Microseismic Motivated Model for Asymmetric Hydraulic Fractures in Adjacent Multiple Transverse Fracture Horizontal Wells

Engineers commonly expect symmetric fracture wings in multiple transverse fracture horizontal wells (MTFHWs). However, microseismic surveys have shown asymmetric hydraulic fracture growth of in successive MTFHWs, and the reason may be elevated stress around a recently fractured well. Dissipating net pressure from the first fracturing treatment may increase the minimum principal stress near created fractures and cause fractures being pumped from an adjacent horizontal well to grow away from the previous fractures and toward lower minimum principal stress on the opposite side of the well.
Microseismic maps have shown uneven fracture propagation in a treatment well very near a recently fractured well. Motivated by the microseismic observations, we developed a simple 2-D fracture model to simulate asymmetric fractures which can approximately simulate fracture propagation with a lateral stress barrier. The model indicates a preferred order for hydraulic fracturing in multiple wells that minimizes or avoids asymmetric fracture wings.