System and Method for Improved Propped Fracture Geometry for High Permeability Reservoirs

Logic encoded in computer-readable media operable, when executed by one or more processors, to perform the steps comprising:

• selecting an initial proppant volume for placement in a fracture to be created in a subterranean formation;
• determining a fracture geometry for the fracture;
• determining a pad volume sufficient to create the fracture geometry at a first fluid efficiency value;
• determining a fracture length and width that would result from injecting the pad volume into the subterranean formation at a second fluid efficiency value;
• and
• calculating a proppant volume sufficient to fill a fracture having the length and width such that the resulting fracture conductivity is either the initial proppant volume, an optimum proppant volume, or an input parameter limited proppant volume;
• wherein the first fluid efficiency value is lower than the second fluid efficiency value.

A system for calculating propped fracture geometry, comprising:

• a proppant number module operable to determine a fracture geometry for a fracture in a subterranean formation;
• a pad volume module operable to calculate a pad volume sufficient to create the fracture geometry at a first fluid efficiency value;
• and
• a proppant volume module operable to calculate a proppant volume sufficient to fill a fracture that would result from the calculated pad volume being injected into the subterranean formation at a second fluid efficiency value and obtain a fracture width;
• wherein the first fluid efficiency value is lower than the second fluid efficiency value.