DYNAFRAC - application of a novel rock fracturing method to oil and gas recovery. Final report. [Use of a controllable down-hole explosive source to generate a shock wave in a proppant-laden fluid located in the borehole]
This document describes the results that were achieved in a program to develop and evaluate a new rock-fracturing method for increasing the productivity of oil and gas reservoirs. This method, called DYNAFRAC, is based on generating and extending multiple fractures in an oil or gas formation by using a small, downhole explosive source in a very controlled manner. The almost instantaneous borehole pressurization causes multiple vertical fractures to occur in the formation before stress relief can occur from the failure of the weakest plane of fracture. The salient features of the DYNAFRAC process are compared with those of other rock-fracturing methods in Section 2. Prior field tests of this process resulted in the formation of five vertical fractures in the open-hole sections of shallow, dry wells. Based on the amount of fluid displaced in these tests, it is estimated that each fracture extended approximately 5 feet into the formation and was limited only by the duration of the pressure pulse in the borehole. The results of these tests are described. The current program consisted of three principal tasks. The first task was to apply the DYNAFRAC process to at least five marginal (stripper) oil and/or gas wells to determine the productivity improvement that can be obtained using the short-radii, multiple fractures to overcome wellbore damage. The second task was to develop a method using a downhole propellant to increase the duration of the pressure and thereby extend the fracture radii further into the formation. The third task was to apply the improved DYNAFRAC process to a gas-bearing reservoir and compare the productivity improvement with that obtained by more conventional fracturing methods. The results of these tasks are described in Sections 4 to 6. Section 7 contains the conclusions and recommendations that have emerged from the tests and evaluations that were performed during the program. 72 figures, 5 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Physics International Co., San Leandro, CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC21-79MC10642
- OSTI ID:
- 6411883
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/MC/10642-1386; ON: DE83010790
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
03 NATURAL GAS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
FIELD TESTS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OIL WELLS
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FRACTURING FLUIDS
METHANE
NATURAL GAS
OXYGEN
PETROLEUM
PROPELLANTS
WELL STIMULATION
ALKANES
COMMINUTION
DATA
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
INFORMATION
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RECOVERY
STIMULATION
TESTING
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production
030900 - Natural Gas- Artificial Stimulation
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