Abstract
The complex fracture network or stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) can be induced by hydraulic fracturing of the unconventional reservoirs. The SRV dimension is one of the main drivers in a horizontal well performance after the hydraulic fracturing operation. It is of great importance to simulate the SRV dimensions to identify the optimum hydraulic fracturing treatment parameters. In this research, a new analytical model is proposed to accurately simulate the SRV dimension created from hydraulically fractured horizontal wells in unconventional reservoirs. More specifically, a SRV dimensional model is developed to simulate SRV dimensions using effective stresses, injected slurry volume and other reservoir and pumping data during the generation of the hydraulic fracture network. The SRV dimensional model is calibrated using microseismic data from 6 stages of a hydraulic fracturing job in a horizontal well penetrating the Glauconite formation in Hoadley field, Alberta, Canada. The calibrated SRV dimensional model can serve as an optimal fracture spacing estimator for future hydraulic fracture job designs. The average simulated SRV width is smaller than the average fracture port spacing and therefore for this study it is suggested to have the fracture port spacing tighter and equal with the simulated SRV width for optimum production.