Laboratory imaging of stimulation fluid displacement from hydraulic fractures
- Sandia National Lab., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- SPE, Richardson, TX (United States)
Laboratory experiments were conducted to physically investigate the processes governing stimulation fluid displacement from hydraulic fractures. Experiments were performed on two scales: meter-scale in a 1500 cm{sup 2} sand pack and core-scale in a 65 cm{sup 2} API linear conductivity cell. High-resolution light transmission imaging was employed at the meter-scale to visualize and quantify processes governing fluid displacement. For comparison, complimentary tests were performed using an API conductivity cell under ambient test conditions and at elevated closure stress. In these experiments viscous fingering and gravity drainage were identified as the dominant processes governing fluid displacement. Fluid viscosity was found to dictate the relative importance of the competing displacement processes and ultimately determine the residual liquid saturation of the sand pack. The process by which fluid displacement occurs was seen to effect the shape of both the gas and liquid phase relative permeability functions. Knowledge of such viscosity/relative permeability relationships may prove useful in bounding predictions of post-stimulation recovery of gels from the fracture pack.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 390628
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-96-1727C; CONF-961003-1; ON: DE96012918; TRN: 96:005993
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 71. annual technical conference and exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Denver, CO (United States), 6-9 Oct 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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