Fracturing-flooding technology for low permeability reservoirs: A review

The development of low-permeability oil and gas resources presents a significant challenge to traditional development methods. To address the problem of “no injection and no production” in low -permeability reservoirs, a novel fracture-injection-production integration technology named fracturing-flooding has been proposed by oilfield sites. This technology combines the advantages of conventional fracturing, water flooding, and chemical flooding, resulting in improved reservoir physical properties, increased injection, replenished energy, and increased oil displacement efficiency. The technology is especially suitable for low-permeability reservoirs that suffer from lack of energy, and strong heterogeneity. Fracturing-flooding technology has shown significant results and broad development prospects in some oilfields in China. This paper analyzes the development status of fracturing-flooding technology from its development history, technical mechanism, technical characteristics, process flow, types of fracturing and oil displacement fluids, and field applications. Physical and numerical simulations of fracturing-flooding technology are also summarized. The results suggest that fracturing-flooding technology is more effective than conventional fracturing, water flooding, and chemical flooding in stimulating low-permeability tight reservoirs and improving oil recovery. Moreover, it has a high input-output ratio and can be utilized for future reservoir stimulation and transformation.