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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Mineback Stimulation Research Program

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5679705

The Mineback Stimulation Research Program is a systematic study of hydraulic fracturing and the parameters which influence or control fracture geometry or behavior. Fractures are created near a tunnel complex at DOE's Nevada Test Site and are monitored, instrumented, and mined back to observe the effect of treatment, rock and reservoir properties on the fractures. An initial experiment to measure width and pressure in a hydraulic fracture was completed in FY 1983. The test showed that pressure drops along fractures are much larger than predicted, with the result that fractures are shorter, higher, and wider than present models estimate. The cause of this is the complex morphology of hydraulic fractures, including a hierarchy of roughnesses, multiple stranding, and corners, such as the offsets which occur when natural fractures are intersected. A test to study flow behavior in hydraulic fractures with proppant is proposed for FY 1984. 7 figures.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
5679705
Report Number(s):
SAND-83-1827C; CONF-8310162-5; ON: DE84000351
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English