Experimental Investigation on the Fracture Conductivity Behavior of Quartz Sand and Ceramic Mixed Proppants

Abstract

In this paper, a series of fracture conductivity experiments were designed and conducted by an American Petroleum Institute (API) standard fracture conductivity evaluation system. The mixing proportion of quartz sand and ceramic was optimized. By the evaluation of the proppant breakage rate and sphericity analysis of mixed proppant with different sand volume proportions ( P S ), the proppant mixture conductivity evolution behavior was analyzed. Results of this study showed that the conductivity of mixed proppant was between that of pure ceramic proppant and pure quartz sand proppant under the same conditions. For 20/40 mesh mixed proppant, a small amount of ceramic (25%) in mixed proppant could obtain 1.27–3 times higher conductivity than pure sand, while 40/70 mesh mixed proppant required the addition of 50% or more ceramic. The crushing resistance of mixed proppant determined the decrease of conductivity with the increase of effective closure stresses. A logarithmic empirical model was further derived from the results, which could be used to forecast the performance of fracture conductivity at different effective closure stresses and sand volume proportions.

Coalbed Methane Enhancement in Low-Permeability Reservoirs by Hydraulic Fracturing with Coated Ceramsite

“…On the contrary, the gas phase permeability rose continuously. As a result, a large amount of methane diffused and transported to the shaft to form production capacity, thus reaching peak gas production. , After 280 days of extraction, the overall gas production followed a steady upward trend. By 400–450 days of extraction, the gas production increased significantly, basically above 500 m 3 /d, reaching a maximum of 850 m 3 /d.…”

Fracture Conductivity Prediction Based on Machine Learning

“…x x x x min max min (14) where x is the sample data. x min and x max are the minimum and maximum values of the sample data, respectively.…”

“…Hydraulic fracture quality is the core of hydraulic fracturing quality, and fracture conductivity is particularly important. − The prediction of fracture conductivity is not only the basis of fracture optimization design but also one of the key parameters to determine the effect of hydraulic fracturing. − At present, the main research method for fracture conductivity is based on indoor testing methods. Xiao et al took carbonate rock as the research object and experimentally studied the effects of acid erosion, proppant embedding depth, and different proppant sizes and acid injection on fracture conductivity during hydraulic fracturing and acid fracturing; Guo et al conducted tests on steel plates and shale to understand the effects of flowback rate, fracturing fluid, and closure stress on proppant flowback and fracture conductivity; Sun et al used ceramic and quartz sand proppant obtained from Changqing Oilfield in China. For example, the fracture conductivity under different proppant mixing ratios was evaluated through experiments; Tariq et al .…”

“…9−11 At present, the main research method for fracture conductivity is based on indoor testing methods. Xiao et al 12 took carbonate rock as the research object and experimentally studied the effects of acid erosion, proppant embedding depth, and different proppant sizes and acid injection on fracture conductivity during hydraulic fracturing and acid fracturing; Guo et al 13 conducted tests on steel plates and shale to understand the effects of flowback rate, fracturing fluid, and closure stress on proppant flowback and fracture conductivity; Sun et al 14 used ceramic and quartz sand proppant obtained from Changqing Oilfield in China. For example, the fracture conductivity under different proppant mixing ratios was evaluated through experiments; Tariq et al 15 studied the effects of different acid fracturing fluids, rock hardness, and surface roughness on the fracture conductivity of carbonate rocks through experiments.…”

Insight into thermo-mechanical enhancement of polymer nanocomposites coated microsand proppants for hydraulic fracturing

“…Frac sand is the most common type of proppant used in the oil and gas industry [ 5 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. However, due to their brittle properties, they are only used in wells with relatively low pressure [ 14 , 15 , 16 ]. The frac sand can only tolerate up to 6000 psi closure stress and above this value the sand cracks and generates fine particles that could flow back into the formations, hence lowering the hydrocarbon production rate.…”