System and Method for Predicting Fracture, Reservoir, and Production Characteristics from Hydraulic Fracturing Data.

A system for predicting fracture, reservoir, and production characteristics from hydraulic fracturing data generated during a fracturing operation of a well, the system comprising:

• a proppant slurry density meter configured to provide a slurry density signal, the slurry density signal comprising a series of slurry density data points, each data point corresponding to the density of proppant slurry provided to the well during the fracturing operation sensed at a different time;
• a proppant slurry flow meter configured to provide a slurry flow signal, the slurry flow signal comprising a series of slurry flow data points, each data point corresponding to the flow of proppant slurry provided to the well during the fracturing operation sensed at a different time;
• a pressure sensor configured to provide a treating pressure signal, the treating pressure signal comprising a series of treating pressure data points, each data point corresponding to a pressure in the he well during the fracturing operation sensed at a different time;
• a programmable processing system configured to receive the slurry density signal, the slurry flow signal, and the pressure signal, the programmable processing signal being configured to:
• curve fit data points for treating pressure and slurry rate to a linear curve over a plurality of data windows, each data window corresponding to a predetermined period of time;
• determine the slope of the linear curve for each of the treating pressure and the slurry rate over each data window;
• identify those widows over which:
• (1) the treating pressure across the data window is decreasing and (2) the slurry rate across the data window is increasing or constant;
• and
• estimate the magnitude of proppant injected into the well for each data window over which the treating pressure is decreasing and the slurry rate is increasing or constant.