Horizontal well fracture stimulation methods
AssigneesChesapeake Operating, Inc., Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsTimothy O. Wiemers, Walter B. Hill, William V. Grieser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to improved methods of forming spaced fractures in a subterranean zone penetrated by a horizontal well bore. The methods include the steps of placing an open ended solid liner in the horizontal well bore, pumping a fracturing fluid through the open end of the liner to create fractures in the zone adjacent to the open end, forming perforations in the liner at a selected position spaced from the previously created fractures and pumping a fracturing fluid through the perforations to create additional fractures in the zone.
Claims19
An improved method of forming spaced fractures in a subterranean formation penetrated by a horizontal well bore comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing an open ended solid liner in said horizontal well bore;
- (b) pumping a fracturing fluid through said liner and through said open end thereof at a rate and pressure sufficient to create and extend one or more fractures in said formation adjacent to said open end;
- (c) forming one or more openings in said liner at a selected position spaced a distance from said one or more previously created fractures;
- and
- (d) pumping a fracturing fluid through said liner and through said openings at a rate and pressure sufficient to create and extend one or more additional fractures in said formation adjacent to said openings.
An improved method of forming spaced fractures in a subterranean producing zone penetrated by an open hole horizontal well bore comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing an open ended solid liner in said horizontal well bore;
- (b) pumping a fracturing fluid through said liner and through said open end thereof at a rate and pressure sufficient to create and extend one or more fractures in said zone adjacent to said open end;
- (c) forming perforations in said liner at a selected position spaced a distance from said one or more previously created fractures;
- (d) pumping a fracturing fluid through said liner and through said perforations at a rate and pressure sufficient to create and extend one or more additional fractures in said zone adjacent to said perforations;
- and
- (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times.
An improved method of forming a plurality of spaced fractures in a subterranean producing zone penetrated by an open hole horizontal well bore comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing an open ended solid liner in said horizontal well bore;
- (b) pumping a fracturing fluid selected from the group of gelled or non-gelled aqueous fluids, oil based fluids, foams and emulsions through said liner and through said open end thereof at a rate and pressure sufficient to create and extend one or more fractures in said zone adjacent to said open end;
- (c) pumping a wire line operated perforating gun into and through said liner until said perforating gun reaches a selected position spaced a distance from said one or more previously created fractures;
- (d) operating said perforating gun to thereby form perforations in said liner;
- (e) pumping a fracturing fluid selected from the group of gelled or non-gelled aqueous fluids, oil based fluids, foams and emulsions through said liner and through said perforations at a rate and pressure sufficient to create and extend one or more additional fractures in said zone adjacent to said perforations;
- and
- (f) repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) one or more times.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.