A METHOD TO ENHANCE PROPPANT CONDUCTIVITY FROM HYDRAULICALLY FRACTURED WELLS

摘要

A method of mitigating proppant settling in a hydraulic fracture in order to better suspend the proppant as well as ensure a more uniform pack, by mixing a pre-determined volume percent of low density additive , such as glass beads or other suitable material, such as polylactic acid particles, into the fracturing slurry along with the standard high-density proppant, it is anticipated that density gradients can be induced inside the fracture. Upward movement of low density additive due to them having density lower than the carrier fluid will interfere with downward movement of high-density proppant and vice versa. This mutual interference between the two proppants confined in the narrow fracture will significantly hinder the settling/segregation of the high-density proppant. The low density material has a specific gravity of about 0.3, particle size distribution similar to that of standard proppant, and sufficient mechanical strength to survive fracture closure stress.