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US 9,958,572 B2Granted
Synthetic test beds for fracturing optimization and methods of manufacture and use thereof
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsAndy Cheng Chang, Syed Muhammad Farrukh Hamza, Matthew Lewis Lahman, Jesse Clay Hampton, Ruixiang Gu, Stephen Byrne Persac
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Abstract
A multi-layer composite synthetic test bed may be used to model fracture propagation and fracture networks. For example, a fracturing fluid may be introduced into a multi-layer composite synthetic test bed at a pressure and a flow rate sufficient to create a fracture network therein. Then, the fracture network may be analyzed to produce synthetic fracture data, which may be used in a fracture model.
Claims17
A method comprising:
- determining materials of construction that correlate to properties of a selected rock lithology for a corresponding subterranean formation;
- forming a multi-layer composite synthetic test bed comprising a plurality of layers in an alternating configuration that corresponds to the selected rock lithology using the materials of construction, the multi-layer composite synthetic test bed being configured to fracture in a manner that corresponds to downhole fracturing in the corresponding subterranean formation based on the selected rock lithology, the materials of construction comprising at least one polymer and an additive;
- introducing a fracturing fluid into the multi-layer composite synthetic test bed at a pressure and a flow rate sufficient to create a fracture network therein;
- obtaining imaging data indicating a fracture propagation in the fracture network from one or more sensor devices coupled to the multi-layer composite synthetic test bed;
- and
- producing synthetic fracture data based on the obtained imaging data.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- determining materials of construction that correlate to properties of a selected rock lithology for a corresponding subterranean formation;
- forming a multi-layer composite synthetic test bed comprising a plurality of layers in an alternating configuration that corresponds to the selected rock lithology using the materials of construction, the multi-layer composite synthetic test bed being configured to fracture in a manner that corresponds to downhole fracturing in the corresponding subterranean formation based on the selected rock lithology, the materials of construction comprising at least one polymer and an additive;
- introducing a fracturing fluid into the multi-layer composite synthetic test bed at a pressure and a flow rate sufficient to create a fracture network therein;
- analyzing the fracture network by at least one of (1), (2), or (3) using imaging data indicating a fracture propagation in the fracture network to produce a corresponding synthetic fracture data of (A), (B), or (C):
- (1) mapping the fracture network to produce (A) a map of the fracture network;
- (2) analyzing a birefringence in a material of the multi-layer composite synthetic test bed surrounding at least a portion of the fracture network to produce (B) a stress of the material associated with the birefringence;
- and
- (3) viewing at least a portion of the fracture network at an intersection of two layers of the multi-layer composite synthetic test bed to produce (C) a geometry of the portion of the fracture network at the intersection of the two layers;
- and
- correlating the synthetic fracture data to actual fracture data of the corresponding subterranean formation to produce correlated fracture data.
7 more elements
A system comprising:
- a multi-layer composite synthetic test bed comprising a plurality of layers in an alternating configuration that corresponds to a selected rock lithology for a corresponding subterranean formation using materials of construction that correlate to properties of the selected rock lithology, the multi-layer composite synthetic test bed being configured to fracture in a manner that corresponds to downhole fracturing in the corresponding subterranean formation based on the selected rock lithology, the materials of construction comprising at least one polymer and an additive;
- and
- a processor configured to:
- obtain imaging data indicating a fracture propagation in a fracture network from one or more sensor devices coupled to the multi-layer composite synthetic test bed;
- produce synthetic fracture data based on the obtained imaging data, the fracture network being created based on a fracturing fluid introduced into the multi-layer composite synthetic test bed at a pressure and a flow rate sufficient to create the fracture network therein;
- and
- correlate the synthetic fracture data to actual fracture data of the corresponding subterranean formation to produce correlated fracture data.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.