System and method for performing wellbore fracture operations

Abstract

Methods for performing oilfield operations are provided. The methods involve performing a fracture operation. The fracture operation involves generating fractures and a fracture network about the wellbore. The fracture network includes a plurality of fractures and a plurality of matrix blocks positioned thereabout. The fractures are intersecting and hydraulically connected. The matrix blocks are positioned about the plurality of fractures. The method also involves generating flow rate through the fracture network, generating a fluid distribution based on the fracture network, and performing a production operation comprising generating a production rate from the fluid distribution.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of performing an oilfield operation about a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
 performing a fracture operation, the fracture operation comprising generating a plurality of fractures about the wellbore and generating a fracture network about the wellbore, the fracture network comprising the plurality of the fractures and a plurality of matrix blocks positioned thereabout, the plurality of fractures intersecting and hydraulically connected, the plurality of matrix blocks positioned about the plurality of fractures;   generating flow rate through the fracture network;   generating a fluid distribution based on the flow rate; and   performing a production operation, the production operation comprising generating a production rate from the fluid distribution.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fracture network is elliptical. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing the fracture operation comprises stimulating the subterranean formation by injecting fluid into the subterranean formation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing the fracture operation comprises simulating hydraulic fracturing about the wellbore. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising placing proppants in the fracture network. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising designing the fracture operation based on job parameters. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the job parameters comprise formation parameters, fracture parameters, stimulation parameters, fluid parameters, pumping parameters, proppant parameters, microseismic parameters, reservoir parameters and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising optimizing the fracture operation by adjusting the fracture operation based on a comparison of the production rate with actual data. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising repeating the method over time. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing a post-job analysis comprising generating a wiremesh hydraulic fracture network based on job parameters, generating an elliptical fracture model, generating fracture parameters, modeling the elliptical fracture network based on the generated fracture parameters and proppant parameters, and performing a production simulation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the fracture parameters comprise spatial coordinates at an extremity of the plurality of fractures, conductivity, averaged conductivity, height, averaged height, reservoir pressure, averaged reservoir pressure at a fracture location, permeability, averaged reservoir permeability at the fracture location and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising modeling proppant placement based on the proppant parameters. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the generating flow rate comprises passing fluid across the fracture network and through at least one of the plurality of matrix blocks. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing the production operation comprises simulating a production using the fracture network. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing the production operation comprises deploying tubing into the wellbore and producing fluid from the wellbore therethrough. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution comprises one of a fluid pressure distribution, a fluid density distribution, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . A method of performing an oilfield operation about a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
 performing a fracture operation, the fracture operation comprising stimulating the wellbore and generating a fracture network about the wellbore, the stimulating comprising injecting fluid into the subterranean formation such that a plurality of fractures are generated about the wellbore, the fracture network comprising the plurality of the fractures and a plurality of matrix blocks positioned thereabout, the plurality of fractures intersecting and hydraulically connected, the plurality of matrix blocks positioned about the plurality of fractures;   placing proppants in the fracture network;   generating flow rate through the fracture network;   generating a fluid distribution based on the flow rate; and   performing a production operation, the production operation comprising generating a production rate from the fluid distribution.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the placing comprises transporting the proppant one of horizontally and vertically through the fracture network. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the placing comprises transporting the proppant in all directions through the fracture network. 
     
     
         20 . A method of performing an oilfield operation about a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
 designing a fracture operation based on job parameters;   performing the fracture operation, the fracture operation comprising generating a fracture network about the wellbore, the fracture network comprising a plurality of fractures and a plurality of matrix blocks, the plurality of fractures intersecting and hydraulically connected, the plurality of matrix blocks positioned about the plurality of fractures; and   optimizing the fracture operation by adjusting the fracture operation based on a comparison of a simulated production rate with actual data, the simulated production rate generated from the fracture network;   generating flow rate through the fracture network;   generating a fluid distribution based on the flow rate; and   performing a production operation, the production operation comprising generating a production rate from the fluid distribution.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the performing the fracture operation comprises stimulating the wellbore by injecting fluid into the subterranean formation such that fractures are generated about the wellbore. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the job parameters comprise at least one of formation parameters, stimulation parameters, fracture parameters, fluid parameters, pumping parameters, proppant parameters, microseismic parameters, reservoir parameters and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the designing comprises generating proppant curves from the job parameters. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the designing further comprises generating a wiremesh fracture network and simulating proppant placement based on the proppant curves and the job parameters. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising visualizing the fracture network. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising comparing the production rate with actual data. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the performing a production operation comprises producing fluid from the wellbore. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising analyzing the designed fracture operation. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising adjusting the fracture operation based on the analyzed, designed fracture operation and repeating the fracture operation. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising repeating the operation. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising placing proppants in the fracture network. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising determining proppant placement from the job parameters and placing according to the proppant placement. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising performing a post job analysis comprising generating a wiremesh hydraulic fracture network based on the job parameters, forming an elliptical fracture model, generating fracture parameters, modeling the elliptical fracture network based on the generated fracture parameters and proppant parameters, and performing a production simulation.