Hydraulic fracturing process

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR HYDRAULICALLY FRACTURING A SUBSURFACE FORMATION PENETRATED BY THE BOREHOLE OF A WELL, SAID SUBSURFACE FORMATION BEING EXPOSED TO LIQUIDS DISPLACED INTO SAID BOREHOLE, COMPRISING PUMPING A LIQUID FREE OF PROPPING AGENT INTO THE WELL, CONTINUING THE PUMPING OF THE LIQUID INTO THE WELL WHEREBY THE PRESSURE WITHIN THE WELL INCREASES UNTIL A BREAK IN THE PRESSURE INDICATES THE CREATION OF A FRACTURE IN THE FORMATION, AFTER CREATION OF THE FRACTURE DISPLACING INTO THE FRACTURE A PROPPING-AGENTFREE LIQUID CONTAINING A FLUID-LOSS ADDITIVE CAPABLE OF FORMING A SEAL ON THE EXPOSED SURFACES OF THE FRACTURE TO REDUCE LOSS OF FRACTURING LIQUID THERETHROUGH TO EXTEND THE FRACTURE A DESIRED DISTANCE INTO THE FORMATION, AND THEREAFTER DISPLACING INTO THE FRACTURE AT A RATE IN EXCESS OF 10 BARRELS PER MINUTE A SUSPENSION IN A LOW-PENETRATING LIQUID OF A PROPPING AGENT WHEREBY THE PROPPING AGENT IS PLACED IN THE FRACTURE TO HOLD THE FRACTURE OPEN, THE CONCENTRATION OF THE POPPING AGENT IN THE LOW PENETRATING LIQUID BEING BETWEEN 0.05 AND 10 POUNDS PER GALLON OF LOW PENETRATING LIQUID AND EFFECTIVE TO FORM A MONOLAYER OF PROPPING AGENT IN THE FRACTURE.