Optimizing Hydraulic Fracture Designs in Formations With Poor Containment

Hydraulic fracturing is a commonly used technique to improve hydrocarbon recovery from low permeability reservoirs. Practical fracturing treatments are designed to maximize the high conductivity propped fracture area in pay while minimizing the formation damage resulting from various fractures materials within economic constraints. The effectiveness of hydraulic fractures can be greatly improved by controlling the geometry of the created fracture to maximize the fraction of the fracture area in the pay zone. In situations where vertical fractures tend to migrate due to insufficient fracture containment, the effectiveness of a treatment may be increased by using a number of techniques. These include the proper selection of the perforation placements, controlling pumping rates and the use of various fluid types and other additives. Some of these techniques are currently under investigation in a Gas Research Institute funded project in western tight sands formations. This paper reviews general considerations regarding hydraulic fracture designs, and presents the development of a perforation placement technique and a field application to verify the technique.