Performance Evaluation and Field Application of a Self-Suspending Proppant

Abstract

When conventional fracturing fluid is used for fracturing, the fluid preparation process is complex, and the formation damage caused by gel residue is serious. In order to solve these problems, a self-suspending proppant has been developed with ceramic sand, instant solution modifier and polymer, and evaluated its comprehensive performance, by which the operation technology of self-suspending proppant was developed. The evaluation results showed that the proppant had such characteristics as short suspending forming time, good suspension stability, temperature and shear resistance, good gel breaking performance and low damage. The field application of the proppant was conducted in well X-1 of an oilfield, the fracturing occurred smoothly, the preparing time of fracturing fluid was short. Significantly, the post-fracturing daily oil production was 2 times higher than that of the offset well X-2 which was stimulated with the conventional fracturing, with remarkable effect in production increase. The results of lab and field tests showed that the self-suspending proppant can achieve the purposes of simplifying fluid preparing process, reducing reservoir damage and raising oil and gas production, with good prospect of popularization and application.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #130005© Petroleum Drilling Techniques, Issue 6, 2018