Work Process

1.

2.

6.

(Evaluate Various Proppants and

Frac Lengths)

7.

Preliminary Proppant
Selection
Estimate Fracture
Geometry

3.
4.
a)

b)

5.

Estimate Stresses and

Pressures
Determine Fcd and FOI

YoungsModulus
Sand/Shale

Fluid Loss C and Spurt

Loss

Fluid Selection
a)
b)

Calibrate Model Diagnostics

a)
b)
c)

8.
9.

Apparent Viscosity (cps)

Basic Chemistry / Additives

Fracturing Pressure
Temperature/RA Logs
Microseismic

Final Treatment Pump

Schedule
Operations / Perforating

FRACTURE DESIGN
VARIABLES

H , E , C , KIc-App
or
Building A Basis of Design

m , Q, V

Fracturing Physics
H, E, C, KIC m, Q, TP
L
w

Q TP
3 C H P TP w H

H ( P Closure)
2 E'

H PNet
2 E'

E Q m L K Ic App
PNet 4

2
H
E
H

PNet
H

f
H0
Sh Sd
4

1/ 4

Fracture Height (Ho)

Questions We Can Answer
Is there a potential for stress differences and thus,
confinement ?
Is there a potential for stress differences that could
prevent fracturing the total thickness of the
formation ?

How big might stress differences be ?

Depth
PReservoir and Depletion

Fracture Height (Ho)

Questions We Cannot Answer
What is the shale stress ?

Federal court in Oklahoma City.

Springer formation in Western Oklahoma.
Small company was a co-owner.
Sent a Telex to try and stop large company from fracing well.
The small company and the land owner took the big company to court to sue
for lost reserves.

You are the judge.

Major Factors
Closure Stress Differences
Formation Thickness Effects
Fracture Pressure (HO, E, m, KIc-App)
Modulus Contrasts
Bedding Plane Slip

(Probably Only At Shallow Depths)

Rock Ductility
Stress/Fluid Pressure Gradients
Strength (Toughness) Differences

In Situ Stress Differences

2700 meter Canadian Well
0.7psi/ft with no stress
difference
Fracture was radial
Shallow zone showed 1000
psi difference in stress
Did a severe limited entry
but still did not treat upper
zone as noted from PostFrac GR tracer

Major Factors
Closure Stress Differences
Formation Thickness Effects
Fracture Pressure (HO, E, m, KIc-App)
Modulus Contrasts
Bedding Plane Slip

(Probably Only At Shallow Depths)

Rock Ductility
Stress/Fluid Pressure Gradients
Strength (Toughness) Differences

Effect of Formation Thickness

Pay Zone
6

E
=
6
x
1
0
p
s
i

3
,
0
0
0
2
,
0
0
0
1
,
0
0
0
5
0
0

Q
=
3
0
b
p
m
m
=
1
5
0
c
p

C
=
0
.
0
0
1
f
t
/
m
i
n
X
f
=
7
0
0
f
t

E
=
2

E
=
1
x
1
0
p
s
i

Pnet,NetPresure(psi)

3
0
0
2
0
0

E
=
4
x
1
0
p
s
i
2
0
3
05
0

1
0
0 2
0
0
3
0
0

F
r
a
c
t
u
r
e
H
e
i
g
h
t
,
H
(
f
t
)
F

Net Pressure
for Near Perfect
Height
Confinement

Effect of Formation Thickness

Boundary Layers

Major Factors
Closure Stress Differences
Formation Thickness Effects
Fracture Pressure (HO, E, m, KIc-App)
Modulus Contrasts
Bedding Plane Slip

(Probably Only At Shallow Depths)

Rock Ductility
Stress/Fluid Pressure Gradients
Strength (Toughness) Differences

Modulus Contrasts
Very Little Effect on Height

(2Xf/H) max

E2
E1

xf

E2
5

1
0

2
03
0
4
0

E
/
E
21

Major Factors
Closure Stress Differences
Formation Thickness Effects
Fracture Pressure (HO, E, m, KIc-App)
Modulus Contrasts
Bedding Plane Slip (Elastic Debonding)

(Probably Only At Shallow Depths)

Rock Ductility
Stress/Fluid Pressure Gradients
Strength (Toughness) Differences

Bedding Plane Slip

Only At Shallow Depths

2
,
0
0
0

1
,
5
0
0

TBoundigFormenastiiolenS(tprsein)gthfor

1
,
0
0
0

5
0
0

F
r
a
c
t
u
r
e
S
t
o
p
p
e
d
A
t
I
n
t
e
r
f
a
c
e
F
r
a
c
t
u
r
e
C
r
o
s
s
e
d
I
n
t
e
r
f
a
c
e
5
0
0 1
0
0
01
5
0
02
0
0
02
5
0
0

N
e
t
O
v
e
r
b
u
r
d
e
n
S
t
r
e
s
s
(
p
s
i
)
(
O
v
e
r
b
u
r
d
e
n
P
o
r
e
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e
)

Interface Slip/Elastic Debonding

Mineback experiments,
BUT essentially 0
Net Overburden

Major Factors
Closure Stress Differences
Formation Thickness Effects

Fracture Pressure (HO, E, m, KIc-App)

Modulus Contrasts
Bedding Plane Slip (Elastic Debonding)

(Probably Only At Shallow Depths)

Rock Ductility
Stress/Fluid Pressure Gradients
Strength (Toughness) Differences

Stress/Pressure Gradients
Only Important After Massive Height Growth

Depth

Closure Stress
Fluid Pressure Gradient

A Fracture
WOULD Rather
Grow Up Than
Down.

Fracture Height Estimates,

(i.e. Shale-Sand Estimates)
Lithology Logs

(Bed Thickness)
In Situ Stresses
(Pore Pressure, Pore Pressure Variations,
Stress Tests, Acid Breakdown Data)
Special Stress Logs
(Must Be Calibrated)
Modulus Contrasts
(Sonic Log Data)

Experience + Sound Engineering Judgement

Fracture Height =

Who do you rule for?