Apparatus and method for fracturing portions of an earth formation
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorRoger W. Fincher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of fracturing an earth formation is disclosed. The method includes: isolating a section of a borehole in the earth formation; introducing a fluid into the isolated section and pressurizing the isolated section from a first pressure to a second pressure; introducing a stress concentration to a borehole wall at least one location in the isolated section when the fluid is at the selected pressure or during the pressurization; and initiating a hydraulic fracture in the earth formation at the at least one location.
Claims20
A method of fracturing an earth formation, comprising:
- isolating a section of a borehole in the earth formation;
- introducing a fluid into the isolated section and pressurizing the isolated section from a first pressure to a second pressure;
- introducing a stress concentration to a borehole wall at least one location in the isolated section when the fluid is at the second pressure or during the pressurization;
- and
- initiating a hydraulic fracture in the earth formation at the at least one location.
An apparatus for fracturing an earth formation, comprising:
- an isolation assembly configured to isolate a section of a borehole in the earth formation;
- a fracturing assembly configured to be disposed at the isolated section, the fracturing assembly in fluid communication with a fluid source and including at least one passage to introduce fluid into the isolated section, the fracturing assembly configured to introduce a fluid into the isolated section and pressurize the isolated section from a first pressure to at least a fracture pressure to initiate a hydraulic fracture in the earth formation;
- and
- at least one perforation device disposable at a selected location within the isolated section and configured to introduce a stress concentration to a borehole wall at least one location in the isolated section when the fluid is at the selected pressure or during the pressurization.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.