Hydraulic Fracturing Mechanism

Outline
• In-Situ Stresses
• Fracture Direction
• Length, Conductivity, and Skin Effect
• Modeling of Fracture Geometry
• Height Migration
• Fluid Volume Requirements
• Proppant Schedule
• Propped Fracture Width
In-Situ Stresses

Overburden
Stress
H

ρH
σv =
144
Effective
Stress

σ = σ v − αp p
'
v

Biot constant α ≈ 0.7

pp
Horizontal
Stress

ν
σ =
'
σ '

1 −ν
h v

σ h = σ h' + αp p

pp
Max. and Min. Horizontal Stresses

σ h ,max = σ h ,min + σ tech

Breakdown Pressure

pbd = ?
p bd = 3σ h ,min − σ h ,max + T0 − p p

T0 = tensile strength
Example:

H = 10,000 ft
Gp = 0.38 psi/ft
T0 = 1,000 psi
σtech = 2,000 psi

ρ = 165 lbm/ft3
α = 0.72
ν = 0.25
Solution:

(165)(10,000)
σv = = 11,500 psi
144
σ v' = 11,500 − (0.72)(0.38)(10,000) = 8,800 psi
0.25
σ =
'
(8,800) = 2,900 psi
1 − 0.25
h

σ h,min = 2,900 + (0.72)(0.38)(10,000) = 5,700 psi

σ h ,max = 5,700 + 2,000 = 7,700 psi

p bd = 3σ h ,min − σ h ,max + T0 − p p

= (3)(5,700) − 7,700 + 1,000 − 3,800

= 6,600 psi

G f = 6,600 / 10,000 = 0.66 psi/ft

Fracture Direction

Normal to the minimum resistance represented by

the minimum stress.

H > 4,000 ft

σh, min
H < 4,000 ft

σv
Length, Conductivity, and Skin Effect

Fracture Conductivity:

kf w
FCD = > 1.6
kx f
Pseudo Skin (in pseudo radial flow):

rw'
S f = − ln
rw

For FCD > 10

xf
rw =
'

2
xf
S f = − ln
2rw
Pseudo Skin (in pseudo radial flow):

rw'
S f = − ln
rw

For FCD < 3

kf w xf
rw =
'
= FCD
4k 4

kf w xf
S f = − ln = − ln FCD
4krw 4rw
Example:

a) k = 1 md, and b) k = 10 md

k f w = 2000 md − ft
x f = 1000 ft

rw = 0.328 ft
re = 1490 ft

J
Sf = ? =?
Jo
Solution:
a) k = 1 md
kf w 2000
FCD = = =2<3
kx f (1)(1000)

xf 1000
rw ' = FCD = (2) = 500 ft
4 4

500
S f = − ln = −7.33
0.328
J ln(re / rw ) ln(1490 / 0.328)
= = = 7.72
J o ln(re / rw ) + S f ln(1490 / 0.328) − 7.33
b) k = 10 md
kf w 2000
FCD = = = 0.2
kx f (10)(1000)

xf 1000
rw ' = FCD = (0.2) = 50 ft
4 4

50
S f = − ln = −5.03
0.328

J ln(re / rw ) ln(1490 / 0.328)

= = = 2.48
J o ln(re / rw ) + S f ln(1490 / 0.328) − 5.03
 Modeling of Fracture Geometry

• PKN Model
• KGD Model
PKN Model
PKN Model

The average fracture

width in U.S. field
units:

1
⎡ 2 μqi (1 + ν )(1 − ν ) x f ⎤ ⎛ π ⎞
4
w = 0 . 3⎢ ⎥ ⎜ γ⎟
⎣ E ⎦ ⎝4 ⎠

γ ≈ 0.75
Example:
1
⎡ 2μqi (1+ν )(1−ν )x f ⎤ ⎛ π ⎞
4
w = 0.3⎢ ⎥ ⎜ γ⎟
⎣ E ⎦ ⎝4 ⎠

1
⎡ 2(100)(40)(1 − 0.25)(1 + 0.25)(2000) ⎤ ⎛ π
4
⎞
w = 0.3⎢ ⎥ ⎜ ( 0. 75) ⎟
⎣ 4(1,000,000) ⎦ ⎝4 ⎠

= 0.21 in.
KGD Model
KGD Model

The average fracture

width in U.S. field
units:
1
⎡ 2 μqi (1 +ν )(1 −ν ) x f ⎤ ⎛π ⎞
4
w = 0.29 ⎢ ⎥ ⎜ ⎟
⎢⎣ Eh f ⎥⎦ ⎝ 4 ⎠
Height Migration
Fluid Volume Requirements

V pad injected V proppant injected

 ⎛ 1 −η ⎞
Pad Volume: V pad = Vinj ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ 1+η ⎠

V frac
Fluid Efficiency: η=
Vinj
Injection Volume:

Vinj = V frac + VLeakoff Vinj = qi ti

V frac = A f w Af = 2 x f h f
VLeakoff = 2 K L C L A f rp ti

1 ⎡3 ⎤
K L = ⎢ η + π (1 − η )⎥
2 ⎣8 ⎦
C L = Leakoff Coefficient

rp = h / h f
Injection Volume:

Assume KL value
qi ti = A f w + 2 K L C L A f rp ti

ti 1 ⎡3 ⎤
K L = ⎢ η + π (1 − η )⎥
2 ⎣8 ⎦
V frac
Vinj = qi ti η=
Vinj

⎛ 1 −η ⎞
V pad = Vinj ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ 1 +η ⎠
Example:

Assume KL = 1.5

(40)(5.615)ti = ( 200000 )(0.18 / 12 ) + 2(1.5)(0.002)(200000)(0.7) ti

ti = 36 min.

Vinj = (40)(42)(36) = 60,000 gal

(200,000)(0.18 / 12)(7.48)
η= = 0.37
60,000
1 ⎡3 ⎤
K L = ⎢ (0.37) + π (1 − 0.37)⎥ = 1.6 OK
2 ⎣8 ⎦
⎛ 1 − 0.37 ⎞
V pad = (60,000)⎜ ⎟ = 27,600 gal
⎝ 1 + 0.37 ⎠
 Proppant Schedule

ε
⎛ t − t pad ⎞
c p (t ) = c f ⎜ ⎟
⎜t −t ⎟
⎝ inj pad ⎠
1 −η
ε=
1+η

cf = final concentration, ppg

Example

1 − η 1 − 0. 4
ε= = = 0.43
1 + η 1 + 0. 4

ε
⎛ t − t pad ⎞ ⎛ t − 105 ⎞
0.43

c p (t ) = c f ⎜ ⎟ = 3⎜ ⎟
⎜t −t ⎟ ⎝ 245 − 105 ⎠
⎝ inj pad ⎠

t = 150 min.

c p (150) = 1.84 ppg

 Propped Fracture Width

Cp
wp =
1−φpρ p

Mp
Cp =
2x f h f

M p = c p (Vinj − V pad )
cf
cp =
1+ ε
Example:
cf 3
cp = = = 2.1 ppg
1 + ε 1 + 0.43

M p = c p (Vinj − V pad ) = ( 2.1)( 412,000 − 176,000) = 490,000 lb

Mp 490,000
Cp = = = 1.63 lb/sq. ft
2 x f h f 2(1,000)(150)

Cp 1.63
wp = = = 0.012 ft = 0.15 in.
1 − φ p ρ p 1 − (0.42)(230)