Heterogeneous Proppant Placement for Fracture Conductivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydraulic fracturing methods often focus on one or two aspects of the fracturing operation, neglecting the optimization of all facets, which limits the achievement of optimal fracturing results based on formation properties and characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that iteratively optimize proppant composition, fracturing fluid pulse and rate design, perforation design, and bottom hole pressure (BHP) design by collecting and analyzing formation and geomechanical properties, using hydraulic fracture geometry modeling, response surfaces, and computational fluid dynamics to simulate and optimize fracturing operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional homogeneous proppant placement procedures are used to uniformly distribute proppant and porosity-inducing materials, then the proppant pack achieves uniform porosity distribution, but the fluid conductivity or permeability is insufficient to provide low resistance flow paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating heterogeneous proppant placement where different regions of the fracture have different proppant concentrations and porosity characteristics. Specifically, it forms high-porosity channels and low-porosity proppant packs in alternating patterns, allowing each region to serve its specific function: channels for fluid flow and packs for structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the proppant placement into distinct phases and patterns. It alternates between placing proppant-containing fracturing fluids and proppant-free fracturing fluids to create discrete proppant packs separated by high-porosity channels. This segmentation creates a structured heterogeneous pattern rather than uniform distribution.
2Manufacturing precision
If proppant concentration and fluid viscosity are increased to improve proppant placement control, then proppant pillar formation is enhanced, but the fluid injection rate and pumping complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic action through alternating injection of proppant-containing and proppant-free fracturing fluids. This periodic pattern allows controlled deposition of proppant in desired locations while maintaining manageable injection rates. The cyclical nature of the process enables precise placement control without requiring continuously high injection rates.
3Reliability
If heterogeneous proppant placement with alternating proppant-containing and proppant-free fracturing fluids is used to create high-porosity channels, then fracture conductivity is improved, but the treatment complexity and number of injection stages increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fracturing treatment into distinct functional components: proppant packs for structural support and high-porosity channels for fluid flow. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall treatment design by breaking down the complex heterogeneous placement into manageable alternating stages.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach leads to the creation of high conductivity fractures with reduced proppant and fluid usage, increased production, and optimized fracturing parameters that can be adjusted in real-time, resulting in improved completion performance and reduced costs.
Implementation Method 1
using hydraulic fracture geometry modeling, response surfaces, and computational fluid dynamics to simulate and optimize fracturing operations
Implementation Method 2
Hydraulic fracturing is typically performed by injecting a fracturing fluid into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation above the formation pressure forming or extending cracks and/or fractures in the formation
Implementation Method 3
proppant is also injected into the formation and into the fractures in an attempt to reduce or prevent fracture closing after fracturing
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods generate optimized formation fracturing operational parameters by iteratively optimizing bottom hole temperature design, perforation design, fracturing fluid pulse design, and proppant design based on formation properties, proppant properties, candidate selection, flow and geomechanical modeling, and engineering design, where the systems and methods as implemented on a digital processing unit.