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 Proving It — A Review of 80 Published Field Studies Demonstrating the Importance of Increased Fracture Conductivity
M.C. Vincent, SPE, CARBO Ceramics Inc.
This paper summarizes the results of over 80 field studies where well productivity was improved by increasing the fracture conductivity. The paper shows that regardless of the production fluid (oil, gas or condensate), location (over 50 regions worldwide), operating company (over 70), oil production rate (2 BOPD to 25,000 BOPD), gas production rate (1 MMCFD to 100 MCFD), formation (sandstone or carbonate), depth (1500 ft coal bed methane to 20,000 ft sandstones), or permeability (0.009 to 100 md) higher conductivity fractures were proven by over 250 authors to improve cash flow.
This paper continues to confirm that, despite the failure of existing models to predict the benefits, both well productivity and profit can be economically improved by placing higher conductivity fracture stimulations. These benefits are shown to be achieved via wider fractures, superior proppants and larger proppant diameters.
The wide variety of studies highlighted in this paper allows the engineer to quickly reference an analogous field from which to compare potential results and/or calibrate production models. With a bibliography of over 100 entries, this paper should be a reference mainstay for most engineers.
Summaries of all 80 of the papers referenced in SPE 77675 can be found in the Regional SPE Papers summary map.
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