Multiple Fracturing Technique for Enhanced Gas Recovery

摘要

The use of progressively burning propellants is a promising new technique for producing multiple fractures in a wellbore. Three series of multiple fracturing experiments have been conducted under realistic in situ conditions and directly observed by mineback in a tunnel complex at the Nevada Test Site. The first two series (1-3) showed that multiple fracturing by propellant deflagration is feasible and depends most critically on the initial pressure loading rate produced by the propellant burn. The most recent series verified scaling criteria developed by semi-empirical and analytical modeling. It showed that results from small scale tests can be adequately scaled and that they can provide an effective method for investigating and optimizing multiple fracture generation and extension, for developing optimum propellants for multiple fracturing, and testing technologies such as forcing proppant into fractures. (ERA citation 06:028166)