PJSC Gazprom Neft reported performing an 18-stage hydraulic fracturing operation in Russia’s Yuzhno-Priobskoye field. Well depth was about 4 km, with the horizontal section extending 920 m.
The company said anticipated operational potential is at least 80 tonnes/day of oil, some 15% higher than performance levels following lower-stage fracturing operations.
Gazprom Neft said the key feature was allowing well stimulation to continue throughout its entire operation by using “non-ball-and-socket” well completion and stimulation technology. The company relies on “a special instrument” with a compacted “cushion” that expands and deflates and can be transferred to the next area of the well.
In December, the company reported a 15-stage fracing operation in the same field. Depth of that well was 4.2 km with a horizontal section of 760 m.
Gazprom Neft said the application of multistage fracing also allows a greater proportion of hard-to-recover reserves to be developed by identifying the optimum means of addressing the more marginal areas of a field.
Gazpromneft Khantos, a subsidiary of Gazprom Neft, brought 373 wells into operation in 2015. Some 52 were horizontal wells using multistage fracing (OGJ Online, Feb. 3, 2015).
