Non-Darcy gas flow through propped fractures; Effects of partial saturation, gel damage, and stress

Journal Article · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Production Engineering; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/16899-PA· OSTI ID:5341832

Maloney, D R; Gall, B L; Raible, C J ^[1]

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1. National Institute for Petroleum and Energy Research (US)

The authors discuss work to identify and quantify important parameters affecting gas production through propped fractures under a non-Darcy gas flow regime. The gas flow capacity of a simulated propped fracture was studied systematically to determine the effects of partial saturation, gel damage, and stress conditions. The flow-capacity response of the 20/40-mesh sand tested throughout this project was affected significantly by variations in the effective gas porosity of the proppant pack. Permeability and non-Darcy flow characteristics were correlated to effective gas porosity. Partial saturation was found to be a key parameter influencing the permeability and non-Darcy gas flow behavior of a proppant pack. Partially saturated fractures may result from incomplete removal of fracturing fluid, mobility of formation waters, or production of condensates. The partial saturation of the proppant pack, in effect, changes the open porosity available for gas flow, which adversely affects gas permeability and non-Darcy flow parameters. The results from this investigation demonstrate that non-Darcy gas flow behavior through propped fractures in which a saturation phase is present cannot be estimated from results using dry-proppant-pack tests.

• OSTI ID: 5341832
• Journal Information: SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Production Engineering; (USA), Journal Name: SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Production Engineering; (USA) Vol. 4:4; ISSN SPENE; ISSN 0885-9221
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
COLLOIDS
COMMINUTION
DISPERSIONS
FLUID FLOW
FRACTURING
GAS FLOW
GELS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
OIL SATURATION
OIL WELLS
PARAMETRIC ANALYSIS
PERMEABILITY
POROSITY
PROPPING AGENTS
RESERVOIR ROCK
SATURATION
STIMULATION
STRESSES
VARIATIONS
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS