Fracturing method and apparatus
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorMarc J. Thiercelin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of fracturing an underground formation traversed by a borehole comprising: a) placing an inflatable member inside the borehole in the formation to be fractured, b) inflating the member so as to exert stress on the formation while monitoring the pressure of a fluid used to inflate the member so as to determine the pressure at which fracture initiates; c) isolating the portion of the borehole containing the fracture; d) propagating the fracture by pressurizing the interval with fluid; and e) monitoring the pressure of the fluid in the interval during propagation.
Claims14
A method of fracturing an underground formation traversed by a borehole, the method comprising:
- a) suspending a fracturing apparatus in a borehole so as to position an inflatable member on said fracturing apparatus adjacent to an underground formation to be fractured;
- b) inflating the inflatable member with a pressurizing fluid so as to contact the underground formation and exert stress thereon;
- c) increasing the pressure of the pressurizing fluid in the inflatable member until a fracture is initiated in the underground formation;
- d) monitoring the pressure of the pressurizing fluid in the inflatable member so as to determine the pressure at which the fracture is initiated;
- e) isolating an interval of the borehole containing the fracture;
- f) further fracturing the underground formation by pumping a fracturing fluid into the interval;
- and
- g) monitoring the pressure of fracturing fluid pumped into the interval during the further fracturing.
Apparatus to be lowered into a borehole for fracturing an underground formation traversed by said borehole, the apparatus comprising;
- a) an inflatable member which is deflated when the apparatus is lowered into a borehole;
- b) means for pumping a pressurizing fluid from a supply line into the inflatable member so as to inflate the inflatable member and exert stress on, and fracture an underground formation;
- c) means for monitoring the pressure of the pressurizing fluid in the inflatable member;
- d) means for isolating an interval of the borehole including a fracture created by inflation of the inflatable member;
- e) means for pumping fracturing fluid into and out of the interval.
A method of fracturing an underground formation traversed by a borehole comprising providing an apparatus having:
- a) an inflatable member which is lowered into a borehole when deflated and equipped with means for admitting a pressurizing fluid from a supply line so as to inflate said member for fracturing a borehole wall, the supply line being provided with means for pumping the pressurizing fluid into the member;
- b) means for monitoring the pressure of said pressurizing fluid in the member;
- c) means for isolating an interval of the borehole;
- d) means for pumping fracturing fluid into said interval;
- and e) means for removing fracturing fluid from said interval, said method further comprising:
- i) placing said apparatus inside the borehole in the underground formation to be fractured, ii) inflating the inflatable member with the pressurizing fluid so as to exert stress on, and fracture the underground formation while monitoring the pressure of the pressurizing fluid used to inflate the member so as to determine the pressure at which fracture initiates;
- iii) isolating an interval of the borehole containing the fracture;
- iv) propagating the fracture by pumping a fracturing fluid into the interval;
- and v) monitoring the pressure of the fracturing fluid in the interval during the fracture propagation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.