The Current Status and Development Suggestions for Sinopec’s Staged Fracturing Technologies of Horizontal Shale Oil Wells

Staged fracturing technologies of horizontal wells are the key to efficient development of shale oil. After more than a decade of research and practice, Sinopec has achieved major breakthroughs in shale oil exploration in several areas, and has preliminarily developed the staged fracturing technologies for horizontal shale oil wells, which are characterized by ultra-dense fractures, temporary plugging and diverting, high concentration proppant adding and reservoir protection. However, a gap still exists when comparing with the technological parameters and the technical level of the counterparts abroad. In this work, engineering geological characteristics of shale oil at home and abroad were compared, and the requirements and challenges for Sinopec’s shale oil fracturing technologies were analyzed. In addition, based on the characteristics of continental shale oil reservoirs, development suggestions for the fracturing technologies of shale oil with medium-high maturity and the in-situ upgrading technologies of the shale oil with medium-low maturity were provided with respect to the research and implementation of integration of geology and engineering, with consideration of economy and field operational feasibility. The suggestions can provide guidance in accelerating the building of a technical system for continental shale oil development and achieving the goal of economic development of shale oil.