
pressure is 5.0MPa.

The re-orientation radius of different production time under critical fracture net pressure
Under constant fracture net pressure 3.5 MPa condition, the relationship between re-fracturing re-orientation
radius and production time is investigated, and the optimum re-fracturing time is determined. The relation
curve is shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7—The re-orientation radius of different production time under 3.5MPa fracture net pressure
SPE-181837-MS 11

Under constant fracture net pressure 3.5 MPa condition, stress change becomes large at first and then
becomes small, so does the re-orientation radius. There is a change extreme point - optimum re-fracturing
opportunity. We can recognize from Figure 7 that the optimum time is 1 to 5 year; the re-orientation radius
during optimum time is 63-78m. Re-fracturing after 10 year, stress flied locates in weak stress reversal
region; it is hard for re-orientation unless fracture net pressure is further improved.

The re-orientation radius of different fracture net pressure under optimum re-fracturing time
During optimum re-fracturing time, re-orientation radiuses under different fracture net pressure are
calculated. 3years production is chosen as the optimum time, re-orientation radiuses under different fracture
net pressure curve is plot in Figure 8.

Figure 8—The re-orientation radius of different fracture net pressure under 3 years production

In Figure 8, under optimum time of 3 years production, critical re-orientation net pressure still exists
for tight oil reservoir. But, comparing with the re-orientation net pressure under non-optimum time, such
as after 10 years production, 1.5MPa critical re-orientation net pressure is much less than 3.5MPa, it is
much easier for re-orientation. Re-orientation radius under 1.5MPa is 54m, 71m under 3.5MPa, 74m under
4.0MPa, and 78m under 5.0MPa. The re-orientation radiuses under same fracture net pressure are obviously
longer than that of non-optimum time.

Application wells
Re-fracturing candidates under optimum time were screened, temporary plugging agents improving fracture
net pressure were selected preferably, and 15 wells stimulation were guided based on the simulation results,
25-100Kg temporary plugging agents were added for each candidate, the treatment pressure was improved
4.0-10.0MPa, which meets the required net pressure improving.
Case studied well was a production well after 5 years production, the well parameters were shown in
the numerical model, and it was low porosity and low permeability well. Before re-fracturing, daily fluid
production was 3.65m3, daily oil production was 0.60t, and water cut was 80.5%. Based on the simulated
results, temporary plugging agents were needed and net pressure must be improved more than 2.5MPa.
Temporary plugging agents evaluation experiments were conducted, core permeability decreased 99.88%
from 4.14×10-3μm2 to 0.0048×10-3μm2 after temporary plugging. It had good temporary plugging effect
under 40MPa and achieved the role of temporary plugging the initial fractures.
12 SPE-181837-MS

The well was re-fractured in September 23, 2015. The re-fracturing slurry rate was 2.0m3/min, treatment
pressure was 17-35MPa. Total gel fracturing fluid pumped was 201.7m3, 20/40 mesh sand was 34.5m3,
temporary plugging agents was 25Kg. The treatment pressure increased from 19.2MPa to 23.3MPa after
adding temporary plugging agents, pressure increased 4.1MPa, which meets the 2.5MPa requirement. The
treatment plots are shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9—Fracturing treatment plots

The well was put into operation after re-fracturing, daily fluid production was 9.7m3, daily oil production
was 3.0t, and water cut was 65.0%. Fluid production was improved 2.65 times and oil production was
improved 5.0 times, good re-fracturing effect was achieved.

Figure 10—Production curve

Conclusions/Observations
1. As wells produce, in-situ stress distribution will be changed by production effect, but for tight oil
formation, stress change is little as seepage flow rate is very slow;
2. The initial fracture, in-situ stress difference, production time and fracture net pressure are the main
factors that induce the stress field;
SPE-181837-MS 13

3. Stress change becomes large at first and then becomes small; there is a change extreme point -
optimum re-fracturing opportunity;
4. The increasing of fracture net pressure will obviously induce the stress field during re-fracturing,
which plays an important role in fracture re-orientation.
5. Re-fracturing has a critical re-orientation fracture net pressure, the stress variation locates in the weak
stress reversal region under the critical pressure, it is difficult for re-orientation; above the critical
pressure, the stress variation lies in the strong stress reversal region, re-orientation could occur.

Acknowledgements
This work is supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project (NO. 2016ZX05023). The
authors would express their appreciation to the project for contribution of research fund.

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