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Blast-fracturing

Conference · · API Prod. Div. Mid-Continent District Meeting; (United States)
OSTI ID:5141639
; ;
In Dec. 1967, El Paso Natural Gas Co. in conjunction with the U.S. Government detonated a thermonuclear device underground (Project Gasbuggy) to create extensive fracturing in the Pictured Cliffs Formation. This form of explosive fracturing is a continuation of the first well stimulation technique--nitro shooting. Nitro shooting was a dangerous process in all aspects--storage, handling, and application. In recent years, new high energy explosives have been developed which are safe to handle, temperature insensitive, and can be produced in various plasticities so they can be made to conform to well bore or fracture surfaces. These explosives are very applicable to explosive fracturing of oil and gas wells. Renewed interest in explosive fracturing has come about because hydraulic fracturing is not always successful in fields with unconnected permeability streaks. Explosive fracturing can connect these streaks with flow channels and then if desired these streaks may be hydraulically fractured through these flow channels. Experience may show conventional high explosive fracturing to be more convenient and less costly than hydraulic fracturing for certain applications, and in some cases, the only was a reservoir can be stimulated. (19 refs.)
Research Organization:
Western Co
OSTI ID:
5141639
Report Number(s):
CONF-690468-
Conference Information:
Journal Name: API Prod. Div. Mid-Continent District Meeting; (United States) Journal Volume: 851-43-C
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Project Gasbuggy: a nuclear fracturing experiment
Journal Article · Thu Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1964 · Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States) · OSTI ID:6625173
Project Gasbuggy--status report
Conference · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1966 · OSTI ID:6383288
Operation Gasbuggy. Pt. 2. Emplacement hole drilled for nuclear device to boost gas well deliverabilities
Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1967 · Gas (Houston); (United States) · OSTI ID:6366102

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030900* -- Natural Gas-- Artificial Stimulation
Plowshare-- (-1989)
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450100 -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Chemical Explosions & Explosives
450201 -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Nuclear Explosions & Explosives-- Containment
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
COMMINUTION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CROSSTIE OPERATION
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EXPLOSIONS
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
EXPLOSIVE STIMULATION
EXPLOSIVES
FRACTURING
GASBUGGY EVENT
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
NATURAL GAS WELLS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES
PLOWSHARE PROJECT
RECOVERY
STIMULATION
UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS