Heterogeneous proppant placement in a fracture with removable channelant fill

A method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore, the method comprising:

• injecting a fluid into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation at a pressure equal to or greater than the fracture initiation pressure of the formation, wherein a fracture is formed within the formation;
• injecting a well treatment fluid comprising proppant through a wellbore into the fracture in the formation;
• injecting a well treatment fluid comprising channelant through a wellbore into the fracture in the formation, wherein the channelant comprises a solid acid-precursor to generate acid in the fracture;
• and,
• removing the channelant to form open channels around the pillars for fluid flow from the formation through the fracture toward the wellbore;
• wherein the treatment fluid comprises alternating volumes of proppant-rich fluid separated by volumes containing the channelant.

A method of placing a proppant pack into a fracture formed in a subterranean formation, the method comprising:

• injecting well treatment fluid comprising proppant and channelant through a wellbore into a fracture in a subterranean formation, wherein the channelant comprises a solid acid-precursor to generate acid in the fracture;
• placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters forming pillars spaced apart by the channelant;
• and,
• removing the channelant to form open channels around the pillars for fluid flow from the formation through the fracture toward the wellbore;
• wherein the treatment fluid comprises mixed phases including a discontinuous proppant-rich phase and a channelant-rich phase.

A method of placing a proppant pack into a fracture formed in a subterranean formation, the method comprising:

• injecting well treatment fluid comprising proppant and channelant through a wellbore into a fracture in a subterranean formation, wherein the channelant comprises a solid acid-precursor to generate acid in the fracture;
• placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters forming pillars spaced apart by the channelant;
• and,
• removing the channelant to form open channels around the pillars for fluid flow from the formation through the fracture toward the wellbore;
• wherein the treatment fluid comprises a mixture of the proppant and channelant, and wherein the method comprises segregating the proppant and channelant for the fracture placement.

A method of placing a proppant pack into a fracture formed in a subterranean formation, the method comprising:

• injecting well treatment fluid comprising proppant and channelant through a wellbore into a fracture in a subterranean formation;
• placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters forming pillars spaced apart by the channelant;
• and,
• removing the channelant to form open channels around the pillars for fluid flow from the formation through the fracture toward the wellbore;
• wherein the channelant comprises a solid acid-precursor to generate acid in the fracture.

A method of placing a proppant pack into a fracture formed in a subterranean formation, the method comprising:

• injecting well treatment fluid comprising proppant and channelant through a wellbore into a fracture in a subterranean formation, wherein the channelant comprises a solid acid-precursor to generate acid in the fracture;
• placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters forming pillars spaced apart by the channelant;
• and,
• removing the channelant to form open channels around the pillars for fluid flow from the formation through the fracture toward the wellbore;
• wherein the channelant comprises fibers selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polyethylene terephthalate, polyol, and combinations thereof.

A method of placing a proppant pack into a fracture formed in a subterranean formation, the method comprising:

• injecting well treatment fluid comprising proppant and channelant through a wellbore into a fracture in a subterranean formation;
• placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters forming pillars spaced apart by the channelant;
• and,
• removing the channelant to form open channels around the pillars for fluid flow from the formation through the fracture toward the wellbore;
• wherein the treatment fluid comprises a mixture of the proppant and channelant, the proppant and the channelant segregated by hydroaffinity differences for the fracture placement.

A method of placing a proppant pack into a fracture formed in a subterranean formation, the method comprising:

• injecting well treatment fluid comprising proppant and channelant through a wellbore into a fracture in a subterranean formation, wherein the channelant comprises polyvinyl alcohol;
• placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters forming pillars spaced apart by the channelant;
• and,
• removing the channelant to form open channels around the pillars for fluid flow from the formation through the fracture toward the wellbore;
• wherein the treatment fluid comprises alternating volumes of proppant-rich fluid separated by volumes containing the channelant.