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U.S. Department of Energy
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Fracture analysis of the Travis Peak Formation, western flank of the Sabine Arch, East Texas

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OSTI ID:5293863
Funded by the Gas Research Institute, this project is part of an extensive regional coring program in the Lower Cretaceous Travis Peak Formation in the East Texas Basin designed to improve gas production from low-permeability gas sandstones. Fracture analysis is important both because fractures are hydrocarbon reservoirs and conduits to other reservoirs and because they affect the success of production techniques such as hydraulic fracture treatment. In this paper the author used descriptions of 565 fractures from more than 2,100 ft of 4-inch-diameter core from 8 Travis Peak wells. Petrographic studies focused on Waskom field in Harrison County, eastern and western Panola County, and northern Nacogdoches County. Both borehole televiewer and formation microscanner logs were used, as were analyses made using a scanning electron microscope and a petrographic microscope. Natural fractures were most prevalent in Travis Peak areas that have highly cemented sandstone; unless compensated for, natural fractures could adversely affect hydraulic fractures by creating multiple, curved fracture strands and by promoting leakoff of fracturing fluid. Thus, natural fractures need to be considered in hydraulic fracture treatment design and in evaluations of hydraulic treatment results and postfracture production and pressure buildup data.
OSTI ID:
5293863
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English