Production-induced pressure-depletion and stress anisotropy changes near hydraulically fractured wells: Implications for intra-well fracture interference and fracturing treatment efficacy

This study investigates the changes in the principal stress trajectories during development of hydrocarbon (and/or geothermal) reservoirs with hydraulically fractured wells. Our analysis indicates four phases in the well-life with typical stress states, i.e., Pre-fracturing Phase (Stress State 0): the natural stress state prior to the drilling intervention; Fracturing Phase (Stress State 1): stress state prevailing during fracturing treatment; Flowback Phase (Stress State 2): stress state prevailing during flowback; and Production Phase (Stress State 3): stress state prevailing during production. The various stress changes are computed and visualized using the Linear Superposition Method (LSM). Two episodes of stress trajectory alterations occur, a first one during the Fracturing Phase (transition from Stress State 0 to 1), and a second one during the Flowback Phase (transition from Stress States 1 to 2), with respectively positive and negative fracture net pressures. During the Production Phase (Stress State 3), the spatial advance of the pressure depletion around the fractured well system due to production was modeled using recently developed Gaussian pressure transient equations. Our new results show that the early stress reversals (Stress State 1) near the pressured fractures during fracturing treatment are short-lived. In addition, the residual stress change magnitude during flowback (Stress State 2) depends on the final fracture-width aperture. In any case, the local stress reversals due to engineering interventions are a short-term phenomenon and remain limited to the near-fracture regions. The regions with the reversed stress will increase when more stages are fractured, assuming the elevated fracture pressure is not fully released before the next stage is completed. Subsequently, the stress anisotropy decreases during production as a result of pressure depletion. Our improved analysis of the stress reversal phenomenon is important for optimizing drilling plans for infill wells, and for improving fracturing treatment designs.