Controlling fractures during well treatment

Claim 1

IN THE METHOD OF FRACTURING A SUBTERRANEAN FORMA TION PENETRATED BY A WELL EMPLOYING A FRACTURING LIQUID, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: (1) INITIATING A FRACTURE IN THE FORMATION BY INJECTING DOWN THE WELL AND INTO THE FORMATION AT FRACTURING PRESSURES A FIRST LIQUID CONTAINING BETWEEN ABOUT 0.1 AND 12 POUNDS OF A PARTICULATE PROPPING AGENT, PER GALLON OF SAID FIRST LIQUID, SAID AGENT BEING SUBSTANTIALLY INSOLUBLE IN LIQUIDS EMPLOYED IN THE FRACTURING TREATMENT AND IN FORMATION LIQUIDS AT A RATE OF INJECTION WHICH IS SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO PREVENT SCREENING OUT OF THE PROPPING AGENT IN THE WELLBORE BUT AT A RATE WHICH IS NOT SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THAT NECESSARY TO CARRY THE PROPPING AGENT INTO FRACTURES WHEREBY THE PROPPING AGENT DROPS TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FRACTURES TO INHIBIT SUBSEQUENT FACTURING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE FRACTURING ZONE AND (2) INJECTING DOWN THE WELL AND INTO THE INITIATED FRACTURE IN THE FORMATION A SECOND LIQUID CONTAINING BETWEEN ABOUT 0.25 AND 7 POUNDS OF A PARTICULATE PROPPING AGENT SUBSTANTIALLY INSOLUBLE IN LIQUIDS EMPLOYED IN THE FRACTURING TREATMENT AND IN FORMATION LIQUIDS, PER GALLON OF SAID SECOND LIQUID, WHEREBY SAID SECON LIQUID IS DIVERTED FROM THE BOTTOM PORTIONS OF THE FRACTURING ZONE TO CREATE FRACTURES EXTENDING PRINCIPALY OUTWARDLY AND UPWARDLY FROM THE POINT OF ENTRANCE OF THE FRACTURING LIQUIDS INTO THE FORMATION.