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Investigation and Application

for Multistage HydrajetFracturing with Coiled Tubing
a

S. Tian , G. Li , Z. Huang , J. Niu & Q. Xia

State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resource and

Prospecting, China University of Petroleum , Beijing,
China
b

College of Petroleum Engineering, China University

of Petroleum , Dongying, China
Published online: 22 Jul 2009.

To cite this article: S. Tian , G. Li , Z. Huang , J. Niu & Q. Xia (2009) Investigation
and Application for Multistage Hydrajet-Fracturing with Coiled Tubing, Petroleum
Science and Technology, 27:13, 1494-1502, DOI: 10.1080/10916460802637569
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10916460802637569

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Petroleum Science and Technology, 27:14941502, 2009

Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
ISSN: 1091-6466 print/1532-2459 online
DOI: 10.1080/10916460802637569

Investigation and Application for Multistage

Hydrajet-Fracturing with Coiled Tubing
S. Tian,1 G. Li,1 Z. Huang,1 J. Niu,2 and Q. Xia1
1 State

Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resource and Prospecting,

China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China
2 College of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum,
Dongying, China

Abstract: Continuing high prices for oil and gas stimulate new technologies improve
the production of low permeability reservoirs. Hydrajet-fracturing with coiled tubing, a
unique technology for low-permeability horizontal and vertical wells, uses fluids under
high pressure to initiate and accurately place a hydraulic fracture without packer,
saving operating time and lowering operating risk. The mechanisms of hydrajetperforation and hydrajet-fracture initiation are studied in this article. Frictions for
one kind of fracturing fluid in coiled tubing have been computed to determine pump
pressure and flow rate for field testing. Tools for hydrajet fracturing are designed
as well. The first successful field testing in China of multistage hydrajet-fracturing
using coiled tubing has proven that the theoretical calculation and field-testing data
of hydraulic parameters are basically identical. It has also proven that tools meet the
requirement of field testing.
Keywords: coiled tubing, field testing, hydrajet-fracturing, low-permeability, stimulation

INTRODUCTION
Low-permeability reservoirs possess fairly large proportions in newly discovered and explored reservoirs in China. Furthermore, the number will increase
with the development of exploration technologies and the advance of stimulation techniques. To date, low-permeability reservoirs have become important
hydrocarbon resources for the stability and development of the petroleum
industry in China, and it is urgent to efficiently exploit low-permeability
formations. Hydraulic fracturing technique is a key to economically exploit
Address correspondence to Gensheng Li, State Key Laboratory of Petroleum
Resource and Prospecting, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China.
E-mail: tscsydx@163.com
1494

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Multistage Hydrajet Fracturing With Coiled Tubing

1495

and develop low-permeability reservoirs. In recent years, many specialists

in the world have made great progress and achieved a lot of harvest in the
domain of fracturing fluid, proper fracturing techniques, and so on. However,
many problems exist still. For example, a great deal of reservoirs have
vertical multi-pay formations, and the span of partial pay formation is larger
than could be multi-fracturing through conventional stimulation technology.
Hydrajet-fracturing technique, a relatively new stimulation technology, combines hydrajetting, hydraulic fracturing, acidizing, and a dual-paths pumpfluid technique (Surjaatmadja, 1998, 2002). This fracture stimulation method
has primarily used jointed pipe to achieve hydraulic fracturing injection
rates for horizontal completions. Applying hydrajet-fracturing technique with
larger-OD coiled tubing can initiate and accurately place fractures without
mechanical packer, saving job time and reducing operation risk. This adapts
to multi-layer fracturing in vertical wells and multi-stage stimulation in open
hole horizontal wells. Hydrajet-fracturing technique is more important and
promising to exploit low-permeability reservoirs. The first deployment in
China of multi-layer hydrajet-fracturing using CT succeeded in Baiqian, at
Well No.110 of the Sichuan Oil Field on July 27, 2007.

HYDRAJET-FRACTURING
Hydrajet-fracturing is a unique stimulation technique, combined with hydraperforating, hydraulic fracturing, and hydrasealing using hydradynamic energy to hydrajet-perforate, and then separately pump fracturing fluid to coiledtubing and annulus through two pump systems to complete hydrajet-fracturing
in a single trip.

Hydrajet Perforating
In the hydrajet perforating, the first process of hydrajet-fracturing, fluid is
forced through small nozzles in a jetting tool into the annulus, transferring
high pressure to dynamic energy, producing high speed fluid at casing, cement, and rock formations, creating a perforation with a certain scale diameter
and depth. The abrasive materials, such as quartz sand, are usually put into
fluid to achieve a good perforating effect. In oilfield applications, hydrajetting
can abrade or penetrate various substances, including steel, cement, and rock.
Compared with traditional explosive perforating, the hydrajet perforating,
which can penetrate deeper, is safer to operate and results in less nearwellbore damage and improved fracture treatment performance. Hydrajetperforating, without skin damages, may reduce stress concentration and raise
permeability in the near-wellbore area, breaking through near-wellbore damage area, increasing drainage area, lowering producing pressure, enhancing
seepage flow velocity to wellbore, and well production rate (Shen, 1999; Li,

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G. Li et al.

2004, 2005). It is relatively easy to satisfy perforating orientation according

with the maximum horizontal principal stress orientation through hydrajetperforating. The deeper perforation may avoid fracture diversion in nearwellbore, multi-fracture and curving fracture, resulting in better perforating
and fracturing efficiency (Li, 2002; Zhang, 2004). The ability of hydrajet
breaking rock increases with the pressure and flow rate enhancement. The
concentration and size of abrasive materials in perforating fluid exists with
an optimum value in laboratory testing. The maximum perforating depth and
optimum perforating time in a certain situation are preferred as well.

Hydrajet Fracturing
High velocity fluid impacts the toe formation of perforation tunnel, initiating micro-fractures so that decreasing fracture initiation pressure (FIP). As
demonstrated by Bernoulli equation, jetting fluid forms boost pressure in the
perforating tunnel after annulus is closed. Fluid is pumped separately into
annulus to increase annulus pressure that is added to the boost pressure of jetting fluid. Once the total pressure exceeds FIP, fractures begin to initiate from
the tip of perforation tunnel and continue to extend. (Figure 1) Maintaining
annulus pressure to a level slightly below the fracture extension pressure by
continually pumping fluid into the annulus, we can acquire larger and wider
fractures in the desired formations. The condition of initiating fracture is

Figure 1. Hydrajet fracturing mechanism.

Multistage Hydrajet Fracturing With Coiled Tubing

1497

shown by the following relation:

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Pboost C Pannulus  Pfracture

Boost is dynamic pressure distribution based on the principle of momentum
conservation, increasing with the flow rate and the fracture starting to close.
When fracture is completely closed, the boost is approximately equal to stagnation pressure (Eberhard, 2000; Surjaatmadja, 2005). It can be self-adjusted
in accordance with fracture size. Fluid on the left side of the maximum
pressure point will move back and forth erratically, while fluid on the right
side will flow freely to the right and into the fracture. Fracture fluid and
dynamic energy will be concentrated into a certain place through controlling
jetting tool, in order to accurately initiate and place fractures. According to
Bernoulli equation, the fluid velocity is largest in the nozzle exit, where the
pressure is lowest, which is just like a jet pump, so the jetting fluid can
only flow into perforate tunnel without leaking out other places; meanwhile,
annulus fluid flows into fracture to maintain the extension of fracture. As a
result, hydrajet-fracturing process leads to a desired fracture in a relatively
precise place, having no need for mechanical isolation of zones.
Hydrajet-fracturing with coiled tubing is applied to oilfield stimulation.
Coiled tubing can run into a hole without making a connection and shutin, easily moving from one fracturing position to another on the circulating
condition of fracture fluid, quickly clearing redundant proppant when the tip
is screened out.

HYDRAULIC PARAMETERS CALCULATION

Hydraulic parameters for hydrajet-fracturing treatment contain coiled tubing
flow rate and pump pressure, and annulus flow rate and pump pressure, which
are related to the amount and type of nozzle. It is very important to ascertain
and control flow rate and pressure through coiled tubing and the annulus
in field applications. The fluid friction loss includes two parts using CT
treatment: friction loss in straight CT and friction loss in bend CT. According
to friction loss model in CT, we can demonstrate the relationship between
coiled tubing flow rate and pump pressure on a certain fracture fluid and
nozzles with various amount and type, as shown in the following Table 1 and
Figure 2.
It can be demonstrated by the relationship between flow rate and pump
pressure that nozzle parameters, flow rate, and pump pressure in field testing
can be ascertained under limited pressure (65 MPa) of coiled tubing. We
select three type C nozzle jetting tools, considering the effect of perforating,
fracturing, and so on. Flow rate in coiled tubing maintains 1.11.2 m3 /min,
the pump pressure is about 53.95 MPa, and flow rate in annulus approximately
reaches 0.8 m3 /min.

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Table 1. Flow rate vs. pump pressure with different nozzles

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Pump pressure (MPa)

Flow rate
(m3 /min)

Three
type A
nozzles

Three
type B
nozzles

Three
type C
nozzles

Four
type A
nozzles

Four
type B
nozzles

0.8
0.9
1.0
1.1
1.2

48.69
60.05
72.54
86.13
100.83

38.27
46.86
56.25
66.43
77.38

31.67
38.51
45.94
53.95
62.53

34.31
41.85
50.06
58.94
68.47

24.73
29.73
35.10
40.83
46.93

HYDRAJET-FRACTURING TOOL
The design of hydrajet-fracturing tool is a key point of hydrajet-fracturing
technique (Figure 3). Tool body is equipped with several nozzles, through
which high pressure fluid turns into high speed fluid sufficient to form one
or more perforation tunnels in the formations. Top end of the tool body
connects to CT for operation. A check valve connects to the bottom end of
tool body, which ensures that fluid cant flow from tool to annulus through
the check valve when hydrajet perforating or hydrajet-fracturing is operated.

Figure 2. Flow rate vs. pump pressure with different nozzles.

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Multistage Hydrajet Fracturing With Coiled Tubing

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Figure 3. Tools for Hydrajet Fracturing.

While backwashing is required to deal with accident rising in the down

hole, fluid can flow from annulus into coiled tubing through check valve
and tool body, then back to the ground. The nozzle will be seriously worn
and torn when hydrajet-fracturing, and the tool body can be damaged by the
backflow of jetting fluid. We should optimize nozzle parameters and select
appropriate materials of nozzle and tool body in order to extend tool working
life.

CASE HISTORY WELL

Test Well
The Bai Mamiao reservoir of the Sichuan Oilfield is an ultra low-permeability
reservoir that must be stimulated to obtain effective production in vertical
wells. Baiqian Well No. 110, located in Bai Mamiao reservoir, develops many
fractures and micro-fractures, which started spudding on July 8th, 2003, and
drilled on September 2nd, 2003. The total depth of Baiqian Well No. 110 is
2,250 m and the max deviation is 1.569 . After two years production, it was
plugged and abandoned in 2005 as a result of poor production. According to
new well logging analysis, we found three pays of 10911105 m, 912926 m,
and 749760 m as fine sandstone gas pays, where fractures and micro-cracks
grew well. These three zones were selected to apply with multiple hydrajetfracturing using coiled tubing.
Treatment Equipment
The main equipment is 2-in diameter coiled tubing made by HydraRig Company (Houston, Texas) including the primary and secondary trucks. The
limited flow rate of coiled tubing is 2.0 m3 /min and its limited pressure 70
MPa, the total length is 2,100 m. The number of each fracturing truck with
type 1000, 1050, and 1650 was two. Two type 1650 fracturing trucks provided
fluid to coiled tubing, and one type 1000 and one type 1050 fracturing truck
provided fluid to annulus, with the others as emergency. Other equipment
included a fracturing blender truck, a high-pressure manifold truck, and a
low-pressure manifold truck.

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G. Li et al.

Operation Processes

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The specific operation procedure of multistage hydrajet-fracturing using coiled

tubing is provided as follows:
1. Accurately run coiled tubing to the treating location.
2. Circulate down the tubing with low flow rate to clean up.
3. Mix quartz sand into slurry and begin to perforate under limited pressure
65 MPa of coiled tubing for safety. Casing pressure dropped immediately
in a few minutes, which meant that casing had been penetrated. Continually perforate to acquire a perfect perforating tunnel.
4. Displace low-crosslinked fluid.
5. Shut in annular and try to squeeze.
6. Raise flow rate in coiled tubing and start to squeeze pad fluid.
7. Pump base fluid into annulus and proppant fluid into coiled tubing in accordance with design process. This process needs continual adjustment of
flow rates in coiled tubing and annulus to avoid actual pressure exceeding
limited pressure.
8. Complete the process of proppant input and the pump in coiled tubing
and close annulus.
9. Hoist up coiled tubing to next treating location, and repeat procedures (2)
to (8) until multiple hydrajet-fracturing operation is complete.

Job Results and Analyses

The first field testing of multistage hydrajet-fracturing using 2-in coiled tubing
in Baiqian Well No. 110 of Sichuan Oil Field succeeded on July 27th, 2007
(Figure 4), where three pays were treated, ranging from 1,105 m to 749 m.
It was completed totally with 30.32 m3 of 20/40-mesh ceramic material. The
time of single pay hydrajet-fracturing was 12 hours, the span of treatment
was 365 m. The diameter of nozzle enlarged by 6% 189 minutes later, as
a result of the wear-out of perforating and hydrajet-fracturing with abrasive
fluid. Though Baiqian Well No. 110 had shut two years before the stimulation
operation, it began to produce gas after 140 m3 redundant fracturing fluid
flowed out in the next day of treatment. At present, the gas production rate
of Baiqian Well No. 110 reaches to 8,000 m3 /d, becoming a high production
well of Baima temple gas field.

CONCLUSIONS
1. Hydrajet-fracturing is a unique stimulation technique, combining hydraperforating and hydraulic fracturing, using dynamic energy to seal without
mechanical packers. Applying the new technique could obtain a perfect

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Multistage Hydrajet Fracturing With Coiled Tubing

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Figure 4. Hydrajet fracturing using 2-in CT unit in Sichuan, China.

perforating tunnel. Once the sum of boost and annulus pressure exceeds the
fracture initiation pressure, a fracture can initiate and extend. It can continually complete multi-pay hydraperforating and hydrafracturing within
one treatment.
2. Field-testing data are basically in accord with hydraulic parameters calculation data. The diameter of nozzle in hydrajet-fracturing tool only
enlarged by 6% after operation. The tool body is strong enough to keep
fracturing treatment on, although it is eroded by the backflow. The designed hydrajet-fracturing tool could continually fulfill more than three
pays operation.
3. The first field testing of multistage hydrajet-fracturing using coiled tubing
in Baiqian Well No. 110 of Sichuan Oil Field succeeded. The gas production of this well reaches 8000 m3 /d after stimulation treatment, and it
turned into a high production well of Baima temple gas field, which proves
that it is feasible and effective to explore low-permeability reservoirs using
hydrajet-fracturing techniques.
4. Applying coiled-tubing, hydrajet-fracturing technique can initiate and accurately place fractures without packer, saving operating time and lowering
operating risk. This adapts to multi-fracturing in vertical wells and stimulating in open hole horizontal wells. The hydrajet-fracturing technique
is an innovation to conventional hydrafracturing, and more important and
promising to exploit low-permeability reservoirs.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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The authors would like to thank National Natural Science Foundation of

China (No. 50774089) and National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (2006AA06A106) for the support.

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