Avoiding the Salts: Strategic Fracture Propagation Management for Enhanced Stimulation Efficiency in the Cane Creek Play

This study analyzes hydraulic fracturing strategies in the Cane Creek Play of the Pennsylvanian-age Paradox Formation. This is a challenging yet prospective unconventional tight oil play in southeastern Utah. Recognizing the geomechanical complexities of the region, along with the opportunities, there is a need to develop sustainable and economic stimulation techniques to optimize hydraulic fracture propagation within the play. A key challenge identified in the Cane Creek Play involves controlling fracture propagation to prevent extension into adjacent thick salt formations, which leads to operational difficulties and reduced production efficiency. The study focuses on assessing the roles of fracture toughness and stress variation in influencing fracture development. Integrating fracture toughness measurements from various literature sources and discrete measurements within the Cane Creek play and salt deposits provides an understanding of the fracture toughness profile, essential for fracture geometry design. The study also uses advanced simulation tools to explore the impact of varying cluster spacing and fluid volumes on fracture propagation. In this geologic setting, the findings indicate, as expected, that tighter cluster spacing and reduced fluid volumes effectively limit fracture propagation within the productive zones. Stress shadowing and proppant transport are also relevant in fracture development in this field. Potential refinements include modifying cluster spacing and fluid volumes based on the specific geological characteristics, managing stress shadow effects, and continuously employing simulation tools for improved understanding and design of fracturing operations.