Technical Programme

Hydraulic fracturing has reshaped the oil and gas industry, boosting production, and revitalising previously declining energy regions. However, advancements in fracturing technology continue to emerge daily. This panel will explore cutting-edge innovations in fracturing techniques and their expanding applications, including geothermal energy and carbon sequestration.

Designing to Learn and Learning to Design: The Role of Structure, Simplicity, Collaboration, and Advanced Diagnostics in Improving Hydraulic Fracturing and Well Economics
Patrick Miller, PETRONAS Energy Canada Ltd.

Objectives/Scope
A central focus for subsurface professionals working in unconventional plays is the continuous improvement of understanding around hydraulic and propped fracture geometry, which is critical for optimising completion design alongside well spacing and stacking. Broad industry efforts—such as the hydraulic fracturing test sites in the United States—have shown the impact that large-scale, advanced diagnostics programmes can have in improving this understanding. PETRONAS had previously deployed various diagnostics to inform development decisions, but to achieve a step-change in the design and value of our pad developments, we identified the need for a larger-scale, purpose-built “technology pad” that could deliver a comprehensive view of fracture geometry and its implications on well performance and completion effectiveness.

Methods, Procedures, Process
To design the technology pad, PETRONAS employed a structured decision-making (SDM) approach—an organised framework used to make informed, transparent decisions in complex and high-stakes situations. The SDM process began by clearly defining the decision problem and the key criteria by which potential strategies would be evaluated. Input was solicited from a broad range of stakeholders across technical and leadership teams to ensure all relevant perspectives were captured. Decision-making authority was explicitly assigned to ensure accountability and clarity throughout the process. A wide array of potential strategies was developed to address the decision objectives, and these strategies were systematically ranked against the defined criteria. This process enabled a deliberate and well-documented selection of a technology pad design that would maximise learning around fracture geometry while aligning with broader development goals.

Results, Observations, Conclusions
The PETRONAS technology pad featured an innovative well layout, including off-azimuth (slant) wells that created variable well spacing along the laterals. This geometry, combined with a robust suite of redundant diagnostics, was specifically designed to capture detailed measurements of both hydraulic and propped fracture length and height. Execution of the pad went exceptionally well, with six out of seven permanent fibre installations successfully surviving the fracturing operations. Data was successfully acquired from all deployed diagnostics as planned. Beyond data acquisition, PETRONAS took a disciplined approach to extracting insights: observations were catalogued systematically, each supported by diagnostic evidence, followed by an evaluation of their implications for development planning. This approach enabled the identification of specific design changes that could be implemented to improve value in future pad developments. A cross-disciplinary inventory of learnings has been established, regularly reviewed, and prioritised based on confidence in the diagnostic interpretation and the potential value uplift from implementation.

Novel/Additive Information
This presentation highlights several key insights for operators planning high-impact diagnostic projects. First, applying a structured decision-making approach is essential—not only does it enable a systematic evaluation of distinct design strategies, but it also facilitates alignment and buy-in across the organisation. Second, the importance of experience cannot be overstated; ensuring that both internal teams and service providers have the necessary expertise is critical, as the cost of unsuccessful data acquisition can be significant. Third, collaboration is a force multiplier—engaging with peers across industry and learning from other operators can substantially improve both the planning and interpretation phases. Fourth, simplicity in design is crucial; limiting the number of variables allows teams to better isolate unexpected outcomes and extract meaningful insights. Ultimately, the value of diagnostic programmes is unlocked by systematically linking observations with supporting evidence and clearly communicating the implications for future design improvements.

Conventional oil and gas accumulations are typically concentrated by buoyancy-driven aquifer pathways into discrete geological traps, which can be detected from the surface. In low-permeability reservoirs, hydraulic fracturing is necessary to extract the oil and gas, especially in the absence of natural fractures.

Unconventional reservoirs, by contrast, are regionally dispersed over large areas without indicative trap geometry. The oil and gas in these reservoirs are generally low-density resources, often trapped within the rock by strong capillary forces that prevent natural flow through buoyancy, particularly in extremely low-permeability reservoirs. Consequently, hydraulic fracturing is also required to produce from these wells.

Despite the need for hydraulic fracturing in both low-permeability conventional and unconventional reservoirs, the development of unconventional reservoirs has led to the establishment of unique best practices. These practices have challenged conventional approaches to fracture conductivity while still meeting well-production needs, albeit with challenges in production sustainability.

Recently, there has been growing interest in understanding best practices for unconventional reservoirs to enhance production sustainability. This has led to engaging discussions and ideas that could challenge some of the established unconventional practices. It is crucial to consider the significant differences in unconventional reservoirs, which may necessitate tailored solutions and methodologies.

This panel aims to facilitate constructive discussions around these topics, fostering collaboration and innovation in optimising production from unconventional reservoirs.

The Aishwariya Barmer Hill reservoir, located in India's Barmer Basin, is a tight oil reservoir with low permeability (~1 md) and high porosity (~25%). Geologically complex, it consists of multiple stacked reservoirs and fault blocks.

During the appraisal phase, seven wells of various architectures (vertical, horizontal, longitudinal, transverse) and completion methods were tested, along with hydraulic fracturing techniques and artificial lift solutions. Using insights from this phase, a full-field development plan was executed with 39 wells (37 horizontal and 2 deviated), and over 400 hydraulic fracturing jobs.

Subsequently, two infill drilling campaigns, comprising five and fourteen wells respectively, were conducted, integrating lessons learnt from prior operations. These campaigns added more than 300 additional fracturing stages.

The development of the Aishwariya Barmer Hill reservoir has seen continuous improvement in completion, fracturing design, and execution, despite increasing operational challenges caused by declining reservoir pressures and drilling complexities.