Proppant Transport Characterization of Hydraulic-fracturing Fluids Using a High-Pressure Simulator Integrated With a Fiber-Optic/Light-Emitting- Diode (LED) Vision System

摘要

Slurries of selected hydraulic-fracturing fluids such as 40- lbm/Mgal hydroxypropyl guar (HPG) linear gel and borate- crosslinked 35-lbm/Mgal guar gel were evaluated to characterize their proppant transport properties using 6-lbm/gal 20/40-mesh sand. In addition, fluids such as water, 40-lbm/Mgal HPG linear gel, and borate-crosslinked 35-lbm/Mgal gel were evaluated to determine their relative ability to remove the fluidized layer lying along the top of settling proppant bed and subsequently to erode more compacted layers below. The experimental study used a unique high-pressure parallel-plate flow cell, simulating a down- hole fracture, integrated with a fiber-optic vision system and LED.