Measurement of width and pressure in a propagating hydraulic fracture

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6539347

Warpinski, N R

Measurements of width and pressure in a propagating hydraulic fracture have been made in tests conducted at DOE's Nevada Test Site. This was accomplished by creating an instrumented fracture at a tunnel complex (at a depth of 1400 ft) where realistic in situ conditions prevail, particularly with respect to stress and geologic features such as natural fractures and material anisotropy. Analyses of these data show that the pressure drop along the fracture length is much larger than predicted by viscous theory and currently in use in models today. This is apparently due to the tortuosity of the fracture path, multiple fracture strands, roughness and sharp turns (corners) in the flow path due to natural fractures and rock property variations. It suggests that fracture design models need to be updated to include a more realistic friction factor so that fracture lengths are not overestimated.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6539347
• Report Number(s): SAND-82-2177C; CONF-830305-4; ON: DE83005579
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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58 GEOSCIENCES
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Petrology
& Rock Mechanics-- (-1989)
COMMINUTION
CRACK PROPAGATION
DIMENSIONS
FAILURES
FRACTURES
FRACTURING
HYDRAULIC FRACTURES
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
MEASURING METHODS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEVADA TEST SITE
PRESSURE DROP
PRESSURE MEASUREMENT
TUFF
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
WIDTH