Experimental Study on a new type of self-propping fracturing technology. (15th September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Liqiang; Chen, Yixin; Du, Juan; Liu, Pingli; Li, Nianyin; Luo, Zhifeng; Zhang, Chencheng; Huang, Fushan
• Is Part Of: Energy. Volume 183(2019)
• Page Start: 249
• Page End: 261
• Publication Date: 2019-09-15
• Subjects: Hydraulic fracturing -- Fracturing fluid -- Proppants -- Self-propping; Power resources -- Periodicals; Power (Mechanics) -- Periodicals; Energy consumption -- Periodicals; 333.7905
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.06.137
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0360-5442

Abstract

Abstract: Hydraulic fracturing technology, as an important stimulation technique for low permeability reservoirs, is widely used in oilfields. The effect of fracturing is closely related to the proppant carrying and the proppant-placement. While in field application, polymer gel is usually used to carry the proppant, which probably results in the difficulty of injection, the formation damage and other problems. As far as the proppant-placement is concerned, the mainstream view is the sand bank shape. The circulation channel of oil and gas is mainly composed of pores between the proppant particles, with seepage being the main flow pattern. However, a new type of self-propping fracturing technology is proposed in this paper without any solid proppant carried in the process of fracturing fluid injection. Because the fracturing fluid itself will transform into solid proppants when the fracturing fluid reaches the target reservoir under certain conditions, which produces sufficient strength to resist fracture closure stress. Moreover, two kinds of liquids will be injected simultaneously instead of only one in the injection process, and the proppant-placement is controlled by the flow pattern of two-phase liquids, which brings about the discontinuous and heterogeneous proppant-placement without sand bank shape, changing the flow pattern of oil and gas. Highlights: Except two kinds of liquids, no solid injection in the new fracturing technology. Using the new fracturing fluid to resist the closure of induced fractures. The problems of conventional fracturing can be solved by the new technology. No sand bank shape of proppant-placement controlled by two-phase flow patterns. The flow of oil and gas is not seepage in the induced fractures.