Next-Gen Fracturing: How Repsol and ExxonMobil Are Using Data, Iteration To Optimize Well Performance

_ The oil and gas industry is writing a new chapter for hydraulic fracturing operations, defined by data, iteration, and a relentless pursuit of efficiency. In the Marcellus, an operator leveraged legacy data to refine its next-generation completions, while in the Permian, a four-well campaign showcased the power of iterative learning on successfully drilling out 4-mile laterals. Both highlight the industry’s growing reliance on data and experience to unlock value. Evolving Completions Approaches Targeted analysis of legacy Marcellus well data is helping Repsol shape its next-generation completion designs in the region for optimal business impact. Completions experts from Repsol analyzed data from two pads in the Marcellus to assess whether previous completions strategies—such as well spacing, completion intensity, and the number of clusters treated at once—delivered the expected results. They detailed their sometimes counterintuitive findings in SPE 223577. The research evolved from the question of which variables in the operator’s Generation 2 completions designs, used from 2021 through 2023, drive production results, Stephane Pichon, technical advisor at Repsol, said while presenting the paper at SPE’s Hydraulic Fracturing Technical Conference and Exhibition (HFTC) in February. The operator reviewed existing data from legacy pads, he said, and while the data indicated that about 70% of the clusters in certain wells were producing, the data didn’t indicate why the other 30% were underperforming. “It’s a bit of a disappointment” if reactive data acquisition fails to provide the answers being sought, he said. Analyzing data on the direction of perforations shots—whether from top to bottom, as is typically done, or from the side—revealed “interesting information” that raised the question of whether “we were shooting in the wrong direction,” he said. According to the paper, shooting perforations on the sides results in a 10% reduction in horsepower-hour consumption, easier pump-rate ramp-up, lower treating pressure, and higher pump rate. This approach also resulted in reduced resource usage and lower emissions. The next step for Repsol was to move toward proactive data acquisition. A field test, combined with data acquisition, was designed to answer a specific question and ultimately quantify the impact of key parameters to enhance asset development. Pads A and B were used to illustrate the concept. For Pad A, which is designed with a “fan-out” shape, the goal was to assess the impact of well spacing and completion intensity on well performance (Fig. 1). “What we wanted to know was, ‘Can we offset larger well spacings with larger completions? And how does water loading impact production?’” Pichon said. The three completion intensities assessed for Pad A were low at 1,600 lb/ft, medium at 2,000 lb/ft, and high at 2,400 lb/ft, with stage architecture remaining unchanged across all eight wells. Of the eight wells, five had high water loading, while three had reduced water loading but higher sand concentration. The team used production logs to measure the contribution of each stage to overall production. The paper stated that combining a larger completion size with wider well spacing resulted in higher gas production. The authors also noted that the results indicated that developing the field with fewer wells but larger completions was worth considering.