:3 74P

An Analysis of the Acidizing Process in Acid Fracturing

I
l+. R, . . . DOMSELAAR
KONINKLIJKE/SHELL EXPLORA TIE EN
1?. S. SCHOLS
PRODUKTIE LABORATORIUM
MEMBER SPE-AIME
RIJSWIJK, THE NETHERLANDS
W. VISSER

ABSTRACT laminar flow conditions without fluid loss. When a

theoretical description given by Prins et al. z
The theoretical analysis 0/ tbe acid-fracturing
concerning the heat-transfer in Iaminar flow between
process for turbulent-flow conditions has been
parallel plates, is applied to the acid-fracturing
reconsidered taking fluid losses into account. For
process, the acid concentration in a fracture for
a simple fracture model and an idealized acidizing
steady-state la~nar flow can be exactly described,
process, the acid concentration in the fracture
provided that the fracture width is constant and no
during acid injection and the fracture width have
fluid loss occurs. A comparison of the acid
been determined as functions of time and place for
concentrations calculated from the empirical
thee loss conditions: (I) no fluid loss, (2) f)uid
reaction-rate data of Barren with those theoretically
loss proportional to time, and (3) fluid loss
derived according to Prins shows that these values
proportional to the square root of time.
are of the same order of magnitude and can be made
From the results of the analysis, it is concluded
equal for acceptable values of the diffusion rate
that even under the unfavorable conditions of
only in the range of low velocities. Judging from
turbulent flow in the fracture and fluid loss, acia’
the experimental set-up of Barron, we believe that
penetration is, in general, not a limiting factor in
for higher velocities the entrance transition length
the application o! the acid-fracturing process.
for fuIly developed Iaminar flow should be longer.
However, it will not be possible to predict the
For this reason, no agreement in the higher velocity
productivity increase resulting from a given
ranges can be expected. This view is supported by
treatment until more experimental data on the Williams et al.,3 who compared theoretically derived
conductivity of etched fractures and on certain
calcium-
reaction rates in the heterogeneous
aspects of the reaction kinetics have been gathered.
carbonate/hydrochloric -acid system with those of
Barron et al.,1 who also conclude that entry effects
INTRODUCTION
may be responsible for the discrepancy es in the
Acid-fracturing treatments are frequently applied higher velocity range.
to improve well productivity in limestone formations. Nierode and Williams4* 5 determined a kinetic
In this process, hydrochloric acid is injected into model for the heterogeneous reaction of hydrochloric
a hydraulically induced fracture, which extends acid with limestone. The reaction order and rate
diametrically from the wellbore into the formation. constant used in their mode I were obtained from
During injection, the limestone faces of the fracture experiments. On the basis of this model, they
are dissolved. As a result, acid is consumed and derived an acid-fracturing design for laminar flow
~~”.-~”~.~~;fi”
its >Vl, ee l’.,’... “.. .~~p,~n
...-.--”-=C-Q ..-
in the.
---- &~cciQn of f!ow, conditions including fluid 10Ss.
The width of the fracture increases, and the fracture In the study des;ribed below, the acid-fracturing
faces may become irregularly etched as a result of process has been reconsidered for turbulent-flow
the natural anisotropies of the formation. The conditions in which both fluid loss and change “in
etching pattern produced may contribute to an fracture width have been taken into account.
improvement in fracture conductivity after the We feel that the study provides a more realistic
fracture is allowed to close. The extent of this riescriptioti of .L.
L1lC
----= -- L“,
~luLc=>
c,.. I’.,..h
u“.,.
. ~,er~~ca! ~rr~
c.

etchirlg irito :~e $.- ,..,,.. n ad

LL-L.LLAL its f~~~! fl~~~ horizontal fracture and that it may be used as a
conductivity determine the increase in productivity. basis for designing acid-fracturing treatments.
Barron et al. 1 have presented an empirical
formulation of the acid-fracturing process for MATHEMATICAL DESCRIPTION OF
THE ACIDIZING PROCESS FOR A
Paper (SPE 3748) was presented at SP E-AIME European Spring RECTILINEAR FRACTURE
Meeting, held in Amsterdam, May 16-18, 1972. @ Copyright 1973
American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum A vertical rectangular fracture (rectilinear) with
Engineers, Inc.
preferences given at end of paper. initially plan-parallel and flat fracture faces was
This paper will be printed in Transactions volume 255, which adopted as a fracture model. The fracture extended
will cover 1973.

239
 Mr

[1
diametrically from the wellbore into the formation
aw
and acid was injected over the full height of the = aKc(x) where a =— . (3)
Ex MaP ~
fracture. In the following, only one fracture wing is
considered and consequently injection rates are Initial and boundary conditions are, respectively,
related to one wing only.
For the calculation of acid concentration and fort= oandx~o; w=wo and c=O
fracture. width, the following assumptions were fort> Oandx=O; c= co.
made:
1. The acid* is injected at a constant rate into Substitution of Eqs. 2, 2a, and 3 in Eq. 1 gives,
after rearrangement,
a fracture of initially uniform width.
2. There is no acid concentration gradient across
the width of the fracture (turbulent-flow assumption).
In view of the fluid loss, the roughness of the
fracture faces, and the possibly tortuous shape of
3C
a fracture, we believe this assumption to be more +2 Kec = 0........ .. (4)
‘3T
realistic than that of laminar flow.
3. Changes in the volume of acid injected, The acid front velocity can be derived from Eq. 2.
resulting either from the reaction between acid and At the acid front, v = vf and w = Wf = W., so that
----- ---
hIe.StOne Or ~rOM ~eIiipCI~LULC c~~a~~~ ifi Sk ~c:d,

are neglected. ‘f =
4. There is no acid loss from the fracture due to ~ ‘f
Q/wOh - ~ J‘f a~~ dX_#
Fdx ,
SPUrt 10SS into the formation! since fracturing with ‘o o 00
a normal fluid takes place ahead of the acid front.
5. The acid reacts only with the flat fracture Substitution of Eq. 3 in the above yields
surface, the area of which remains constant during
the process. The fracture faces are evenly etched
and ~herc is no ~hannelling of the acid.
6. The acid is an incompressible fluid.
7. The rate of the heterogeneous reaction
between acid and a limestone surface in an actual For our problem, Eqs. 3 and 4 must be solved
fracture can be described with the aid of an apparent simultaneously with respect to the initial, boundary,
reaction-rate constant. and front conditions. Eqs. 3, 4 and 5 and the
On the basis of the fracture model and the boundary conditions can be made dimensionlesss by
foregoing assumptions, the following equations to introducing characteristic quantities and applying
describe the process were derived (see Nomencla- certain rules (Appendix C). The resulting dimen-
ture and Appendix A). sionless equations are, respectively,

Material-Balance Equation jor Acid

‘D ‘D
bcD
-2 ~~ ‘DdxD ~
l-aDKD& r cDdxD o
& (Wvc) + & (Cw) + 2Kec+2Fc=o , ‘ [ 1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) ac~
+Wm r + 2K .ncn =0” ””””.. (6)
in which K, = (1 - q5)K, q5 is porosity, and K is the lJ Cr-rj Cu u
D
apparent reaction-rate constant (see Appendix B),
and F is the fluid-loss velocity defined in
‘WI>
Appendix B.
= aDKD ~D]x13 ‘ “ “ “ “ ‘7)
at 1) XD
Continuity Equation [-1

wv=Qjh-j’x $+x-qx T-1

r ax
.,. –
,(Z)
“ ‘f I). = ‘-%)KD ~
pxfD ~..
CDUXD
_2 ~fDn
j
~--
“ DUXD ‘
o 0
or . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (8)

with the following initial and boundary conditions:

. . (2a)
##v)+ a#+2F=o’ . fortD=OandX~~f);cD=(),W~ =1

From reaction kinetics, it follows that fOrtD>O and X~=(); cD=l.

The acid concentration (CD ) and fracture width ( WD)

cannot be solved analytically as funcrions of time
(tD) and place (%D), and a numerical method was
*These assumptions were chosen because in practice acid therefore employed (see Appendix D). Surprisingly,
will be injected at an almost constant rate and fracture width
will generally decrease slowly in a radial direction. However, the numerical solution shows that for practical
for the general solution to the problem these assumptions are values of the relevant parameters and for a fluid
not essential.

240 sOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL

loss proportional to time the acid concentration CD [wD - 1] =
is independent of tD once the acid front has passed. ‘D
Hence CD is a function of only %D ifs this case.
-2 KeDXD
Moreover, it was found that the term
~D-tfD]xD. . (,0)
‘D aDKDe
aDKD f CDdXD
o
in Eq. 6 is of the order of 0.01 to 0.02, and it can From Eq. 8a it follows that V~D = 1 and thus
therefore be neglected with respect to unity.
The numerical solution of Eqs. 6 and 8 also ‘xfD
—.l Or%/D=t/Di
shows that neglecting the above terms in the case dtjD
of zero fluid loss or a fluid loss proportional to the
squ~e root of time does not have a serious influence which enables us to calculate the position of the
on the final results. Therefore the above terms acid front in the fracture after a certain period of
d@ XD acid injection.
and a#D f cDdxD may be omitted from
‘D dtD o FLUID LOSS INTO FORMATION
Eqs. 6 and 8, respectively, giving the following PROPORTIONAL TO TIME
simplified versions: If the fluid loss is proportional to time, FD = UD
—
— constant and Eq. 6a becomes
r 1 ac–
1-2 ~xD FndxD ~ + 2Kancn=0 >
L o - ]axD ~__
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (6a)
or
and
‘D
In CD = — in (1 -2 UDXD) + constant .
= 1-2 ~xDFDdxD. . . . . . (8a) ‘D
‘fD
o
For XD = o, CD = 1, and thus the constant is zero,
The solutions of these simplified equations (Eqs.
and the acid concentration as a function of place is
6a, 7 and 8a) for the above mentioned fluid-loss
given by
cases are given in the foIlowing sections.
‘eD/uD
NO FLUID LOSS INTO THE FORMATION CD = (1 - 2UDXD) ?. . . . (11)
If there is no fluid loss, FD = O and Eq. 6a
becomes where XD < ~,D. Fracture width again follows from
Eq. 7:
a C-
u.
—--2K
a XD eDcD
[WD
-l]XD
=
‘eD/uD
=
lncD = - 2 KeDxD + constant . aDKD (1 - 2UDXD)
●
[1
‘D ‘tfD
‘D
“

Since cD = 1 for %D = O, it follows that the constant

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (12)
is zero and
For calculation of the acid-front position XfD as a
-2 KeDxD function of the acid-injection time tjD,it foilows
‘e . . . . . . . .- (9)
CD from Eq. 8a that

where %D < %p. The fracture width follows from 1

-— in [ 1- 2UDxfD] .
Eq. 7: ‘fD = 2UD

- 2KeDxD

[-1
awD FLUID LOSS INTO FORMATION PROPORTIONAL
TO THE SQUARE ROOT OF TIME
= aDKDe
at D XD F
In this case FD = — where F = U/2@_,
or Q/tuob ‘
and thus
-2 KeDxD
. tD + constant . Uwoh
‘D = aDKDe
‘D = m
At the acid front, tD = tfD and wD = 1, and the inte-
Eqs. 6a, 7 and 8a must be solved numerically (see
gration constant becomes 1 - aDKDe–u~eDxD ‘t/D. Appendix D for details) for this case since there is
The fracture width then follows from no simple analytical solution.

241
AUGUST, 1973
 MATHEMATICAL DESCRIPTION OF ~HE fracture height in the combination Qlwo b.
ACIDIZING PROCESS FOR A In the folIowing we shall discuss the influence
HORIZONTAL RADIAL FRACTURE of (1) fluid loss, (2) original acid concentration,
and (3) acid-injection rate and fracture geometry.
For the calculation of acid concentration and
fracture width as functions of time and place in a FLUID LOSS
horizontal radiai fracrure, the foiiowiiig se: of As an exampie, we caii CciflSi&i the zcd
simplified dimensionless equations can be derived: fracturing of a soft limestone formation. It is
assumed that a rectilinear fracture of length 53.4 m

[1-~DF4
*+2KeDcD=0 ~
(175 ft), width 0.355 cm (O. 14 in.) and height 61 m

.............. (13)
(200 ft) had been hydraulically
wellbore
HCL.
acid
prior to the injection
It is also assumed
injection the fracture
induced around the
of 30 percent
that during subsequent
grows to a length
(wt)

of

11
awD 114.4 m (375 ft). Acid concentration and fracture
q
= aDKD[CD]pD I . 0 . (14) width have been calculated as functions of time
. and place for three fluid-loss cases; namely, zero
fluid loss, and fluid loss proportional to time and
proportional to the square root of time.
PD The calculations for zero fluid loss and fluid
= 1-2 FDdp D. . . .. (15)
q fD loss proportional to time were carried out with the
J
aid of Eqs. 9 and 10 and Eqs. 11 and 12, respec-
Following are the initial and boundary conditions:
tively. Those for a fluid loss proportional to the

fortD=O andpD>O; cD=O, wD =1 square root of time were made with the aid of the
numerical method. The results of the calculations,
fortD>O andpD=O; cD=I . together with pertinent data, are presented in Figs.
I through 9.
The above formulation is identical with that for a Fig. 1 shows the cD (xD) reIation for the zero
rectilinear fracture discussed previously, when xD fluid-loss case. This case may be representative
a.-.d “U’DItl tb.e i~tt~~ ~!~ repjaced by ,DE and ?E , for acid fracturing of a tight, low-permeability
respectively. The solutions to the above equations formation that can be fractured without the use of a
for- the three fluid-loss cases mentioned in the speciai iiuid-ioss additive. if we take 10 ~i2iCCilt of
discussion of rectilinear fractures are therefore co (O. 1 cD) as an arbitrary value for the spent-acid
also identical with those for the rectilinear fracture, concentration, Fig. 1 shows that acid will penetrate
provided that xD and uD are replaced by pD and ~D. to about 24 x 103 xD or to about 75 percent of the
The characteristic quantities introduced in the expected fracture length (32 x 103 XD). The
dimensionless formulation for the horizontal radial dimensionless wD (XD, tD) for this case is shown
fracture are given in Appendix C, where pD and qD in Fig. 2; the fracture width at the wellbore has
are also defined. increased to about 2.2 times its original value after
we musi emphasize that the injection rate Q in 23 minutes’ pumping time.
the radial case relates to the full radial system, For a fluid loss proportional to time, CD (xD ) and
whereas in the rectilinear case Q relates to one WLJ (XD, tD) are shown in Figs. 3 and 4, respectively.
fracture wing only. Fig. 3 shows that the acid penetration is very
dependent on the dimensionless fluid loss FD.
DISCUSSION OF SOME FACTORS INFLUENCING
THE ACID-FRACTURING PROCESS %
“~l~!l,l!: I I I I
,’
In the foregoing chapters it was shown that the Dot. used for the cai,ulot, m%

EE!13sl
+ .ct35vC# 130wwt1 HCL
I
acid concentration (CD) and fracture width (wD ) as W W..03S5,rn (014,nch)
functions of time and place depend on the values of * .0.2

K - lrlo”’cm/,,c, KO-6.10-*
the dimensionless groups aD, KD and FD. In K. -M.lo”’.ml. e., K.f@x IC’
,0 .a35
Appendix B, it is shown that the apparent reaction- m
V. -% .153 W,?. [0-1~5 bb~/m,. f-m f~octurc
w ,mg]
rate constant, K, is determined mainly by the value t, .90232 [
F .0 F.. o
of an effective diffusion coefficient. Since the
latter depends on the acid concentration, the value
of ~ (and thus that of ~D) also depends on the
original acid COtICetLt[atiCML, co. @ i.$ also
nronortional
~.-r–. to Co: since a~ = a x c~.
Moreover, the values of KD and FD depend on
the characteristic velocity Uc = Qlwob. The acid-
fracturing process will therefore be influenced by
the acid concentration, co, the fluid-loss velocity, FIG. 1 — DIMENSIONLESS ACID CONCENTRATION,
F, and the acid-injection rate, fracture width, and &fJ, AS A FUNCTION OF DIMENS1ONLESS PENETRA-
TION, X~ , FOR ZERO FLUID LOSS.

242 SOCIETY OF PET ROLELf M ENGINEERS JO LrRXAL

Acid penetration varies between 59 and 15.5 percent From the above considerations, it follows that
of total fracture length for FD 10–5 and FD = 10–4, fluid loss may become a critical factor in acid
respectively. The shape of the fracture also penetration only when it is proportional to time.
changes from funnel-like to saucer-like, depending The losses that normally occur in fracture operations
on the value of FD (see Fig. 4). For FD = 10-4, the have little effect on acid penetration, and
acid penetrates some 17 m from the wellbore. The penetration as such is not a limiting factor in the
saucer-like fracture may be advantageous for better application of the acid-fracturing technique.
proppant placement around the wellbore, by means
m
of an acid-fracturing treatment in which fracturing, 3

acidizing and proppant placement take place

consecutively.
Figs. 5 and 6 show cD (xD, tD) for the case in
which fluid loss is proportional to the square root
of time. Acid penetration reaches about 60 percent
of total fracture length and is almost independent
2
of time. For values of tD > 50 x 103, the cD (XD)
relation approaches that for zero fluid loss (Fig. l).
This also follows from the definition of F in
Appendix B, which shows that F = U/2P. When
the value of t is large, F and FD tend to zero.
However, comparison of the cD (%D) relation of Fig.
5 for tD + ~ with that of Fig. 1 shows that they are
‘o 10 70 30xm*
not identical. The difference is caused by the %
FICi. DIMENSIONLESS FRACTURE WIDTH, w~, AS
4 —
neglecting of certain terms (see the discussion
A FUNCTION OF DIMENSIONLESS PENETRATION, X~,
concerning rectilinear fractures) in the analytical AND TIME, 1~, FOR FLUID LOSSES PROPORTIONAL
solution. TO TIME.
%
W
0s1.
usdfarthe cakuiot,m,
CO.13S.#cm” (30%( wt)HC1)
\
W % .n55cm lald mchJ
p .0.2
K - l~lOacm/=c, %-6,10”’
\ IG-W%10-%WS9C, K,=48x@
0. .a35
~.
Xllli” ~e-W.h-ls~.m= 10-~25
Wmrnfwomfmctum
uI I
$1, ”UJ
I I
K -- I I I t.. aoiz
u . f lu,d 1.*S C8,f f,,,,.”, .Uxm.’wk(l.l,lo-’nf%

“i-t-t ( ,
“!
::
02 -, \w 1 1
q

%
FIG. 2 — DIMENSIONLESS FRACTURE WIDTH, ~ , AS FIG. 5—DIMENSIONLESS ACID CONCENTRATION, cD ,
A FUNCTION OF DIMENSIONLESS PENETRATION, AS A FUNCTION OF DIMENSIONLESS PENETRATION,
~ , AND TIME, t~, FOR ZERG FL!JII) I,os~. . . -----
-.”, A Nl_3TN.E, ~D, FQR A FLUID LOSS PROPORTIONAL
To lfi.
.
% %
1,0 3

06

02

0 ‘o 10 in 30.!0’
%

FIG. 3—DIMENSIONLESS ACID CONCENTRATION, Cr),

FIG. 6 — DIMENSIONLESS FRACTURE WIDTH, WD, AS
AS A FUNCTION OF DIMENSIONLESS PENETRATION, A FUNCTION OF DIMENSIONLESS PENETRATION, XD,
XD, FOR DIFFERENT FLUID-LOSS VALUES. FLUII) AND TIME, tD, FOR A FLUID LOSS PROPORTIONAL
LOSS PROPORTIONAL TO TIME. TOW (SEE FIG. 5).

AUGUST, 1973 243

ORIGINAL ACID CONCENTRATION 1.6 times smaller, which in turn results in increased
The influence of CO, reflected in the ~D value, acid penetration.
is demonstrated in Figs. 1 and 7. The results
CONCLUSIONS
presented in those figures were obtained for similar
conditions, but Fig. 1 refers to 30 percent (wt) HCL 1. Acid penetration is governed mainly by the
and Fig. 7 to 10 percent (wt) HCL. Acid penetration value of the dimensionlesss apparent reaction-rate
for a spent acid concentration of O. I cD varies from constant, KD, which reflects the influence of the
75 to 11 percent of total fracture length for 30 and original acid concentration, co, the acid-in j ection
10 percent (wt) HCL, respectively. The wD (xD, tD) rate, Q, the fracture width, WO, and the fracture
relation for the 10 percent (wt) HCL case is shown height, b.
in Fig. 8; after 23 minutes, the fracture width has 2. In general, fluid loss has little effect on acid
increased to about 3.4 times its original value. penetration, provided that the fluid-loss values are
ACID-INJECTION RATE AND
those normally encountered in practice.
FRACTURE GEOMETRY 3. Only when fluid loss is proportional to time
can fluid loss become a critical factor in acid
The influence of acid-injection rate, fracture
penetration.
width and fracture height, combined in the group
Q/wob, is reflected in the values of KD and FD. 4. Acid penetration is generally not a limiting
factor in the application of the acid-fracturing
The latter are inversely proportional to Q/w. h.
process, even under the anravora Die conalnons
“--r --- ‘-~’- ‘ --J’-’”-- of
It has already been shown that changes in KD
turbulent flow in the fracture and fluid loss.
influence acid penetration to a great extent, whereas
5. The fracture shape obtained with a high fluid
changes in FD generally have only little effect.
loss proportional to time may be used to advantage
This is also demonstrated in Fig. 9, where the
for better proppant placement around the wellbore.
influence of a smaller fracture width is shown. The
6. Acid penetration can be greatly influenced by
conditions are similar to those for Fig. 1, except
the width of the fracture when acid injection is
that W. is 1.6 times smaller. Consequently, KD is
started.
% 7. To arrive at an acid-fracturing design, farther
10
experimental work is needed on (a) determination of
of the conductivity of etched fractures, and (b)
M
determination of the influence of shear-rate and
surface roughness on the reaction rate of the
heterogeneous reaction between HCL and a
as limestone surface.

NOMENCLATURE
u
a = M,/(Map,) , cc/gin
aD = a x co, dimensionless
02
c = concentration of reacting acid, gin/cc
CD = C/Co, dimensionless
0
co = concentration of reacting acid at x = O, gm/
cc
FIG. 7—DIMENSIONLESS ACID CONCENTRATION, CjJ,
AS A FUNCTION OF DIMENSIONLESS PENETRATION, F = fluid-loss velocity, cm/sec
XD, FOR ZERO FLUID Loss.
m -.
e.

I I I I I I I 1 1 ! I 1 1
t
4

1
XO

FIG. 8 — DIMENSIONLESS FRACTURE WIDTH, WD, AS FIG. 9—DIMENSIONLESS ACID CONCENTRATION, CD,

A FUNCTION OF DIMENSIONLESS PENETRATION, X~ , AS A FUNCTION OF DIMENSIONLESS PENETRATION,

AND TIME, ~D, FOR ZERO FLUID LOSS. xD~ FoR ZERO FLUID LOW

244 SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL

 f?es. (1950) Vol. A2, 431.
FD = F/vc = F ~, dimensionless ‘“ 3. Williams, B. B., Gidley, J. L., Guin, J. A. and
/ W02b
Schechter, R. S.: <ICharacterwation of Liquid-Solid
b= fracture height, cm Reactions, Hydrochloric Acid-Calcium Carbonate
Reaction,’ $ Ind. and Eng. Cbem. Fundamentals (Nov.,
K. apparent reaction-rate constant for HCL, 1970) Vol. 9, No, 4, 589.
cm/sec
4. Nierode, D. E. and Williams, B. B.: “Characteristics
KD = K/vc, dimensionless of Acid Reaction in Limestone Formations, ” Sot. Pet.
Eng. J. (Dec., 1971) 406-41% Trans., AIME, Vol. 251.
K, = K(I - @), cm/sec
K 1.,“c, _A;rl-, 5. Williams, B. B. and Nierode, D. E.: ‘f Design of Acid
K,D . ..e, . ... t=”=imnl,nqs
b -----------
Fracturing Treatments, ~a j. Pei. Tee%. (Jiily, 1972)
Ma = moIecular weight of acid 849-859; Trans., AIME, Vol. 2.53.
M, = molecular weight of rock material 6. Levich, V. G.: Physiochemical Hydrodynamics,
Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N. J. (1962).
q= cumulative fluid loss per unit area, cc/cm2
7. Adamson, A. W.: Physical Chemistry 0/ Surfaces,
Q= rate of acid injection (for the rectilinear Interacience Publishers, Inc., New York (1960).
case, Q is related to one fracture wing;
8. Eisenberg, M., Tobias, C. W. and Wilke, C. R.: “Masa
for the radial case, Q is related to the Tranafer at Rotating Cylinders, ” Cbem. Eng Prog,
full radial system), cc/see Symposium .%ies 16 (1955) Vol. 51, 1-16.

r= cylindrical coordinate, cm
TW = well radius, cm APPENDIX A
t= time of acid injection, sec
t= = characteristic time, t= = wo2b/Q, sec MATHEMATICAL DESCRIPTION OF
tD = THE ACIDIZING PROCESS
t/tc, dimensionless
u. fluid-loss coefficient (dimensions of U The injection of hydrochloric acid at a constant
depend on q(t) relation: if q is proportional rate into a limestone fracture of initially uniform
to t, U = cm/see; if q is proportional to width causes dissolution of the fracture faces and
O, U . cm/k~), dimensionless results in an increase in fracture width and acid
v. velocity, cm/sec consumption.
characteristic velocity Q/wob, cm/sec Let us assume that a horizontal cross-section of
UC =
w.
a vertical fracture after a certain period of acid
width of fracture, cm
injection can be represented as shown in the figure
‘D = w/we, dimensionless below.
Wo =
initial uniform fracture width, cm
x= horizontal coordinate, cm Acid injection F

Xf)

x,
=

=
Xlwo,
horizontal
dimensionless
coordinate of acid front, cm : ~+(’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’”” L

7 -// //’/ “///f’’’’’’’’”

x f /wo, dimensionless orfigln1
‘fD = “+ bactu
f
a. weight percent of soluble material, in rock, ‘&” width w
o
dimensionless
p= r2w), cm2 The materiaI-baIance equation for the acid is
%(r2 -
pD . p/w~, dimensionless derived by considering the different acid-mass
fluxes Fi, F. and Fw through a fracture element of
p, = density of rock material, gin/cc
length dx and height b at a moment when the acid
q= v x T, cm2/sec front has already passed the element.

vI/Q-
qD . , dimensionless The flux Fi is the total mass of acid flowing into
2 Trtilo the e!ernentj
d= porosity, dimensionless bwvc .

S“UBSCRTFTS the rota! mass of acid f!owing out

i = ith point in x-direction
/ = front
-h(w+a=; dx) (V+a& dx) (c+ax ax dx) .
SUPERSCRIPTS
n = nth time step The flux Fw is the mass of acid consumed by
the reaction with the limestone walls and the mass
REFERENCES of acid lost by fluid loss through the fracture faces
into the formation. This flux is therefore
1. Barron, A. N., Hendrickson, A. R. and Wieland, D. R.:
“The Effect of Flow on Acid Reactivity in a
carbonate Fracture, “ J. Pet. Tech (April, 1962) 409- - (2 Kechdx +2 Fchdx):X .
415; Trans., AIME, Vol. 225,
2. Prins, J. A., Mulder, J. and Schenk, J.: “Heat ‘l?ransfe:
in Laminar Flow Between Parallel Plates, ” Appl. SCi. *The physical meanings of K and F explained in Appendix B.

AUGUST, 1973 245

The sum of the above fluxes must be equal to the toward the solid surface,
change in acid mass with time within the element 2. Consumption of acid, due to the chemical
considered, so that reaction, at the solid surface,
3. Transfer of the reaction products away from
the solid surface.
hwvc-h(w+~dx)(v+ax ~dx)(c+~dx)-
It has been postulated 6,7 that the transfer of
reaction products away from the solid surface gives
2 ~.eehdx -2 Fchdx = hdx & (cw) rise to the formation of a liquid zone (boundary
layer) of finite thickness, saturated with reacrion
Dividing by bdx and taking the limit where dx + O products, immediately adjacent to the solid surface.
results in The thickness of this film is a function of the fluid
velocity, 6-8 and the mass transfer of acid mentioned
+(WVC)+* (Cw) + 2Kec,+2Fc = () . (A-1) under
diffusion
(1) is
through
controlled
rhis film.
mainly by the rate of

The volumetric balance or continuity equation is Equating the acid flux through the boundary layer
derived similarly. Assuming that the acid is an and the consumption of acid on the carbonate
incompressible fluid, surface, we obtain per unit of surface
x
wv=~fh-~’ ~ dx -2 Jox Fdx , . (A-2) D(C - CS)
o 0 =kCS.
6
or
We also have for the change in concentration in the
bulk acid phase at a certain place,
(A-2a)
&(wv)+aT~+2F =0. . . . . .

KC = kCS .
A third differential equation follows from the
reaction berween hydrochloric acid and the iime- Combining the above equations resuits in
stone fracture faces, Snd the c~~seq~e=t ificrease
in fracture width. For the conditions under which
the acid is depleted
rate can be described
in the fracture, the reaction
with the aid of a constant
‘=*’ . . . . . . . . . . (B-I)

in which C = acid concentration in bulk acid phase,

apparent reaction-rate constant K, such that Kc is
the amount of acid consumed in gm HCL/cm2 sec. gin/cc
c= acid Ccrlcentrat!er! at the surface:
The amount of acid consumed by the fracture ‘s —
element in the figure above is 2 hdx(l – @) a Kc gin/cc
corresponding ro 2 hdx(l - +) a KC (Mr\2Ma) gm of K= apparent-reaction-rate constant, cm/
dolomitic or calcareous rock material. This amount sec
can also be calculated from the increase in width D= effective diffusion coefficient (a
per unit time of the fracture element considered; viz., value intermediate between that
expected for H+ and that expected
for Ca2+); cm2/sec
8. boundary-layer thickness, cm
so that
k= surface-reaction-rate constant, cm/sec
M
2hdx(l-cp)a Kc & = }~hdx(l-cp~pr> By applying the work of Prins et al.,* the acid
a concentration as a function of acid penetration in a
and linear fracture can be calculated for Iaminar flow
conditions. A reasonable agreement with the
experimental work by Barron et al. 1 was found for

()
Mr
?)W (A-3) the low-velocity range of the experiments which
= aKc(x)
xx a=-” “ fulfil the laminar-flow conditions and in which, as
boundary condition, the hydrogen concentration at
the carbonate/acid interface was taken as zero.
This implies that the surface - reaction - rate
APPENDIX B
constant, k, can be considered as almost infinite.
The term D/k in Eq. B-1 then becomes negligible
APPARENT REACTION-RATE CONSTANT, K
with respect to 8 and the apparent-reaction-rate
In the description of the acid-fracturing process, constant, K, is equal to D/8. The reaction is
the rate of the heterogeneous reaction between therefore diffusion-controlled and depends on the
hydrochloric acid and a limestone surface plays an fluid velocity, because ?i changes with this velocity.
important role. It appears that the following three According to the above, the effect of temperature
processes3 are involved in this reaction. on the reaction-rate constant, K, will be determined
1. Transfer of acid from the bulk of the liquid by the effect of temperature on the effective

246 SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM EKG INEERS JOll R?i AL

diffusion coefficient, D. Since the latter changes and thus F = U = constant; for U proportional to
proportionally with T/p (T), we assumed that K also the square root of time, /(t)= @and f’(t)= l/2fi,
changes proportionally with this factor [T is the and thus
absolute temperature and p the fluid (acid)
~i~co~i:y~. Fig. In chr,m,c rr=~~[~~~ ?~~~~ ~~ f@~, F=-!=!-
.“ ., .,”,.- .-
2?’7 “
which were calculated by means of the above
proportionality factor from the experimentally
--------- ..
determined curve at ~~°C. in ~ie~” Of the dCLUI~Ly
of the measured data, the agreement with the
experimentally determined rates at 60°C is good DIMENSIONLESS FORMULATION OF
and thus the above assumption seems justified. As ACIDIZING PROCESS
a next step in our considerations, we have estimated
RECTILINEAR FRACTURE
the order of magnitude of the thickness 8 of the
boundary layer from data on the apparent-reaction In the discussion concerning rectilinear fractures
constant, K, and the effective-diffusion coefficient, it —---
wilt!
~~,owr, :~,a: c . ~~e Uexu
,., ,-nl,., u.’...”.’
>lo+:n” of -&.
me; ,-1
u
~: ~- reas~nab!e va!ue for K obtained from concentration and f~acture width as functions of
experiments is about 5 x 10’3 cm/see, and the time and place, Eqs. 3, 4 and 5 must be solved
value chosen for D is 1.75 x 10-5 cm2,’see, which simultaneously with respect to initiai and boundary
is intermediate between that expected for H+ and conditions. These equations can be made
that expected for Ca2+. These values give a dimensionless by introducing a characteristic
boundary-layer thickness of 35 x 10-4 cm, which is concentration (mass), Co; a characteristic length,
in agreement with literature data. s w ~; and a characteristic time, tc = .Wo-lJ/
..? L/A
~
TV..-
LU=
6-1
LUL -

This V9111~
-------- fnr ~ wjii ~~ ~ii p~~babiiity be rnafly’ iowing rules are applied.
times smaller than the wall roughness of the 1. All length dimensions are divided by the
fracture faces in an actual fracture. The boundary characteristic length, W.; thus
layer must then play only a secondary role, and
consequently the fluid velocity is expected to have
= Wlwo and XD = Xlwo .
less effect on the reaction rate. ‘D
In the laboratory, the relationship between
p=..~~~~p. ~~~~ ~~~ &~ar ~~~~ (flllirf-fi@& vei@icy) is
2. All acid concentrations are divided by the
,-----
characteristic concentration, co; thus
normally determined on smooth, polished rock
samples. In view of the above, the use of these
relations for actual fracture conditions seems = c/c. .
CD
questionable and further experimental work to
determine the influence of shear rate and surface Since a = Mr/(Mapr) has the dimensions of a
roughness is needed. reciprocal concentration, this quantity is made
dimensionless by multiplying by co; thus aD = a co.

——
—
FLUID-LOSS VELOCITY, F

To define the fluid-loss velocity, F, it is assumed

,@,x
that the cumulative fluid loss per unit area is
linearly related to a certain time function (see the
Cold.ated with
figure below.

1
d, ffus)v, ty-temptmtum &pen
● Exp pants 22 OC
& EXP po,nts 60 “C
Cumulative nuL !0ss, umt are~

:Y,v
6

I
I
1
I

Ttme funct, on f(t) / —.

/ e Ab
/ \ I
The fluid-loss coefficient is then defined as / \
/

1
A \

.
/
dq dq
/
2 –
U=w= / ~,

f’(t)dt ‘
A“
/.
and the fluid-loss velocity as /
o
0 10 20 % 40
F = U/’(t) = ~ . AcI.5 Conee”tr.atmn ,%wt HCL

FIG. 10 — EFFECT ON TEMPERATURE ON INITIAL.

The latter has the dimensions of velocity.
REACTION-RATE/ACID.CONCENTRATION RELATION-
It follows from the above that for U = 0. F = O SHIP FOR EUVILLE LIMESTONE (PRESSURE 120 KG/
and for U proportional to time, /(t) = t-(t) = 1, CM2, SHEAR RATE 140 SEC- 1).

ALIC LIST, 1973 217

 3. Actual times are divided by the characteristic APPENDIX D
time, tc;thus
NUMERICAL APPROACH

w_2h The nonlinear integrodifferential equation (Eq. 6)

= t/ J!-.
‘D must be solved simultaneously with Eq. 7. For the
derivatives, a simple finite-difference approximation
4. A!! quantities with the dimension of velocity has been USed; namely,
are divided by the characteristic velocity, which
follows from the characteristic length and the a CD*
%: - %:. ~
characteristic time; thus, UC = Q/wob and ___ —, . . . . . (D-1)
+“
*XD
‘D ‘ & and KD = &h “

By applying the above rules to Eqs. 3, 4 and 5,

the dimensionless Eqs. 6, 7 and 8 are obtained,
together with the dimensionless initial and boundary
conditions.

HORIZONTAL
In our discussion
RADIAL FRACTURE
of horizontal radial fractures
hw;= w
——
n+ 1
Di - w):
. . . . . . (D-3)
it was shown that the simplified dimensionless 3 ‘D
A tl)n
formulation for the rectilinear fracture becomes
identical with that for the horizontal radial case where i and n represent the discretizations with
when xD and vD are replaced by ~D and qD, respect to place and time, respectively. The
respectively. integrals are calculated with the help of the
As far as the characteristic quantities are trapezoidal rule:
concerned, only the characteristic time, tc, is
defined differently and has become ‘Di
1
1 (cDi) = ~D oJ’
cDidxD =
‘2~ .+, 3
~
CI+l +;
tc ‘ *C +C + CD,,
QO ‘ ““
‘1 ‘2 ““ 1
(h is replaced by 277wO), so that
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D-4)

2TT W03 and

tD= t
/ Q“ xDi
Consequently, the characteristic velocity in this I(FD )=&DO s UDf’(tD) dxD =
i
case becomes
UD [+ f’(tD1) ‘f ’(tD2) + . . . .
Q.
v= =
2?l W02
+ f’(tD ) + ~f’(tD )] . . . . . . (D-5)
and thus i-1 i

Substitution of Eqs. D-1 through D-5 in Eqs. 6, 7

K,
and 8 yields
‘D =
c’/2Two2
n+l .
and CD:
1

F
‘D = I Di) -
Q/2Tr W02

The variables p and q are, respectively,

2 (IFD )11 cDi ‘+
i
L 1...
22
P=2(L -i- i-l
AA
w~ ‘

q.vr, C:i-l
and pD and qD are defined as pD = p/w~ and ~D
— vr/(Q/2n~). . . . . . . . . . . .. ””” (D-6)

248 SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM EYGINEERS JOURNAL

Then with the required value of XD, . The time steps are
therefore calculated with th~ aid of the following
‘w ~+a Kcn equation.
%:1 D DD ‘$ ‘ “ ‘D”’)
i AxD
At; =— .
and
i
Vf;
_.n Q/T17

“fD = 1- aDKD ‘lC ‘AX - ‘~’r Df) ‘XD” The poor estimation of the acid concentration at
Df D
the front is a source of instability. These insta.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (D-8) bilities, which become more pronounced at lower
acid concentrations, can be suppressed by making
The acid-front velocity is reduced mainly as a
result of fluid 10SS. Each new time step must a good estimate of the acid-front concentration,
These estit?latt?s are made ??ith one of the analytical
therefore be chosen so that the acid front coincides
formulae.

DISCUSSION

D. E. NIERODE ESSO PRODUCTION RESEARCH CO.

MEMBER SPE-AIME HOUSTON, TEX.

The basic approach to acid fracturing presented publications. For example, laboratory core floods
by van Domselaar et al. is very similar to a show that the presence of a viscous fluid in a
previously published method and appears to be a limestone core does not significantly hinder
valid approach to the simulation of acid-fracturing wormhole growth rate through the core. With a
treatments.1-3 I disagree, however, with the main 500-psi differential pressure across a 12-in. core at
conclusion drawn through the use of this model: 200”F, for exampie, we found that 15 percent HC1
that acid normally will penetrate to the end of the would wormhole through a core saturated with a 1
fracture created by a pad fluid (Conclusions 2 cp crude in 20 minutes. Under similar conditions,
and 4). but with a 200-cp Newtonian fluid saturating the
h ~~ili~i -...,a:ee
C. LUULC=,
~: w~~ fo,Jn~ ~~~$ CQ ~,J~pL@ core, breakthrough occurred in 22 minutes. Similar
the acid penetration distance along a fracture2~ 3 it tests show that most commercially available acid
is necessary to define two limiting cases. These fluid-loss additives are ineffective in reducing the
are the fluid-loss limit (the lower bound), and the rate of acid-fluid loss. Only one product has been
,-s,-r;nn-rnte
.s --..”.. ---- .limit
. .... . (the
,---- unner
–r=–- bound).
–__-- –,. The fluid-loss found to be capable of controlling acid-fluid Iosses
limit is calculated assuming that acid is quickly at 2000F, and even in this case, its effectiveness
able to wormhole through the zone of pad fluid in is restricted to fracture propagation pressures less
the formation adjacent to the fracture. Once the than 2,000 psi. Field treatment data also lend
effects of the pad fluid are removed, the rate of support to the idea that the fluid-loss limit is the
fluid 10SS is controlled by the ‘spent acid viscosity acid penetration distance observed most often. 4
C . . .c.’aly
b“’, ...*... CG ●!.,,s Lo AI..y..”-.”..
:.nRl; .-a*:n” ~pi th,a;
. . . . . .r ~aPer
and the depth of iive acid penetration is generaiiy
~fi]y = frac&n “.
fif -Am- fKK~UK=
the ]~~grh g~nerat~d by reaction-rate data needed to quantify van Domselaar
the pad fluid. The reaction-rate limit is calculated et al.’s reaction-rate model have been published by
assuming that the pad fluid controls the acid-leakoff WiHiams and FJierode3 (Ref. 4 in their paper).
rate (the assumption made by vati Bomseiaar et G/. ). !nc!uded in W’il!iatns and ~ier~de’s paper are the
Under this condition, the acid-reaction rate normaIIY results of experiment in which acid was pumped
limits the distance acid can penetrate along the through a vertical, rough-walled fracture at elevated
fracture, and very deep acid penetration will result. pressure and temperature, both with and without
van Domselaar et al. consider only the reaction- fluid loss through the fracture faces. A fit of these
rate limit and implicitly assume that it describes data with the model of van Domselaar et al. gives
the real-world response of acid-fracturing treatments. the apparent reaction-rate constant, K, plotted in
To the contrary, all previously published laboratory Fig. D-1. Note that the reaction-rate constant can
and field data support the conclusion that the be as high as 40 x 10-3 cm/sec at a Reynolds
fluid-loss limit best fits results obtained with number of 10,000. (The highest value used by van
conventional acid-fracturing A detailed
treatments. Domselaar et al. was 6.6 x 10-3 cm/sec.) When
laboratory and field evaluation of acid fluid-loss data included in Fig. D-1 are used with van
additives, viscous acids, chemically retarded Domselaar et al.’s model, predictions are in good
acids, and acidized fracture conductivity is agreement with acid-penetration distances calculated
currently being prepared for publication. Data in our previous publications, By using the
included in this paper further verify concepts appropriate fluid-loss coefficients, therefore, this
discussed above and presented in our earlier model could be used to predict both the reaction

AuGUST, 1973 249

 30,
.%/ /1 rate and the fluid-loss limits.

REFERENCES
1. Williams, B. B., GidleY, J. L., Guin, J. A. and
Schechter, R. s.: “Ckaracteiizat~~n Qf L@~d-S~!~~
Reactions, Hydrochloric Acid-Calcium Carbonate
Reaction, ” lnd. and Eng. Cbem. Fundamentals (Nov. t
1970) Vol. 9, No. 4, 589.
2. Nierode, D. E. and Williams, B. B.: “Characteristics
of the Acid Reaction in Limestone Formations, ” .$oc.
pet. .Eng. J. (Dec., 1971) 406-418; Trans., AIME,
Vol. 251.

3. Williams, B.
B. and Nierode, D. E.: “Design of Acid
Fracturing Treatments, “ J. Pet. Tech. (July, 1972)
FLOWREYNOLD’S
NUMBER 849-859; Trans., AIME, \701. 253.

4. Nierode, D. E., Williams, B. B. and Bombardiefi,

FIG. D-1 —APPARENT REACTION RATE COEFFICIENT t ‘PredlctiOn of Stimulation from Acid Frac-
c. c.:
VS FLOW REYNOLDS NUMBERS.
turing Treatment s,” j, Cdn. Pet. Tech. (Dec., 1972)
31.