# US 10,480,289 B2 · Fracturability index maps for fracture placement and design of shale reservoirs > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,480,289 B2 - Document ID: US10480289B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/865,447 - Filed: 2015-09-25 - Published: 2016-03-31 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-26 - Assignees: Texas Tech University System - Applicants: Texas Tech University System - Inventors: Ahmed Alzahabi; Mohamed Y. Soliman; Noah Everett Berlow; Timothy Michael Spinner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480289B2 ## CPC - G06F 30/28: using fluid dynamics, e.g. using Navier-Stokes equations or computational fluid dynamics [CFD] - E21B 41/00: Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 - E21B 43/26: by forming crevices or fractures - E21B 43/30: Specific pattern of wells, e.g. optimising the spacing of wells - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract Methods and systems for generating a fracturability index for use in identifying fracture locations and propagation in subterranean formations. A well path can be divided into a plurality of segments and the order of fracture locations along the path can be identified. Such an order is based on an optimal fracture stage from a production point of view followed by subsequent fracture stages. The above steps or operations can be repeated with respect to additional paths to generate data for use in determining prioritized segments and identifying fracture locations and propagation in subterranean formations. Such data can be compiled in the context of a fracturability index map. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of fracturing a reservoir by generating a fracturability index for use in identifying fracture locations and propagation in a subterranean formation in said reservoir for said fracturing of said reservoir, said method comprising: dividing a path into a plurality of segments; identifying an order of fracture locations along the path including said plurality of segments, said order of fracture locations based on a fracture stage of a fracturing operation followed by subsequent fracture stages in said fracturing operation; repeating said dividing and identifying steps with respect to additional paths so as to generate said fracturability index comprising data for use in determining prioritized segments among said plurality of segments and identifying said fracture locations and propagation in said subterranean formation and wherein said fracturability index is used to identify at least one sweet spot in said subterranean formation, said fracturability index including ellipsoids of fracture domains, staggered features, minimum fracture spacing, minimum well spacing and overlapping features; and fracturing said reservoir based on said data contained in said fracturability index, said prioritized segments, said fracture locations and said propagation in said subterranean formation with respect to said reservoir, wherein said fracturing operation includes said fracturing and said fracturing is performed based on a formulation that includes the following parameters: a number of fractures contained in said data in said fracturability index, fracture dimensions contained in said in said fracturability index, said fracture locations, and fracture scheduling associated with said fracturing operation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said path comprises a well path and wherein said fracturability index is used to prioritize brittle and high in-situ stress zones along said well path. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 further comprising compiling said data into a fracturability index map based on said fracturability index wherein said fracturability index is further used to suggest an order of potential fracture locations for future resource development in a single well or a plurality of wells FI=Σk(1 if the segement brittle0 if the segement not brittle). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said subterranean formation comprises a shale gas reservoir. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising compiling said data as geochemical data populated in a 3D reservoir model and as TOC (Total Organic Carbon) data in a TOC map. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 further comprising compiling said data into a geomechanical data map based on geomechanics, said geomechanical data including geochemical data indicative of quartz and clays and wherein said 3D reservoir model provides data indicative of brittle locations in said 3D reservoir model. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 further comprising compiling said data as TOC (Total Organic Carbon) data populated in a TOC map, permeability data populated in a permeability map, and porosity data populated in a porosity map. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 further comprising compiling said data into a geomechanical data map based on geomechanics. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying said path via a sensor. ### Claim 10 A system for fracturing a reservoir by generating a fracturability index for use in identifying fracture locations and propagation in a subterranean formation in said reservoir, said system comprising: one or more processors; and memory comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by said one or more processors, cause said one or more processors to perform one or more operations comprising: dividing a path into a plurality of segments; identifying an order of fracture locations along said path including said plurality of segments, said order of fracture locations based on a fracture stage of a fracturing operation followed by subsequent fracture stages of said fracturing operation; repeating said dividing and identifying steps with respect to additional paths so as to generate said fracturability index comprising data for use in determining prioritized segments and identifying said fracture locations and propagation in said subterranean formation and wherein said fracturability index facilitates determining at least one sweet spot in said subterranean formation, said fracturability index including ellipsoids of fracture domains, staggered features, minimum fracture spacing, minimum well spacing and overlapping features; and wherein said system is utilized to facilitate fracturing of said reservoir based on said data contained in said fracturability index, said prioritized segments, said fracture locations and said propagation in said subterranean formation with respect to said reservoir, wherein said fracturing is performed based on a formulation that includes the following parameters: a number of fractures contained in said data in fracturability index, fracture dimensions contained in said data in fracturability index, said fracture locations, and fracture scheduling associated with said fracturing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein said path comprises a well path and wherein said fracturability index is used to prioritize brittle and high in-situ stress zones along said well path. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein said one or more operations further comprises compiling said data into a fracturability index map based on said fracturability index wherein said fracturability index is further used to suggest an order of potential fracture locations for future resource development in a single well or a plurality of wells FI=Σk(1 if the segement brittle0 if the segement not brittle). ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein said subterranean formation comprises a shale gas reservoir. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein said one or more operations further comprises compiling said data as geochemical data populated in a 3D reservoir model and said data as TOC (Total Organic Carbon) data populated in a TOC map, permeability data populated in a permeability map, and porosity data populated in a porosity map. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14 wherein said one or more operations further comprises compiling said data into a geomechanical data map based on geomechanics, said geomechanical data including geochemical data indicative of quartz and clays and wherein said 3D reservoir model provides data indicative of brittle locations in said 3D reservoir model. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 further comprising a sensor for identifying said path, wherein said sensor communicates electronically with said one or more processors and/or said memory. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein said one or more operations further comprises compiling said data as TOC (Total Organic Carbon) data populated in a TOC map, permeability data populated in a permeability map, porosity data populated in a porosity map, and maturation data populated in maturation map, wherein said compiled data facilitates a determination of said at least one sweet spot. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein said one or more operations further comprises compiling said data into a geomechanical data map based on geomechanics. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 further comprising a sensor for identifying said path, wherein said sensor communicates electronically with said one or more processors and/or said memory.