CHALLENGE

Increase long-term production in S-shaped

wells with overpressured layers.
SOLUTION
Apply HiWAY* flow-channel hydraulic
fracturing service to increase fracture
conductivity in five pilot wells.
RESULTS
Realized 86132% higher 4-month
cumulative productionoutperforming the
highest-producing offset well.
Reservoirs varying permeability and pressure required various stimulation techniques
The Nejo field in northeast Mexico produces gas condensate and light crude from the
Oligocene Frio Marino (OFM) formation. The reservoir is characterized by laminated sandstones
with a wide range of permeabilities and pore pressures, .0110 mD and .37 .9 psi/ft, respective-
ly. As such, most wells in Mexicos Nejo field require hydraulic fracturing treatments to achieve
commercial production rates.
Iberoamericana de Hidrocarburos S.A. de C.V. (IHSA) applied different hydraulic fracturing tech-
niques depending on each wells conditions. In overpressured layers with permeabilities higher
than .1 mD, IHSA used conventional crosslinked gel treatments. In low-pressure layers, it applied
energized fluids. And, in tight gas reservoirs with permeabilities below .1 mD, the operator typically
used a hybrid fracturing technique consisting of slickwater and crosslinked gel fluid systems.
Schlumberger proposed channel fracturing technique to increase production
To optimize production from wells usually stimulated with crosslinked gel, Schlumberger pro-
posed applying HiWAY flow-channel fracturing service. The HiWAY service engineers stable
pathways within the fracture, enabling hydrocarbons to flow through flow channels instead
of the proppant pack. Because of the potential to achieve infinite fracture conductivity, and
increase recovery, IHSA decided to conduct a five-well field trial in two formations.
The stimulation team combined the HiWAY services fracturing fluids and proprietary fibers
on site with specialized mixing equipment. Then, the fracturing fluid system and proppant
were pumped downhole in pulsescreating a stable proppant arrangement in the formation.
CASE STUDY
Stimulation
The normalized initial productivity index average from the HiWAY wells (blue) in the OFM-25 formation
showed up to 61.7% higher than offset wells (gray).
Z Y X W V U T C D E F
Nejo wells
IHSA Increases Sustained Production up to 132%
HiWAY channel fracturing service enhances efficiency and
well performance in highly heterogeneous Mexican formation
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www.slb.com/HiWAY
*Mark of Schlumberger
Other company, product, and service names
are the properties of their respective owners.
Copyright 2012 Schlumberger. All rights reserved. 12-ST-0006
HiWAY well outperformed previous-best offset well
After the treatment, IHSA and Schlumberger conducted a rigorous com-
parison between the HiWAY wells and validated offset wells. The teams
took bottomhole flow pressure measurements for each fracturing job,
and calculated the corresponding productivity index (PI) and normalized
PI. The flow capacity of the formation was quantified by the production
of the permeability and the interval thickness. IHSA also periodically
measured cumulative production.
The pilot wells showed between 86132% higher sustained production
rates. In fact, one of the wells (Nejo-A) produced 8% more oil and
22% more gas than the best offset well. Four wells stimulated with the
HiWAY service showed, on average, 62% higher normalized initial PI
than offset wells. In addition, fracturing fluid recovery increased 1220%
over the conventional crosslinked gel hydraulic fracturing treatments.
IHSA applied the service to four more wells. Now, IHSA regularly uses
the HiWAY service to complete new wells throughout Nejo field.
In the OFM-28 reservoir, HiWAY well Nejo-A produced 8% more oil than the best
offset well and 86% more oil than average offset wells after 4 months.
Nejo-A produced 22% more gas than the best offset well and 132% more gas than
average offset wells after 4 months.
CASE STUDY: HiWAY channel fracturing service enhances efficiency and well performance in Mexico
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