The Role of Stresses versus Rock Fabric on Hydraulic Fractures

Sidney Green
Schlumberger

The invention that has made possible recovery of gas and liquids from tight shales is horizontal wells and massive hydraulic fracturing. The fracturing must create enough lasting connected and conductive surface area to economically produce from the extremely low permeability rock formations. The surface area must be located in the region of high Reservoir Quality, in a fracture pattern that provides the highest recovery possible. This hydraulic fracturing process is a competition between the in situ stresses versus the rock properties—particularly the rock fabric for many shales. In some formations the stresses will dominate and in others the rock fabric will dominate. This paper reviews the process and speaks to role of the rock fabric.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90178©2013 AAPG Geosciences Technology Workshop, Baltimore, Maryland, July 16-17, 2013