Development of a completion design to control screenouts caused by multiple near-wellbore fractures

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:170063

Stadulis, J M

This paper discusses possible explanations, based upon previous studies, for the hypothesis that multiple fractures at the borehole wall may be a common feature of the hydraulic fracturing process. It then uses field examples to show how the authors concluded that a type of low-concentration screenout common to three fields in Texas and Oklahoma was caused by multiple fractures. Next, it shows how they developed a completion that controls loss of the pad and slurry to multiple fractures. Finally, it discusses some of the implications of their experience for completion design in general. Since the symptoms of the low-concentration screenout have been documented in the literature by other authors and appear to be quite common, their design techniques should be effective in other areas as well. The completion design combines unoriented, zero-degree-phased, big-hole perforations shot at low density; and small, high-concentration proppant slugs with clean spacer stages pumped very early in the treatment. These strategies were chosen (1) to limit the number of separate fractures that initiate from individual perforations, and (2) to screen out narrow fractures early in the treatment so that more width is developed in the remaining fracture(s). They have used these techniques to increase overall sand/fluid ratios (including the pad) from about 2.3 ppg (lbm added per gal fluid) to over 8 ppg, on modestly-sized treatments up to 200,000 lbm.

• OSTI ID: 170063
• Report Number(s): CONF-941185--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
DESIGN
FRACTURE MECHANICS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OIL WELLS
OKLAHOMA
PROCESS CONTROL
TEXAS
WELL COMPLETION