High-energy gas-fracturing development. Annual report, April 1981-March 1982

Technical Report · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6602462· OSTI ID:6602462

Cuderman, J F

The objective of this program is to develop and optimize the High Energy Gas Fracturing technique for producing multiple fractures about a wellbore and thereby stimulate natural gas production. Most gas wells in Devonian shales require stimulation to obtain commercially economic production. A propellant based technology has been developed which permits control of pressure loading to obtain multiple fracturing in a borehole. The High Energy Fracturing technique uses a full borehole charge of propellant tailored to produce multiple fractures radiating from the wellbore. The multiple fracture regime has been defined as a function of borehole size, pressure risetime, and surface wave velocity. The pressure risetime and peak pressure obtained in a borehole have been measured for different propellants and borehole diameters. These data make possible propellant specifications for a given peak pressure and pressure risetime. Semiempirical models using results from earlier experiments successfully predict stress and acceleration levels and fracture radii in surrounding rock. A finite element model has been developed which predicts fracture type, and direction of fractures as a function of pressure loading, in situ stress, and material properties. The High Energy Gas Fracturing program consists of three parts: (1) In situ experiments at DOE's Nevada Test Site (NTS), (2) modeling activities, and (3) a full scale experimemt in a Devonian shale gas well.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6602462
• Report Number(s): SAND-82-0866; GRI-80/0144; ON: DE83006848
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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03 NATURAL GAS
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BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
BLACK SHALES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHATTANOOGA FORMATION
COMMINUTION
DEVONIAN PERIOD
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FIELD TESTS
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
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OIL SHALES
PALEOZOIC ERA
PROPELLANTS
RECOVERY
STIMULATION
TESTING
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
WELL STIMULATION
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