A method for selection of optimum proppant in the Cotton Valley

Conference · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5430574

Clark, H C

Numerous laboratory tests on Cotton Valley core samples have been conducted that compare Ottawa sand and sintered bauxite in terms of their ability to perform as a propping agent under varying closure stresses. Computer simulation has also been used as an aid in selecting the optimum proppant type and pack configuration for a given fracture treatment. However, in spite of the information obtained from these sources, there remains some uncertainty as to the value of closure stress at which a high strength proppant should be incorporated into the fracture treatment design. Data obtained from Cotton Valley wells indicates that the producing rate was significantly reduced beyond the normal decline when a certain closure stress was reached. An examination of offset wells that experienced a lesser closure stress or were fractured with bauxite reveals that this abnormal decline is not present. This comparison indicates the fracture conductivity, and consequently the producing rate, were significantly altered as a result of sand crushing.

• Research Organization: Mitchell Energy Corp.
• OSTI ID: 5430574
• Report Number(s): CONF-830305-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States) Journal Volume: SPE/DOE 11617
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030900* -- Natural Gas-- Artificial Stimulation
Plowshare-- (-1989)
ALUMINIUM ORES
BAUXITE
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
COMMINUTION
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
FRACTURING
NATURAL GAS WELLS
ORES
PROPPING AGENTS
SAND
SIMULATION
WELLS