Fracture Geometry and Proppant-Transport Computation for Multiple-Fluid Treatment

This paper incorporates expressions for changing the flow-behavior index, n', and the flow-consistency index, K', of fracturing fluids used in any treatment into a dynamic procedure for fracture design to determine simultaneously the temperature profile, viscosity profile, location of each fluid, and location of each proppant in the fracture, together with the resulting geometry. After pumping ceases, the effect of temperature recovery on proppant deposition and fracture closure is also considered. Several examples demonstrate the effective use of this new procedure for better fracture design. These examples show the effect of temperature on fluid behavior and its influence on proppant deposition in the fracture.