Modern fracturing. Enhancing natural gas production / Современный гидроразрыв пласта. Повышение добычи природного газа

This is a book about enhancing natural gas production using one of the most important and widespread well completion technologies — hydraulic fracturing. The book addresses the way that natural gas is produced from natural reservoirs (Chapter 2) and then describes diagnostic techniques that can pinpoint whether the well is producing as it should or whether intervention should be undertaken (Chapter 3), which is the central theme of this book. Hydraulic fracturing is introduced as the solution of choice, showing the idiosyncratic nature of natural gas wells compared to oil wells (Chapter 4). The subsequent two chapters address important peripheral issues whose successful or failed resolution may affect the well performance with equal or even more serious consequences than the fracture treatment itself. These issues include well completions (Chapter 5) and the extremely important well-to-reservoir (and fracture) connectivity (Chapter 6).
The next two chapters deal with materials for fracturing: fluids and proppants (Chapters 7 and 8). Their selection is essential to the successful execution of the treatment. The execution itself becomes the next chapter, and practical issues are addressed there (Chapter 9).Then some modern applications are described. One chapter deals with fracturing horizontal wells, increasingly an important option among reservoir exploitation strategies (Chapter 10). Not only new well architecture but also newer reservoir targets are opening up, and natural gas demand points towards unconventional sources, namely coalbed methane (CBM), shale gas and very low-permeability formations. Technology makes their exploitation possible, and this
is the subject of the next chapter (Chapter 11).
Finally, two issues round out the book: Fracturing is employed in the full development of reservoirs (Chapter 12); and how mature fields, a mainstay of the developed world such as the United States and Europe, can be revitalized through this process (Chapter 13).Before the technical issues are addressed it is essential to look at natural gas in the world economy, why it is becoming increasingly important and what are the reasons for all the excitement surrounding its enhanced production. <...>