Combination hydraulic-explosive earth formation fracturing process

Patent · Tue Sep 06 04:00:00 EDT 1966

OSTI ID:6272660

Osborn, O; Patrick, F D

A described fracturing process employs a series of hydraulic and explosive fracture stages that are useful in initiating, in enlarging, and extending fractures in subsurface earth formations. The hydraulic fracturing fluid containing small metal particles (magnesium, aluminum, silicon, and alloys) are injected under pressure into the formation at a predetermined pressure sufficient to initiate fractures in the earth formation. The metal particles initially serve as a propping agent. The fracturing fluid is displaced by an oxidizer solution (ammonium and alkali metal nitrates and perchlorates are preferable) which forms an explosive composition with the metal particles. Extension of the fractures and the promotion of permeability is obtained by detonating the explosive composition. It has been found that the most efficient composition of the fracturing fluid contains about 20 wt% metal particles which will yield a composition containing from 10-60 wt% metal in the explosives. (3 claims)

• Assignee: TUL; EDB-81-114563
• Patent Number(s): US 3270815
• OSTI ID: 6272660
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ADDITIVES
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALUMINIUM
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM NITRATES
AMMONIUM PERCHLORATES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COMMINUTION
ELEMENTS
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
FLUID INJECTION
FRACTURED RESERVOIRS
FRACTURING
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
MAGNESIUM
METALS
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OIL WELLS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERCHLORATES
PROPPING AGENTS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
WELLS