Horizontal fracturing techniques for bitumen recovery

Patent · Tue Jul 20 04:00:00 EDT 1971

OSTI ID:5594213

Parker, H W

The establishment of horizontal fractures between related wells in tar sands is of considerable significance, due to the unusual nature of tar sand deposits, particularly their low permeability. However, in these formations, vertical fractures rather than horizontal fractures are prone to occur and the likelihood of connecting an array of injection and production wells by horizontal fractures is quite small. A method is described for forming a subterranean horizontal fracture while minimizing the formation of subterranean vertical fractures by employing a fracturing fluid having a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of that stratum through which the horizontal fracture is to be formed. (7 claims)

• Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 3593791
• OSTI ID: 5594213
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040300* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Drilling
Fracturing & Mining
040401 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
BITUMENS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COMMINUTION
DENSITY
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURED RESERVOIRS
FRACTURING
FUELS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
INJECTION WELLS
MATERIALS
OIL SANDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERMEABILITY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
TAR
WELLS
WORKING FLUIDS