# US 2014/0151035 A1 · System and method for performing wellbore fracture operations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151035 A1 - Document ID: US20140151035A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/126,201 - Filed: 2012-07-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-28 - Assignees: Schlumberger Technology Corporation - Inventors: Charles-Edouard Cohen; Wenyue Xu; Philippe M.J. Tardy; Xiaowei Weng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151035A1 ## CPC - E21B 43/12: Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells (E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00) - E21B 43/00: Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells (applicable only to water E03B) - E21B 43/26: by forming crevices or fractures - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A method of performing an oilfield operation about a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation are provided. The method involves performing a fracture operation by generating fractures about the wellbore. The fractures define a hydraulic fracture network (HFN) about the wellbore. The method also involves generating a discrete fracture network (DFN) about the wellbore by extrapolating fracture data from the HFN. The DFN includes fracture branches with intersections therebetween and matrix blocks. The method also involves generating a depth of drainage through the DFN, defining production parameter(s), and performing a production operation to produce fluids from the subterranean formation based on the depth of drainage and the production parameter(s). The production operation may involve generating a flow rate through the DFN, generating a pressure profile of the DFN for an initial time based on the flow rate, and generating a production rate based on the pressure profile. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of performing a production operation about a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the subterranean formation having a plurality of fractures thereabout, the method comprising: generating a flow rate through a discrete fracture network, the discrete fracture network extrapolated from a hydraulic fracture network defined by the plurality of fractures in the subterranean formation, the discrete fracture network comprising a plurality of fracture branches with intersections therebetween and a plurality of matrix blocks; generating a pressure profile of the discrete fracture network for an initial time based on the flow rate; and generating a production rate based on the pressure profile. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the flow rate comprises generating the flow rate from one of the plurality of matrix blocks to one of the plurality of fracture branches. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the flow rate comprises generating the flow rate inside at least one of the plurality of fractures. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the flow rate comprises generating the flow rate from one of the plurality of matrix blocks to one of the fracture branches. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the generating flow rate comprises generating flow rate inside the one of the fracture branches between two of the intersections of the discrete fracture network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the flow rate comprises generating the flow rate inside the one of the plurality of fracture branches at the intersections of the discrete fracture network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining mass balance at the intersection between two of the plurality of fracture branches. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the pressure profile comprises generating the pressure profile using Darcy's law. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the pressure profile is unconstrained by a time step. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising defining a time function of fluid flow through the matrix block, the time function having the initial time. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising updating the time function of fluid flow through the matrix block. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the production rate at a plurality of time steps. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the production rate for the plurality of fracture branches. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising accounting for delays in production of each of the plurality of matrix blocks by updating the initial time such that an actual mass produced from each of the plurality of matrix blocks equals the mass if the current pressure conditions in an adjacent one of the plurality of fracture branches would have been constant in time from the updated initial time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising validating the production rates. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the validating comprises comparing the production rates with production rates generated by a reservoir simulator. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the validating is performed for the discrete fracture network having high conductivity, low conductivity, bi-wing fractures, wire-mesh fractures, time delay, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the validating comprises modifying the initial time so that a volume produced from the plurality of matrix blocks over time for each of the plurality of fracture branches satisfies mass balance. ### Claim 19 A method of performing an oilfield operation about a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the subterranean formation having a reservoir therein, the method comprising: performing a fracture operation, the fracture operation comprising generating fractures about the wellbore, the fractures defining a hydraulic fracture network about the wellbore; generating a discrete fracture network about the wellbore by extrapolating fracture data from the hydraulic fracture network, the discrete fracture network comprising a plurality of fracture branches with intersections therebetween and a plurality of matrix blocks; generating a depth of drainage through the discrete fracture network; defining at least one production parameter; and performing a production operation to produce fluids from the subterranean formation based on the depth of drainage and the at least one production parameter. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising measuring downhole data about the wellbore. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the performing the fracture operation comprises stimulating production from the wellbore by injecting fluid into the subterranean formation. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the performing the fracture operation comprises simulating the performing the fracture operation. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the discrete fracture network considers an averaged value for at least one fracture property at each of the plurality of fracture branches. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one fracture property comprises spatial coordinates at a fracture branch extremity, conductivity, averaged conductivity, height, averaged height, reservoir pressure, averaged reservoir pressure at a fracture branch location, permeability, averaged reservoir permeability at the fracture branch location and combinations thereof. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the generating the depth of drainage comprises evaluating the depth of drainage through the plurality of matrix blocks of the discrete fracture network. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the generating the depth of drainage comprises generating the depth of drainage for each of the plurality of matrix blocks based on an approximation of linear flow through the plurality of matrix blocks. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the generating the depth of drainage comprises automatically evaluating the depth of drainage of the plurality of matrix blocks to be depleted in front of each of the plurality of fracture branches and accounting for a volume to deplete for each of the plurality of matrix blocks. ### Claim 28 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one production parameter comprises bottom hole pressure, reservoir fluid viscosity at reservoir conditions, reservoir fluid compressibility at reservoir conditions, duration over which production is to be simulated, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 29 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the performing the production operation comprises positioning tubing in the wellbore and transporting fluids from the reservoir to a surface location. ### Claim 30 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the performing the production operation comprises estimating a production rate from the wellbore by simulating the production of fluid from the wellbore. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the performing a production operation comprises visualizing the production rate. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, further comprising adjusting the performing based on the estimated production rate. ### Claim 33 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the performing the production operation is based on a range of fracture parameters. ### Claim 34 A method of performing an oilfield operation about a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the subterranean formation having a reservoir therein, the method comprising: stimulating the wellbore by injecting fluid into the subterranean formation such that fractures are generated about the wellbore; measuring the fractures and defining a hydraulic fracture network based on the measured fractures; generating a discrete fracture network about the wellbore by extrapolating fracture data from the hydraulic fracture network, the discrete fracture network comprising a plurality of fracture branches with intersections therebetween and a plurality of matrix blocks; generating a depth of drainage through the discrete fracture network; defining at least one production parameter; and estimating a production rate over time based on the depth of drainage and the at least one production parameter; and producing fluids from the subterranean formation based on the estimated production rate.