Influence of natural fractures on hydraulic fracture propagation

Conference · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · AAPG Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5789098

Teufel, L W; Warpinski, N R

Hydraulic fracturing has become a valuable technique for the stimulation of oil, gas, and geothermal reservoirs in a variety of reservoir rocks. In many applications, only short fractures are needed for economic production. In low-permeability reservoirs, however, long penetrating fractures are generally needed, and in this case, natural fractures can be the cause of many adverse effects during a fracture treatment. Natural fractures can influence the overall geometry and effectiveness of the hydraulic fracture by: (1) arresting the vertical or lateral growth, (2) reducing total fracture length via fluid leakoff, (3) limiting proppant transport and placement, and (4) enhancing the creation of multiple or secondary fractures rather than a single planar hydraulic fracture. The result may range from negligible to catastrophic depending on the values of the ancillary treatment and reservoir parameters, such as the treating pressure, in-situ stresses, pore pressure, orientations of the natural fractures relative to principal in-situ stresses, spacing and distribution of the natural fractures, permeability, etc. Field observations from mineback experiments at DOE's Nevada Test Site and the multiwell experiment in Colorado, laboratory tests, and analyses of these data are integrated to describe the complex fracture behavior found and to provide guidelines for predicting when this complex fracturing will occur.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5789098
• Report Number(s): CONF-880301-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 72:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
03 NATURAL GAS
030900 -- Natural Gas-- Artificial Stimulation
Plowshare-- (-1989)
COMMINUTION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUELS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ROCK