Direct measurement of change in width of horizontal fractures in oil shale

Technical Report · Fri Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:6494958

Warne, L K; Beasley, R R; Langdon, P J; Jacobson, A K

One potentially useful method to rubblize an oil shale bed in preparation for in situ processing is to insert and detonate slurry explosive in a pre-formed system of hydrofractures. This paper deals with an instrumentation effort undertaken to obtain a direct measurement of the widths of fractures during hydraulic fracturing and explosive insertion. The importance of such a measurement stems in part from its importance as an input parameter to a rubblization model. A total of four measurement systems are discussed in this paper, two of these were successfully used in the Talley Energy Systems Inc. (TESI) explosive event near Rock Springs, Wyoming. The results of these measurements are presented. The largest displacement measurement, .22 inches, was made with the hydraulic packer system. The largest displacement measured by the explosively anchored system was .20 inches. All measured displacements were consistent with downhole pressure fluctuations.

• Research Organization: Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-04-0789
• OSTI ID: 6494958
• Report Number(s): SAND-78-2008
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040300* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Drilling
Fracturing & Mining
COMMINUTION
DISPERSIONS
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
EXPLOSIVES
FAILURES
FRACTURED RESERVOIRS
FRACTURES
FRACTURING
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
IN-SITU PROCESSING
MEASURING METHODS
MIXTURES
OIL SHALE DEPOSITS
PROCESSING
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SLURRIES
SUSPENSIONS