Formation fracturing method
A number of planar and approx. parallel fractures are produced along the length of a borehole, permitting more efficient recovery of the contained resource from the formation. First a vertical borehole is drilled in the formation to a depth penetrating the horizon of the resource-bearing zone of the formation. A slanted borehole is then drilled into the formation from the lower part of the vertical borehole. The azimuth of the slanted borehole would be the same as the direction of lines of least principal stress in the rock. A slanted borehole need not be in precisely the same direction as the direction of the lines of least principal stress in the formation but may be in a direction such that the angle between the line of the slanted borehole and the lines of least principal stress in the formation is not more than 60/sup 0/. After the slanted borehole has been drilled to the desired depth, the slanted hole is completed and cased. Hydraulic fractures are then propagated from the slanted borehole and the fractures may be propped with sand in conventional manner to hold them open. (5 claims)
- Assignee:
- EDB-83-028322
- Patent Number(s):
- US 3878884
- OSTI ID:
- 6641895
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 2 Apr 1973
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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