A new method for predicting friction pressures and rheology of proppant-laden fracturing fluids

Journal Article · Sat Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1992 · SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Production Engineering; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/19771-PA· OSTI ID:5604728

Keck, R G; Nehmer, W L; Strumolo, G S ^[1]

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1. Dowell Schlumberger (US)

The prediction of fiction pressures for proppant-laden fracturing fluids requires estimations of both the base-gel friction factor and the effect of proppant on fluid rheology. This paper introduces two new expressions, each theoretically based with constants determined from data, that address these two issues for hydroxpropyl guar (HPG)-based fracturing fluids in laminar and turbulent flow. The paper first introduces a new expression for the turbulent friction factor of HPG base gels. This implicit expression for the friction factor is more theoretically correct and requires one less empirical constant than explicit forms currently used. The effect of proppant on the effective viscosity of non-Newtonian fluids is then discussed and a new expression, which includes shear rate, temperature, gel concentration, and proppant volume fraction as parameters, is derived. Developed from laboratory data and existing slurry rheology theories, this expression is shown to provide excellent predictions of laboratory and field data for both tubing and annulus injection.

• OSTI ID: 5604728
• Journal Information: SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Production Engineering; (United States), Vol. 7:1; ISSN 0885-9221
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
FRACTURING
FRACTURING FLUIDS
FRICTION
PROPPING AGENTS
RHEOLOGY
EQUATIONS
FLUID INJECTION
FORECASTING
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LAMINAR FLOW
TURBULENT FLOW
VISCOSITY
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production
030300 - Natural Gas- Drilling
Production
& Processing