Practical Laboratory Testing for Shale Fracturing

摘要

A suite of practical laboratory tests has been developed to characterize the performance of shale fracturing fluids and chemicals. The testing suite includes friction reduction, capillary suction time, and shale strength changes after exposure to the fracturing fluid. The friction testing method was correlated to previously published work in larger diameter tubing and utilizes a small volume of water so that actual field water samples can be used. The capillary suction utilizes off-the-shelf equipment to give rapid determination of fluid and shale interactions. The shale strength change method involves dynamic exposure of shale cores to the fracturing fluid at temperature, shear rates and times representative of the fracturing treatment. Shale strength changes are determined by measuring hardness of the core surface exposed to the fracturing fluid and comparing it to the opposite side of the core which was not exposed to fluids. The friction reduction test has been used with great success to rate the performance of friction reducers in various types of water, to determine optimum friction reducer concentration, and to determine the interaction of other common additives such as biocides or scale inhibitors with the friction reducers. The strength testing has shown significant strength reduction in some shales with certain types of fracturing fluids and little strength reduction when the fracturing fluid was changed. A variety of fracturing fluids have been tested from slickwater to gelled oil fluids to traditional crosslinked fluid. The strength reduction should be indicative of proppant embedment in the shale. The suite of tests proposed has been successfully used for multiple operators in order to determine interaction effects of fracturing fluids with shales as well as to optimize friction reducer performance.