Research Article
Open Access
Fracturing Effectiveness Evaluation Based on Flowback Data Using Pressure Transient Testing
1
School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
2
College of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, Liaoning University of Petrochemical Technology, Fushun 113001, China
3
China Petroleum Group Great Wall Drilling Engineering Co., Ltd., Liaoning, China
Corresponding Author:
Qiushi Zhang,
[email protected]
Volume 2, Issue 2
2026
Received: 30 October 2025
Accepted: 10 March 2026
Published: 15 March 2026
Article Information
Abstract
This study addresses fracturing performance evaluation during shale oil well flowback by developing a seepage flowback mathematical model and a water-phase evaluation framework. A method calculating effective fracture pore volume via flowback water production data is proposed. Using Well H flowback records, variable-production log-log well test plots and RNP-tm diagnostic charts were constructed for time-dependent fracturing effectiveness quantification. Key findings include: (1) Initial maximum cumulative water production derived from Arps harmonic decline model shows a semilogarithmic relationship between daily/cumulative water output; (2) Unit slope in fracturing fluid flowback indicates pseudosteady single-phase fracture depletion, while early positive slope deviation represents radial flow regime; (3) Complex fracture networks from stimulation reduce fluid seepage distances, transforming imbibition displacement into dominant mechanism and establishing fracture-dominated early flow imbibition-controlled sustained production progression. Field applications demonstrate the significance of flowback water production data in flow regime characterization and fracturing performance evaluation.
Graphical Abstract
Keywords
fracturing flowback data
flowback seepage
fracturing effectiveness evaluation
variable production conditions
unsteady well testing
Data Availability Statement
Data will be made available on request.
Funding
This work was supported by the Liaoning Provincial Department of Science and Technology, China, under Grant 2023JH2/10700020, and by the Liaoning Provincial Department of Science and Technology, China, under Grant JYTNS20231443.
Conflicts of Interest
Xingcai Li is affiliated with the China Petroleum Group Great Wall Drilling Engineering Co., Ltd., Liaoning, China. The authors declare that this affiliation had no influence on the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or the decision to publish, and that no other competing interests exist.
AI Use Statement
The authors declare that no generative AI was used in the preparation of this manuscript.
Ethical Approval and Consent to Participate
Not applicable.
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APA Style
Tian, L., Zhang, Q., Li, X., & Li, C. (2026). Fracturing Effectiveness Evaluation Based on Flowback Data Using Pressure Transient Testing. Reservoir Science, 2(2), 97–110. https://doi.org/10.62762/RS.2026.228817
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TY - JOUR AU - Tian, Luo AU - Zhang, Qiushi AU - Li, Xingcai AU - Li, Cunlei PY - 2026 DA - 2026/03/15 TI - Fracturing Effectiveness Evaluation Based on Flowback Data Using Pressure Transient Testing JO - Reservoir Science T2 - Reservoir Science JF - Reservoir Science VL - 2 IS - 2 SP - 97 EP - 110 DO - 10.62762/RS.2026.228817 UR - https://www.icck.org/article/abs/RS.2026.228817 KW - fracturing flowback data KW - flowback seepage KW - fracturing effectiveness evaluation KW - variable production conditions KW - unsteady well testing AB - This study addresses fracturing performance evaluation during shale oil well flowback by developing a seepage flowback mathematical model and a water-phase evaluation framework. A method calculating effective fracture pore volume via flowback water production data is proposed. Using Well H flowback records, variable-production log-log well test plots and RNP-tm diagnostic charts were constructed for time-dependent fracturing effectiveness quantification. Key findings include: (1) Initial maximum cumulative water production derived from Arps harmonic decline model shows a semilogarithmic relationship between daily/cumulative water output; (2) Unit slope in fracturing fluid flowback indicates pseudosteady single-phase fracture depletion, while early positive slope deviation represents radial flow regime; (3) Complex fracture networks from stimulation reduce fluid seepage distances, transforming imbibition displacement into dominant mechanism and establishing fracture-dominated early flow imbibition-controlled sustained production progression. Field applications demonstrate the significance of flowback water production data in flow regime characterization and fracturing performance evaluation. SN - 3070-2356 PB - Institute of Central Computation and Knowledge LA - English ER -
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@article{Tian2026Fracturing,
author = {Luo Tian and Qiushi Zhang and Xingcai Li and Cunlei Li},
title = {Fracturing Effectiveness Evaluation Based on Flowback Data Using Pressure Transient Testing},
journal = {Reservoir Science},
year = {2026},
volume = {2},
number = {2},
pages = {97-110},
doi = {10.62762/RS.2026.228817},
url = {https://www.icck.org/article/abs/RS.2026.228817},
abstract = {This study addresses fracturing performance evaluation during shale oil well flowback by developing a seepage flowback mathematical model and a water-phase evaluation framework. A method calculating effective fracture pore volume via flowback water production data is proposed. Using Well H flowback records, variable-production log-log well test plots and RNP-tm diagnostic charts were constructed for time-dependent fracturing effectiveness quantification. Key findings include: (1) Initial maximum cumulative water production derived from Arps harmonic decline model shows a semilogarithmic relationship between daily/cumulative water output; (2) Unit slope in fracturing fluid flowback indicates pseudosteady single-phase fracture depletion, while early positive slope deviation represents radial flow regime; (3) Complex fracture networks from stimulation reduce fluid seepage distances, transforming imbibition displacement into dominant mechanism and establishing fracture-dominated early flow imbibition-controlled sustained production progression. Field applications demonstrate the significance of flowback water production data in flow regime characterization and fracturing performance evaluation.},
keywords = {fracturing flowback data, flowback seepage, fracturing effectiveness evaluation, variable production conditions, unsteady well testing},
issn = {3070-2356},
publisher = {Institute of Central Computation and Knowledge}
}
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