US4635719A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for hydraulic fracture propagation in hydrocarbon-bearing formations
Assignee: Columbia University
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Filing: 1986-01-24
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Granted: 1987-01-13
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Expires: 2006-01-24
Abstract
Abstract A hydrocarbon-bearing strata in a hydrocarbon producing well is fractured using a fracture pressure which will not propagate the fracture into adjacent overlying and underlying non-producing strata. The least principal compressive stress S3 of the hydrocarbon bearing strata and the adjacent overlying and underlying strata are determined by the relationship <IMAGE> where S1 is the maximum principle compressive stress, PF is the pore fluid pressure, and u is the coefficient of friction. The fracturing pressure is selected to be greater than S3 for the hydrocarbon bearing strata but less than S3 for the adjacent overlying and underlying non-producing strata. Hydrocarbon bearing formations suitable for hydraulic fracturing can also be identified.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark D. Zoback
- 👤 Cecil B. Raleigh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 00:01
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/25; E21B43/26; E21B49/00; E21B49/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of hydraulically fracturing a hydrocarbon-bearing strata in a hydrocarbon producing well comprising: providing a hydrocarbon-producing well having a hydrocarbon bearing strata, a bounding non-producing strata overlying the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, and a bounding non-producing strata underlying the hydrocarbon-producing strata; determining the maximum principal compressive stress S 1 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata; determining the pore fluid pressure P F for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata; determining the coefficient of friction u for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata; determining the least principal compressive stress S 3 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata using the equation: ##EQU5## using the respective determined values of S 1 , P F , and u for said respective determinations of S 3 ; hydraulically fracturing the hydrocarbon-bearing strata with a fracturing pressure selected greater than said determined S 3 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata and less than the S 3 determined for the overlying bounding non-producing strata and the underlying bounding non-producing strata.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of hydraulically fracturing a hydrocarbon-bearing strata in a hydrocarbon producing well comprising: providing a hydrocarbon-producing well having a hydrocarbon bearing strata, a bounding non-producing strata overlying the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, and a bounding non-producing strata underlying the hydrocarbon-producing strata; determining the maximum principal compressive stress S 1 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata; determining the pore fluid pressure P F for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata; determining the coefficient of friction u for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata; determining the least principal compressive stress S 3 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata using the equation: ##EQU5## using the respective determined values of S 1 , P F , and u for said respective determinations of S 3 ; hydraulically fracturing the hydrocarbon-bearing strata with a fracturing pressure selected greater than said determined S 3 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata and less than the S 3 determined for the overlying bounding non-producing strata and the underlying bounding non-producing strata.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein S 1 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding strata, and the underlying bounding strata is determined by the formula S 1 =pgZ where p is density, g is the acceleration of gravity and Z is depth.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein the same p and Z are used for determining S 1 in the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding strata and the underlying bounding strata.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said well has more than one hydrocarbon-bearing strata and each hydrocarbon bearing strata has associated therewith a bounding overlying non-producing strata and a bounding underlying non-producing strata.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 4 wherein said well is located in an area where stress states are those of normal faulting equilibrium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said well is located in an area where stress states are those of normal faulting equilibrium.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
197 words
A method for ascertaining that a hydrocarbon-bearing strata in a hydrocarbon producing well is suitable for hydraulic fracturing comprising: providing a hydrocarbon-producing well having a hydrocarbon bearing strata, a bounding non-producing strata overlying the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, and a bounding non-producing strata underlying the hydrocarbon-producing strata; determining the principal compressive stress S 1 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata; determining the pore fluid pressure P F for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata; determining the coefficient of friction u for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata; determining the least principal compressive stress S 3 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata using the equation: ##EQU6## using the respective determined values of S 1 , P F , and u for said respective determinations of S 3 ; comparing the determined S 3 for the hydrocarbon bearing strata with the determined S 3 for the overlying bounding non-producing strata and the underlying bounding non-producing strata to ascertain the suitability of the hydrocarbon bearing strata for fracture.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
197 words
A method for ascertaining that a hydrocarbon-bearing strata in a hydrocarbon producing well is suitable for hydraulic fracturing comprising: providing a hydrocarbon-producing well having a hydrocarbon bearing strata, a bounding non-producing strata overlying the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, and a bounding non-producing strata underlying the hydrocarbon-producing strata; determining the principal compressive stress S 1 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata; determining the pore fluid pressure P F for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata; determining the coefficient of friction u for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata; determining the least principal compressive stress S 3 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata using the equation: ##EQU6## using the respective determined values of S 1 , P F , and u for said respective determinations of S 3 ; comparing the determined S 3 for the hydrocarbon bearing strata with the determined S 3 for the overlying bounding non-producing strata and the underlying bounding non-producing strata to ascertain the suitability of the hydrocarbon bearing strata for fracture.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 7 further comprising hydraulically fracturing the hydrocarbon bearing strata if S 3 for the overlying bounding non-producing strata and the underlying bounding non-producing strata is sufficiently greater than S 3 for the hydrocarbon bearing strata to permit hydraulic fracturing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 7 further comprising hydraulically fracturing the hydrocarbon bearing strata if S 3 for the overlying bounding non-producing strata and the underlying bounding non-producing strata is at least approximately 100 psi greater than S 3 for the hydrocarbon bearing strata.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 7 further comprising refraining from hydraulically fracturing the hydrocarbon bearing strata if S 3 for the overlying bounding non-producing strata and the underlying bounding non-producing strata is insufficiently greater than S 3 for the hydrocarbon bearing strata to permit fracturing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method according to claim 7 further comprising refraining from hydraulically fracturing the hydrocarbon bearing strata if S 3 for the overlying bounding non-producing strata and the underlying bounding non-producing strata is less than approximately 100 psi greater than S 3 for the hydrocarbon bearing strata.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
342 words
A method of hydraulically fracturing a hydrocarbon-bearing strata in a hydrocarbon producing well comprising: providing one hydrocarbon-producing well having a hydrocarbon bearing strata, a bounding non-producing strata overlying the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, and a bounding non-producing strata underlying the hydrocarbon-producing strata; determining the principal compressive stress S 1 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata of said one hydrocarbon producing well; determining the pore fluid pressure P F for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata of said one hydrocarbon producing well; determining the coefficient of friction u for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata of said one hydrocarbon producing well; determining the least principal compressive stress S 3 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata of said one hydrocarbon producing well using the equation: ##EQU7## using the respective determined values of S 1 , P F , and u for said respective determinations of S 3 ; hydraulically fracturing the hydrocarbon-bearing strata of said one hydrocarbon producing well with a fracturing pressure selected greater than said determined S 3 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata and less than said determined S 3 for the overlying bounding non-producing strata and the underlying bounding non-producing strata of said one hydrocarbon producing well; providing another hydrocarbon producing well having a hydrocarbon bearing strata, a bounding non-producing strata overlying the hydrocarbon bearing strata, and bounding non-producing strata underlying the hydrocarbon bearing strata wherein S 3 for said hydrocarbon bearing strata, said overlying bounding non-producing strata, and said underlying bounding non-producing strata of said another well are ascertained to be approximately the same as S 3 for said hydrocarbon bearing strata, said overlying bounding non-producing strata, and said underlying bounding non-producimg strata of said one well; hydraulically fracturing said hydrocarbon bearing strata of said another well with a fracturing pressure approximately the same as the fracturing pressure used to fracture said hydrocarbon bearing strata of said one well.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
342 words
A method of hydraulically fracturing a hydrocarbon-bearing strata in a hydrocarbon producing well comprising: providing one hydrocarbon-producing well having a hydrocarbon bearing strata, a bounding non-producing strata overlying the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, and a bounding non-producing strata underlying the hydrocarbon-producing strata; determining the principal compressive stress S 1 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata of said one hydrocarbon producing well; determining the pore fluid pressure P F for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata of said one hydrocarbon producing well; determining the coefficient of friction u for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata of said one hydrocarbon producing well; determining the least principal compressive stress S 3 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata, the overlying bounding non-producing strata, and the underlying bounding non-producing strata of said one hydrocarbon producing well using the equation: ##EQU7## using the respective determined values of S 1 , P F , and u for said respective determinations of S 3 ; hydraulically fracturing the hydrocarbon-bearing strata of said one hydrocarbon producing well with a fracturing pressure selected greater than said determined S 3 for the hydrocarbon-bearing strata and less than said determined S 3 for the overlying bounding non-producing strata and the underlying bounding non-producing strata of said one hydrocarbon producing well; providing another hydrocarbon producing well having a hydrocarbon bearing strata, a bounding non-producing strata overlying the hydrocarbon bearing strata, and bounding non-producing strata underlying the hydrocarbon bearing strata wherein S 3 for said hydrocarbon bearing strata, said overlying bounding non-producing strata, and said underlying bounding non-producing strata of said another well are ascertained to be approximately the same as S 3 for said hydrocarbon bearing strata, said overlying bounding non-producing strata, and said underlying bounding non-producimg strata of said one well; hydraulically fracturing said hydrocarbon bearing strata of said another well with a fracturing pressure approximately the same as the fracturing pressure used to fracture said hydrocarbon bearing strata of said one well.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-01-12 | 1990-07-14 | 1991-01-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-01-12 | 1994-07-14 | 1995-01-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-01-12 | 1998-07-14 | 1999-01-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |