Section 3a

Hydraulic Fracturing Stimulation

Hydraulic Fracturing Stimulation

Purpose:
To improve the relative conductivity of the residual
hydrocarbon properties in the formation, or to "stimulate"
the flow of oil or gas to the well bore.

How:
By creating a fracture in the zone of interest and depositing
a proppant to prevent the fracture from closing.
Hydraulic Fracturing Stimulation
Candidate:
A well having a low or impaired permeability. It is necessary
to determine the well's potential and correctly identify Its
problem.
Treatment:
Size and cost of the treatment should be designed around:
the economics of the well,
formation and reservoir properties,
well spacing,
desired propped fracture length,
productivity index ratio, and other considerations.
Four Steps of Treatment and Their
Respective Functions
1. Pre-Pad:
Base fluid, initiates the fracture, lowers temperature in hot
walls, having small leak off rate, N.E agents, clay control
agents, etc.

2. Pad:
Viscous fluid aids in conditioning the created fracture and
provides fracture width and height to permit entry of the
proppant into the fracture.
Four Steps of a Treatment and Their
Respective Functions
3. Proppant Carrying Fluid:
Transports and deposits proppants into the created
fracture.

4. Flush:
Displaces the final portion of the proppant laden fluid
from the wellbore into the formation
Surface Equipment Layout
Fracture Geometry
Fracture Width Equations
PROP Width Equation
41  v 2  P * CL
Wmax 
E
W max=Maximum Fracture Width
v= Poisson’s Ratio
ΔP= Pressure drop along fracture length
CL= Created Fracture Length
E= Young’s Modulus
W max α L
Fracture Width Equations
Perkins and Kern Width Equation

Wmax 
 
4 1  v 2 P * H
E
W max=Maximum Fracture Width
v= Poisson’s Ratio
ΔP= Pressure drop along fracture length
H= Fracture Height
E= Young’s Modulus
W max α H