Laboratory Measurement of Hydraulic Fracture Conductivities in the Barnett Shale

Zhang, Junjing; Kamenov, Anton; Zhu, Ding; Hill, A.D.

doi:10.2118/163839-ms

Cited by 44 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…According to experimental results [21], the relationship between the effective permeability and gas pressure can be written as:…”

Section: Stress Dependence and High-velocity Non-darcy Flow In Hydraumentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimal Designs of Well Pattern for the Development of Tight Gas Reservoirs (TGRs)

Jiao¹,

Xia²,

Jianye³

et al. 2016

TOEFJ

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Abstract:Both horizontal well and fractured-horizontal well have been widely used to develop TGRs. However, the costs of horizontal well and fractured-horizontal well are much higher than the vertical well. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the reservoir conditions for evaluating the potential benefit when choosing well pattern or designing well parameters. In this paper, a simulator of simulating the development of TGRs including slippage flow and stress dependence in matrix, and high-velocity nonDarcy flow and stress effect in hydraulic fractures was firstly developed. Then, it was used to study the development effects of different TGRs using different well patterns and well parameters. Based on the simulation results, the incremental ratio models of horizontal well to vertical well and fractured-horizontal well to horizontal well were achieved. These models can be used to predict the incremental production using horizontal well or fractured-horizontal well. We also obtained the plates of choosing well pattern and designing the corresponding parameters to achieve a good profit in the field.

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“…According to experimental results [21], the relationship between the effective permeability and gas pressure can be written as:…”

Section: Stress Dependence and High-velocity Non-darcy Flow In Hydraumentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimal Designs of Well Pattern for the Development of Tight Gas Reservoirs (TGRs)

Jiao¹,

Xia²,

Jianye³

et al. 2016

TOEFJ

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“…As Kamenov et al (2014) has pointed out that due to the surface asperity, proppants tend to collect at the valleys of the fracture surface. At the same concentration, the initial propped width of the rough fracture is larger than the fracture width where proppants are evenly distributed due to the thicker sand collections at the surface valleys (Fig.…”

Section: Calculation Of Fracture Conductivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

A new theoretical method to calculate shale fracture conductivity based on the population balance equation

Zhang

Zhu

Hill

2015

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

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a b s t r a c tShale fracture conductivity plays a critical role in determining the long term production of shale wells. High fracture conductivity is achieved by pumping more proppants and minimizing conductivity damage by fracturing fluid. Currently, fracture conductivity is either measured in laboratory following ISO 13503-5 or calculated using correlations derived from extensive laboratory tests by regression analysis. There is a need for a handy and practical tool to calculate shale fracture conductivity reflecting realistic fracturing designs.This paper presents a new correlation to calculate shale fracture conductivity that considers proppant properties, fracture design variables and formation mechanical properties. This correlation is based on the population balance equation for size reduction. It utilizes the population balance concept to predict the crushed proppant size distribution under increasing closure stress. Numerical solution of the integrodifferential equation is validated by comparing the computed results with the measured data. The crushed grain size distribution determines the permeability of the sand pack. Fracture width is calculated separately by considering proppant embedment and proppant grain rearrangement. Fracture conductivity is then calculated and compared with laboratory measured conductivity. Finally, the effect of water damage to shale fracture conductivity is considered by bringing in a new modification term.Results show that the population balance equation can reasonably predict the crushed proppant size reduction by properly choosing the selection equation and breakage equation. The calculated shale fracture conductivity can match with the measured fracture conductivity using the Barnett Shale. An exponential expression can be used to account for the water damage effect in the Barnett Shale.

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“…Kamenov et al (2013) performed successful laboratory fracture conductivity measurements using Barnett Shale outcrop samples. They concluded that unpropped induced fractures after removal of free particles and debris are conductive, and that propped fracture conductivity increases with larger proppant size and higher proppant concentration.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, proppant dominated fracture conductivity declines more slowly than surface-dominated fracture conductivity. Kamenov et al (2013) provided an experiment procedure with careful control on error, which can be reproduced to measure fracture conductivity of real shale rough fracture samples. However, the effects of rock mechanics and mineralogical composition of the shale samples used in conductivity experiments have not been discussed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Relationship Between Rock Properties and Fracture Conductivity in the Fayetteville Shale

et al. 2014

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Fracture conductivity in shale is largely dependent upon the shale rock properties and the formation conditions. This paper aims to explore two different vertical intervals of the Fayetteville Shale, FL2 and FL3, by comparing laboratory fracture conductivity measurements. Fayetteville Shale outcrop cores were artificially fractured, preserving the surface roughness for the conductivity measurements. Controllable parameters, such as proppant size, concentration and type, were kept consistent between the two zones. An initial unpropped experiment was run, followed by two 30:70 mesh propped experiments at 0.03 lb/ft 2 and 0.1 lb/ft 2 concentrations.The FL2 consistently recorded higher conductivity values than the FL3 at closure stress up to 3, 000 psi. Therefore, each zone was evaluated using mineralogical composition, thin-section analysis and surface-roughness scans to identify rock property differences. The FL2 and FL3 rock analysis identified that the two zones are very different. Although the FL2 and FL3 samples used in the conductivity experiments had similar clay content, the FL2 contained more quartz and the FL3 contained more carbonate. Additionally, the FL2 samples were less fissile and had larger surface fragments break along the fracture surface, whereas the FL3 samples broke parallel to the bedding plane and had flaky dust fragments break along the fracture surface. The FL2 had higher conductivity values at low closure stress due to the rearrangement of bulky surface fragments and larger voids created on the surface when fragments were lost. The difference between the FL2 and FL3 conductivity decreases as the concentration of proppant increases because the voids causing unpropped conductivity differences become filled with proppant. Finally, production data was used to confirm laboratory results by providing evidence that wells in the FL3 produce less than the wells in the FL2 formation.

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Laboratory Measurement of Hydraulic Fracture Conductivities in the Barnett Shale

Cited by 44 publications

References 28 publications

Optimal Designs of Well Pattern for the Development of Tight Gas Reservoirs (TGRs)

Optimal Designs of Well Pattern for the Development of Tight Gas Reservoirs (TGRs)

A new theoretical method to calculate shale fracture conductivity based on the population balance equation

The Relationship Between Rock Properties and Fracture Conductivity in the Fayetteville Shale

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