Friction pressures of proppant-laden hydraulic fracturing fluids

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1986 · SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Product. Eng.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/13836-PA· OSTI ID:6901120

Shah, S N; Lee, Y N

Friction-pressure calculations of proppant-laden fluids are very important not only in the design of any hydraulic fracturing treatment but also in real-time monitoring of fracturing treatments. Recent advances in real-time fracture analysis have necessitated an accurate knowledge of bottomhole treating pressure (BHTP). To estimate BHTP, an accurate prediction of friction pressures of fluids in the flow conduit is required. This paper presents a new approach for predicting friction pressures of proppant-laden fracturing fluids that is based on an analytical method and uses nondimensional quantities in the analysis of flow data. From the flow data with various proppant-laden gels in multiple pipes, generalized correlations are developed and presented that incorporate such variables as proppant size, proppant density, proppant concentration, fluid density, flow rate, polymer gel concentration, and pipe size. These correlations are valid for a wide range of terminal Froude number, N/sub Fr/* (8.4 x 10/sup -3/ to 1.3 x 10/sup -4/), and particle Froude number, N/sub Frp/ (20 to 200). These ranges include the calculated values of N/sub Fr/* and N/sub Frp/ for the majority of hydraulic fracturing treatments conducted today. The correlations are verified by comparison of the estimations with data gathered in field-size tubing and field-gathered data. The predictions agree more closely with field data than previously published methods. Unlike previous studies, this investigation indicates that besides other factors, proppant size, pump rate, flow geometry, and polymer gel concentration play a significant role in the friction-pressure predictions of proppant-laden fluids.

• Research Organization: Halliburton Services
• OSTI ID: 6901120
• Journal Information: SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Product. Eng.; (United States), Vol. 1:6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
FRACTURING FLUIDS
PRESSURE MEASUREMENT
NATURAL GAS WELLS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
OIL WELLS
DATA ANALYSIS
FRICTION
FROUDE NUMBER
GELS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURES
MONITORING
NATURAL GAS
PETROLEUM
PIPES
PROPPING AGENTS
PUMPS
WELL PRESSURE
WELL STIMULATION
COLLOIDS
COMMINUTION
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FAILURES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURES
FRACTURING
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
RESERVOIR PRESSURE
STIMULATION
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production
030900 - Natural Gas- Artificial Stimulation
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