Determination of the compass orientation and length of hydraulic fractures by pulse testing

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1974 · Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6750521

Pierce, A E; Vela, S; Koonce, K T

Field tests have shown that compass orientations and lengths of hydraulic fractures can be determined by pulse testing before and after fracturing. In this technique, pulse tests were conducted in different directions from wells before fracturing. After fracturing, an identical series of pulse tests was run. Comparison of results before and after fracturing provided sufficient information to define compass orientations and lengths of the hydraulic fractures. Visual inspection of the time-lag ratios before and after fracturing sufficed to approximate the orientation of the fracture. Detailed analyses of the results with appropriate mathematical models of the fractured reservoir were necessary to better define both fracture orientation and length. The advantages of this method are that it determines orientation by sampling a large portion of the reservoir and it is applicable to cased holes.

• Research Organization: Exxon Production Res Co.
• OSTI ID: 6750521
• Report Number(s): CONF-7410175-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States) Journal Volume: SPE-5132
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
03 NATURAL GAS
030300 -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
58 GEOSCIENCES
580300 -- Mineralogy
Petrology
& Rock Mechanics-- (-1989)
COMMINUTION
DIMENSIONS
FAILURES
FRACTURES
FRACTURING
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
ORIENTATION
PULSE TECHNIQUES
USES
WELLS