Conductive proppant and method of hydraulic fracturing using the same
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsCurtis L. Boney, Matthew J. Miller, Sho-Wei Lo
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Abstract
This invention relates generally to the art of hydraulic fracturing in subterranean formations and more particularly to a method and means for optimizing fracture conductivity. The proposed method involves propping part of the totality of a fracture in a subterranean formation with proppant essentially in the form of elongated particles having a shape with a length-basis aspect ratio greater than 5, preferably such as metallic wire segment. 1 Inventors: MATHEW J. MILLER 3054 LA QUINTA DRIVE MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS 77459 SHO-WEI LO 6635 GLADEWELL DRIVE HOUSTON, TX 77072 CURTIS BONEY 14918 CHADBOURNE HOUSTON, TEXAS 77079
Claims34
A method of propping a fracture in a subterranean formation with proppant comprising essentially of an elongated particulate material, wherein individual particles of said particulate material have a shape with a length-basis aspect ratio greater than 5.
A method of propping a fracture in a subterranean formation with proppant comprising two non-simultaneous steps of placing a first proppant consisting of an essentially spherical particulate non-metallic material and placing a second proppant consisting essentially of an elongated material having a length to equivalent diameter greater than 5.
A method of fracturing a subterranean formation comprising injecting a fracturing fluid into a hydraulic fracture created into a subterranean formation wherein at least a portion of the fracturing fluid comprises a proppant consisting essentially of an elongated material having a length to equivalent diameter greater than 5.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.