Method and system for determining an optimum pumping schedule corresponding to an optimum return on investment when fracturing a formation penetrated by a wellbore

Abstract

A new method for determining a pumping schedule that will produce an acceptable return on investment for a particular well includes selecting a pumping schedule, which includes an initial pumping schedule and a remaining pumping schedule, adapted for fracturing a formation around one or more perforations in the particular well. Using the initial pumping schedule, interrogate a pump data model to produce a set of fracture characteristics. A set of tiltmeter sensors and micro-seismic sensors placed adjacent the fracture in the formation will also generate a set of fracture characteristics. If the set of fracture characteristics originating from the pump data model do not substantially match the set of fracture characteristics originating from the tiltmeter sensors and the micro-seismic sensors, the pump data model must be calibrated. When the pump data model is calibrated, use the remaining pumping schedule to interrogate the calibrated pump data model thereby producing a production rate and a return on investment corresponding to the production rate. If the return on investment is not an “optimum” return on investment, change either the proportions of frac fluid and proppant in the remaining pumping schedule or the viscosity of the fluid or the injection rate until a new remaining pumping schedule is determined. When the new remaining pumping schedule interrogates the calibrated pump data model, hopefully an “optimum” production rate and an “optimum” return on investment will be determined for the particular well. The owner of the particular well or other field engineers or other decision-making personnel will then consider the “optimum” return on investment before using the remaining pumping schedule to continue fracturing the formation around the perforations in the wellbore.

1 . A method of determining a pumping schedule adapted for fracturing a formation penetrated by a wellbore, comprising the steps of: 
 defining a selected pumping schedule to include an initial portion and a remaining portion;    interrogating a pump data model in response to at least one of said initial portion and said remaining portion thereby generating a return on investment;    deciding if said return on investment is a particular return on investment; and    determining said pumping schedule to be said initial portion and said remaining portion of said selected pumping schedule when said return on investment is said particular return on investment.    
   
   
       2 . A method of determining a pumping schedule corresponding to a particular return on investment for a particular wellbore, the pumping schedule including an initial pumping schedule and a remaining pumping schedule, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) fracturing one or more perforations in a formation penetrated by the particular wellbore, thereby creating one or more fractures in said formation, in accordance with said initial pumping schedule;    (b) analyzing a set of fracture characteristics associated with said one or more fractures in response to the fracturing step;    (c) interrogating a pump data model in accordance with said remaining pumping schedule; and    (d) determining a particular return on investment for said particular wellbore in response to the interrogating step, said pumping schedule corresponding to said particular return on investment for said particular wellbore being determined when said pump data model is interrogated in response to said remaining pumping schedule.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the analyzing step (b) for analyzing a set of fracture characteristics associated with said one or more fractures in response to the fracturing step comprises the steps of: 
 (b1) analyzing a set of fracture characteristics associated with said one or more fractures in response to the fracturing step; and    (b2) calibrating a pump data model in response to the analyzing step (b1) thereby generating a calibrated pump data model.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the interrogating step (c) for interrogating a pump data model in accordance with said remaining pumping schedule comprises the steps of: 
 (c1) interrogating said calibrated pump data model in response to said remaining pumping schedule.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the determining step (d) for determining a particular return on investment for said particular wellbore in response to the interrogating step comprises the step of: 
 (d1) determining a particular return on investment for said particular wellbore in response to the step of interrogating said calibrated pump data model in response to said remaining pumping schedule, said pumping schedule corresponding to said particular return on investment for said particular wellbore being determined when said calibrated pump data model is interrogated in response to said remaining pumping schedule.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the interrogating step (c) for interrogating a pump data model in accordance with said remaining pumping schedule comprises the steps of: 
 (c1) changing a proportion of said frac fluid and said proppant in said remaining pumping schedule thereby generating a new remaining pumping schedule; and    (c2) interrogating said calibrated pump data model in response to said new remaining pumping schedule.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the determining step (d) for determining a particular return on investment for said particular wellbore in response to the interrogating step comprises the step of: 
 (d1) determining a particular return on investment for said particular wellbore in response to the step of interrogating said calibrated pump data model in response to said new remaining pumping schedule, said pumping schedule corresponding to said particular return on investment for said particular wellbore being determined when said calibrated pump data model is interrogated in response to said new remaining pumping schedule.    
   
   
       8 . A method of determining a return on investment associated with a particular wellbore before completing a fracturing of a formation penetrated by the wellbore, said formation being fractured in response to a particular pumping schedule, a pump data model generating one or more values indicative of said return on investment when interrogated by at least a portion of said pumping schedule, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) before completing said fracturing of said formation, interrogating said pump data model in response to said at least a portion of said pumping schedule; and    (b) generating one or more values indicative of said return on investment in response to the interrogating step.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the interrogating step (a) further comprises the steps of: 
 calibrating said pump data model; and    before completing said fracturing of said formation, interrogating the calibrated pump data model in response to said at least a portion of said pumping schedule.    
   
   
       10 . A method of determining a pumping schedule adapted for fracturing a formation penetrated by a wellbore, said pumping schedule including an initial pumping schedule and a remaining pumping schedule, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) fracturing said formation penetrated by said wellbore in accordance with said initial pumping schedule thereby generating fractures in said formation;    (b) interrogating a pump data model in response to said remaining pumping schedule thereby generating a return on investment;    (c) in response to the interrogating step, deciding whether said return on investment is a particular return on investment; and    (d) in response to the deciding step (c), determining said pumping schedule to be said initial pumping schedule and said remaining pumping schedule when said return on investment is said particular return on investment.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the fracturing step (a) for fracturing said formation penetrated by said wellbore in accordance with said initial pumping schedule comprises the steps of: 
 (a1) fracturing said formation penetrated by said wellbore in accordance with said initial pumping schedule;    (a2) generating a set of fracture characteristics in response to the fracturing step (a1);    (a3) analyzing said set of fracture characteristics; and    (a4) calibrating a pump data model in response to the analyzing step (a3) thereby generating a calibrated pump data model.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the interrogating step (b) for interrogating a pump data model comprises the step of: 
 (b1) interrogating said calibrated pump data model in response to said remaining pumping schedule thereby generating a return on investment.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the interrogating step (b) for interrogating a pump data model comprises the step of: 
 (b1) changing a proportion of a frac fluid and a proppant in said remaining pumping schedule thereby generating a new remaining pumping schedule; and    (b2) interrogating said calibrated pump data model in response to said new remaining pumping schedule thereby generating a return on investment.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein generating step (a2) for generating a set of fracture characteristics comprises the steps of: 
 interrogating the pump data model in response to the initial pumping schedule thereby generating a set of pump data model fracture characteristics,    generating a set of tiltmeter data fracture characteristics on the condition that a tiltmeter data sensor is located adjacent the fractures, and    generating a set of micro-seismic data fracture characteristics on the condition that a micro-seismic data sensor is located adjacent the fractures.    
   
   
       15 . The method of step  14 , wherein the analyzing step (a3) for analyzing said set of fracture characteristics comprises the step of: 
 determining whether said set of pump data model fracture characteristics substantially matches said set of tiltmeter data fracture characteristics and said set of micro-seismic data fracture characteristics.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said pump data model is calibrated thereby generating said calibrated pump data model in response to the analyzing step (a3) when said set of pump data model fracture characteristics substantially matches said set of tiltmeter data fracture characteristics and said set of micro-seismic data fracture characteristics.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the interrogating step (b) for interrogating a pump data model comprises the step of: 
 (b1) interrogating said calibrated pump data model in response to said remaining pumping schedule thereby generating a return on investment.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the interrogating step (b) for interrogating a pump data model comprises the step of: 
 (b1) changing a proportion of a frac fluid and a proppant in said remaining pumping schedule thereby generating a new remaining pumping schedule; and    (b2) interrogating said calibrated pump data model in response to said new remaining pumping schedule thereby generating a return on investment.