Method for drilling and fracture treating multiple wellbores

Abstract

A method includes completing multiple wellbores in a subsurface formation. The method includes a first wellbore having been drilled along a first selected trajectory through the subsurface formation. The first wellbore is fracture treated. A second wellbore is drilled along a second selected trajectory through the subsurface formation. The second trajectory is laterally spaced from the first trajectory. The second wellbore is fracture treated. A third wellbore is drilled along a third selected trajectory through the subsurface formation. The third trajectory is disposed between the first and second trajectories. The third wellbore is fractured treated such that a fracture network extending therefrom hydraulically connects to fracture networks extending from the first and second wellbores and hydraulically connects the first, second and third wellbores proximate an upper end thereof so that the first, second and third wellbores may all produce fluids.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for drilling and completing multiple wellbores in a subsurface formation, comprising:
 fracture treating a third lateral wellbore extending from a bend in a pilot wellbore to a selected length along a third selected trajectory through the subsurface formation, the fracture treating performed such that a fracture network extending from the third lateral wellbore hydraulically connects respective fracture networks extending from a first lateral wellbore and a second lateral wellbore, the fracture network hydraulically connecting the first lateral wellbore, the second lateral wellbore and the third lateral wellbore;   wherein the first lateral wellbore is drilled along a first selected trajectory through the subsurface formation from the pilot wellbore or a different pilot wellbore, the first lateral wellbore fracture treated to a position proximate a bend from the pilot wellbore or the different pilot wellbore to the first selected trajectory, the first wellbore being plugged;   wherein the second lateral wellbore is drilled along a second selected trajectory through the subsurface formation from the pilot wellbore or a different pilot wellbore, the second lateral wellbore fracture treated to a position proximate a bend from the pilot wellbore or the different pilot wellbore to the first selected trajectory, the first wellbore being plugged;   wherein the third wellbore is drilled along the third selected trajectory through the subsurface formation, the third selected trajectory disposed between the first and second trajectories.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first, second and third lateral wellbores are drilled from a same pilot wellbore. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the respective trajectory of each of the first, second and third lateral wellbores substantially follows a bedding plane of the subsurface formation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the respective trajectory of each of the first, second and third lateral wellbores is substantially horizontal through the subsurface formation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first and second lateral wellbores being plugged comprise having set a respective plug therein at a wellbore depth above the subsurface formation. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first and second lateral wellbores is flowed back and cleaned up after fracture treatment. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the flow back and cleanup is performed prior to plugging. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the flow back and cleanup is performed after plugging. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first lateral wellbore and the second lateral wellbore produces fluid from the subsurface formation prior to the fracture treating the third lateral wellbore.