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Geochemical Impact of Acid Spearhead and Slickwater Stimulation on Wolfcamp Shale from the Hydraulic Fracturing Test Site

Journal Article · · SPE Journal
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/228298-PA· OSTI ID:2569334
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [5];  [3];  [3]
  1. National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA (United States); NETL Support Contractor, Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
  2. Peking University, Beijing (China)
  3. National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
  4. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States). Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL)
  5. National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Morgantown, WV (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations
The Hydraulic Fracturing Test Site 1 (HFTS-1) was a field study performed in the Wolfcamp Formation in the West Texas Permian (Midland) Basin, USA, with a focus on improving the efficiency of hydraulic fracturing. Investigating site-specific rock-fluid geochemical interactions during hydraulic fracturing is an important step to understanding the impact on formation shale porosity, permeability, and long-term shale gas production. During field operations in this region, hydraulic fracturing fluid (HFF) injection usually starts with a concentrated acid spearhead for rapid rock dissolution, followed by the injection of near-neutral pH slickwater containing chemicals and proppants. A multistep sequential injection approach was used to investigate different stages of rock-fluid interactions. The carbonate content in the host rock is important when acid spearhead is considered, as carbonate mineral dissolution is rapid and can result in porosity and permeability changes in the shale matrix. Here, in this study, we designed flow-through experiments using fractured carbonate-rich and clay-rich Wolfcamp shale cores with (1) a short-time acid soaking step and (2) a long-term slickwater flow-through step to simulate the injection method used at HFTS-1. The fluid chemistry was analyzed. A thorough mineralogical progression [e.g., Calcium (Ca) dissolution and iron (Fe) redox progression] in the cores during HFF injection was also characterized and imaged by synchrotron microprobe. Reactive transport modeling was performed based on the experimental setup. The results showed that the acid spearhead is a crucial step in creating a reaction front by mineral dissolution, especially in carbonate-rich shales. A slight layer of ferrihydrite precipitated during the slickwater flow-through period. This study provides insights into potential geochemical impact due to hydraulic fracturing operations in the Permian Basin.
Research Organization:
National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV, and Albany, OR (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
OSTI ID:
2569334
Journal Information:
SPE Journal, Journal Name: SPE Journal; ISSN 1086-055X; ISSN 1930-0220
Publisher:
Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Figures / Tables (25)

Table 1(p. 2)table Table 1
Table 2(p. 3)table Table 2
Table 3(p. 3)table Table 3
Figure 1(p. 4)figure Figure 1
Figure 2(p. 5)figure Figure 2
Figure 3(p. 6)figure Figure 3
Figure 4(p. 7)figure Figure 4
Figure 5(p. 8)figure Figure 5
Table 4(p. 8)table Table 4
Figure 6(p. 9)figure Figure 6
Figure 7(p. 10)figure Figure 7
Figure 8(p. 11)figure Figure 8
Figure 10(p. 12)figure Figure 10
Figure 9(p. 12)figure Figure 9
Figure 11(p. 13)figure Figure 11
Figure 12(p. 13)figure Figure 12
Figure 13(p. 14)figure Figure 13
Table S-1(p. 19)table Table S-1
Table S-2(p. 19)table Table S-2
Table S-3(p. 20)table Table S-3
Table S-4(p. 21)table Table S-4
Figure S-1(p. 22)figure Figure S-1
Figure S-2(p. 22)figure Figure S-2
Figure S-3(p. 23)figure Figure S-3
Figure S-4(p. 24)figure Figure S-4

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