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01fundamentals of Frac

1. The document discusses key parameters that affect hydraulic fracturing and fracture geometry. It covers material balance concepts, including volume balance equations, and how parameters like rock properties, stresses, and fracture properties influence the fracture width and length. 2. Elasticity concepts are described, including the relationships between fracture pressure and width, and how the initial fracture height relates to the total fracture height based on the stress contrast. 3. Fluid flow mechanics and frictional pressure drops are also covered, and how these concepts can be combined with elasticity to model the average fracture width based on flow rate and fluid properties. 4. The document provides the basis for hydraulic fracturing modeling and shows how parameters are incorporated into

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Germán Leonel
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© © All Rights Reserved
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721 views15 pages

01fundamentals of Frac

1. The document discusses key parameters that affect hydraulic fracturing and fracture geometry. It covers material balance concepts, including volume balance equations, and how parameters like rock properties, stresses, and fracture properties influence the fracture width and length. 2. Elasticity concepts are described, including the relationships between fracture pressure and width, and how the initial fracture height relates to the total fracture height based on the stress contrast. 3. Fluid flow mechanics and frictional pressure drops are also covered, and how these concepts can be combined with elasticity to model the average fracture width based on flow rate and fluid properties. 4. The document provides the basis for hydraulic fracturing modeling and shows how parameters are incorporated into

Uploaded by

Germán Leonel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Fundamentals

of Fracturing Engineering
Material Balance

Material Balance

Data Collection
Uncontrollable parameters
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

K, h &
and their orientation
Formation temperature
Reservoir pressure
Type of Reservoir fluid
Rock Properties

Controllable parameters
1.
2.
3.
4.

Casing, Tubing, & Completion


configuration
Downhole equipment
Perforation ID and Length & SPF &
Phasing
Fracture treatment (Rate, Prop
Concentration, Fluid, Proppant, etc)
2

Material Balance

Controlling Parameters: Stresses


Tectonic stress
component

Lithostatic stress model

Stress Contrast for


Frac Model

Lit = (/1-)*( - pr) + pr


Shale static
Over
hydrostatic
gas

Virgin

oil

Slight
depletion

Depleted

Overburden Lithology Poisons


ratio

Pore Pressure

Tectonic
Strain

Elastic
Modulus

Closure Pressure
calibration through:
Microfrac, DataFRAC
3

Material Balance

Properties Affecting Frac Geometry


Rock Mechanic
Properties

Reservoir
Properties

Fracture Properties

wmax

OB

wf
h

pc

cf

min
E

L
xf

kh/
pr
ct
cR

ho
CL

CL

w
Hydraulic geometry (Dynamic)
Propped geometry
4

Material Balance

Fracture Engineering fundamentals


Basis for frac modeling and analysis
Volume balance
: V in = V frac + V loss
Elasticity
: width -vs- pressure ( E)
Elasticity
: containment vs- height growth
Frictional fluid flow : frac fluid pressure drop inside the fracture
And a few more: proppant transport ..
Analysis and evaluation :
based on pressure response after a constant rate injection

Material Balance

Volume balance
Qi ti = Af ( wh + 2 vL )

based on volumes: Vin= Vfrac+ Vlost


Vfrac = Af (area) * wh (width)
Vlost from G function go ,leakoff CL , Spurt Sp

vL~ go CL ti + Sp , go ~1.5

2L
Af = (2 L) hf

Af = Qi ti / ( wh+ 2 vL )

hf

L = Af / 2 hf

Know hf then how do we get L? .


6

Material Balance

Elasticity 1: width ~ Pnet


Relation between Pressure and width
need modulus E And height hf

wh

cf ~ h f / E

pnet = pf - pc = (E / 2 hf ) wmax (PKN)


or wmax = (2 hf / E) pnet

(wellbore)

pf

pc

need L the ratio of average width over the frac length to wmax at the well:

wh is <w>A= (/4)h L wmax ~ 0.55 wmax


Introduce definition of compliance cf = L hf / 2 E
Provides the average frac width wh for given Pnet

wh =( L hf / 2 E) pnet=(cf) pnet

Material Balance

The ratio = average / wellbore values


There is a gradient of pressure along the fracture, therefore need ratio for
calculating length-averaged values in terms of p at the wellbore

pnet
pnet,w

pf - pc
pw - pc

Material Balance

Material Balance: governs placement and cost


How much fluid to get L ?

Af = Qi ti / (wh + 3 CL ti ), L= Af / 2 hf

fluid cost

How much prop can we put ? prop width/ hydraulic with

wp = Vp / Ap = Vp / (2 Lp hp ); wp / < wh> = cf / (1-) Prop cost


wp / wh ~ 1/6 (3 ppa) and 1/2 (10 ppa)
How many pump we need ?
pnet = pf - pc = E wmax / 2 hf

Psp*Q

HHP

Material Balance

Elasticity 2: height growth, and h/ho


Relation between initial height ho and hf total frac height
Insight from ideal equal barrier

ho
pnet

hf

h / ho: ideal 3-layer

5.0

2.0

4.0

1.5

2x
3.0

1.0
h~
ho/10

2.0

0.5

1.0

h / ho: ~ general 3-layer

hf ~ ho . f ( pnet / )

0.0
0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

pnet /

Barrier depends on : (1) (2) thickness /initial height h/ho


10

Material Balance

Coupling elasticity fluid frictional drop


Pnet at the wellbore = Frac fluid frictional flow ( pressure drop in the frac )
pnet (elasticity) = p(frictional drop)
Frictional flow from 1D (linear ) Darcy with x-section area =height .width , hf wh
Qi = k (hf wh )/ a p/L ; with k ~ w 2
rearrange

p/L = a [Qi /(hf wh )] / wh 2


equate

pnet / L ~ E wh / hf L

solve for average width wh

= p/L = a [ Qi / (hf wh )] / wh 2

wh ~ ( a Qi L / E )1/4, pnet = (E / 2 hf ) wh

Rate or viscosity double (a Qi ): effect on wh & pnet?

(21/4 = 1.2)

11

Material Balance

Width equation for Power law


Use more complex but actual power law frac fluid
a, PL = / = K/ 1- n; ~ Q/hw2

Even less dependent on rate


pnet =

E
w max , w max
2h

h Q
3 (K L )

E h

1 /e

e = 2 n + 2 ~ 3 ; n ~ 0 .5

w max ( L) 0.33 Q 0.17 ;

, pnet

2
Q
Q , pnet
2

0 .8
0 . 9, t p

2
12

Material Balance

Frac design for L  quadratic equation of ti


Summary

Mass balance
Elasticity (width)

: Vin= Vfrac+ Vlost


Af = Qi ti / ( wh+ 2 vL), L= Af / 2 hf
: pnet = pf - pc = E wmax / 2 hf = (1/cf) wh

Elasticity (Height)

: hf ~ ho . f ( pnet / )

Frictional drop

: wh ~ ( a Qi L / E )1/4

All information to solve

Af = (2 hf L) = Qi ti

[ wh+ 2 (1.5 CL ti + Sp ) ]

The design solution : quadratic equation of ti for any given L !


Qi ti - (2 hf L) [ wh+ 2 (1.5 CL ti + Sp ) ] = 0
Get ti , wh , Vfrac, efficiency and pnet = (1/cf) wh = (2 E /hf L ) wh

Basic input: Qi , L, CL , Sp, a , E , ho ,


Note : to get L for a given ti an iterative convergence is required
13

Material Balance

Key Role of Efficiency: proppant scheduling no TSO


fluid efficiency: = Vfrac / Vin < 1; cin = cfrac

cD =cin/cf,EOJ
segment or total

segment or total
Vf
cf

Vi
ci

VL

cD

fp

1-
1+

pad
V / VEOJ

uL

frac
x/ L

pad

V / VEOJ

x/ L

uL leakoff velocity ft/min goes to infinity at tip

SPE 13278 Determination of Proppant and Fluid Schedules From Fracturing-Pressure Decline (Nolte 1986)

14

Material Balance

proppant scheduling with TSO


Base on relation for no TSO
but noting
Vin Vin,so
so

cin/cf,EOJ

fp

1-
1+

pad
V / VEOJ

after TSO no loss at tip


EOJ > so
and

f p, EOJ = f p,tso

Vin,tso
Vin,EOJ

fp,so 1- so

EOJ

1+ so

cin/cf,EOJ

pad

so
V in,so/ VEOJ

15

Material Balance

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