Method of fracturing oil wells

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF TREATING AN OIL- OR GAS-BEARING EARTH FORMATION PENTRATED BY THE BORE OF WELL SO AS TO FRACTURE THE OIL- OR GAS-BEARING FORMATIONS AND PROP OPEN THE FRACTURES WITHOUT PERMANENTLY PROPPING OPEN FRACTURES WHICH MAY BE PRODUCED IN A WATER- OR BRINE-BEARING FORMATION CONTIGUOUS TO THE OIL- OR GAS-BEARING FORMATION WHICH COMPRISES INJECTING INTO THE WELL BORE AND THENCE INTO THE EARTH FORMATIONS PENETRATED BY THE WELL BORE A MIXTURE COMPRISING A NON-AQUEOUS FRACTURING LIQUID AND AS THE SOLE PROPPING MATERIAL A SOLID WATER-SOLUBLE PARTICULATED SOLID INSOLUBLE IN THE SAID FRACTURING LIQUID IN THE PROPORTIONS OF ABOUT 0.1 TO 8 POUNDS OF THE PARTICULATED SOLID PER GALLON OF THE FRACTURING LIQUID, THE PARTICLES BEING SMALL ENOUGH TO PASS THROUGH A NO. 6 STANDARD SIEVE AND LARGE ENOUGH NOT TO PASS THROUGH A NO. 60 STANDARD SIEVE, THE INJECTION BEING MADE AT A RATE SUFFICIENT TO RAISE THE PRESSURE ON THE MIXTURE IN THE WELL BORE TO AT LEAST THE BREAKDOWN PRESSURE OF THE OIL- OR GAS-BEARING FORMATION TO THEREBY FRACTURE THE SAME, CONTINUING THE INJECTION AFTER THE BREAKDOWN PRESSURE IS ATTAINED UNTIL AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE MIXTURE IN THE WELL HOLE IS DISPLACED THEREFROM INTO THE ADJACENT EARTH FORMATION, AND FORTHWITH PUTTING THE WELL INTO PRODUCTION.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF TREATING AN OIL- OR GAS-BEARING EARTH FORMATION PENTRATED BY THE BORE OF WELL SO AS TO FRACTURE THE OIL- OR GAS-BEARING FORMATIONS AND PROP OPEN THE FRACTURES WITHOUT PERMANENTLY PROPPING OPEN FRACTURES WHICH MAY BE PRODUCED IN A WATER- OR BRINE-BEARING FORMATION CONTIGUOUS TO THE OIL- OR GAS-BEARING FORMATION WHICH COMPRISES INJECTING INTO THE WELL BORE AND THENCE INTO THE EARTH FORMATIONS PENETRATED BY THE WELL BORE A MIXTURE COMPRISING A NON-AQUEOUS FRACTURING LIQUID AND AS THE SOLE PROPPING MATERIAL A SOLID WATER-SOLUBLE PARTICULATED SOLID INSOLUBLE IN THE SAID FRACTURING LIQUID IN THE PROPORTIONS OF ABOUT 0.1 TO 8 POUNDS OF THE PARTICULATED SOLID PER GALLON OF THE FRACTURING LIQUID, THE PARTICLES BEING SMALL ENOUGH TO PASS THROUGH A NO. 6 STANDARD SIEVE AND LARGE ENOUGH NOT TO PASS THROUGH A NO. 60 STANDARD SIEVE, THE INJECTION BEING MADE AT A RATE SUFFICIENT TO RAISE THE PRESSURE ON THE MIXTURE IN THE WELL BORE TO AT LEAST THE BREAKDOWN PRESSURE OF THE OIL- OR GAS-BEARING FORMATION TO THEREBY FRACTURE THE SAME, CONTINUING THE INJECTION AFTER THE BREAKDOWN PRESSURE IS ATTAINED UNTIL AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE MIXTURE IN THE WELL HOLE IS DISPLACED THEREFROM INTO THE ADJACENT EARTH FORMATION, AND FORTHWITH PUTTING THE WELL INTO PRODUCTION.