Article
Energy & Fuels
Lucas Basiuk, Frederico Irou Roschzttardtz, Matias E. Fernandez, Luis A. Pugnaloni, Martin Sanchez
Summary: Experimental and numerical studies have been conducted on proppant transport in scaled laboratory fractures to understand hydraulic stimulation in hydrocarbon reservoirs. Results show that roughness of fracture walls can significantly affect proppant deposition, with little impact on low pumping rates. Different flow configurations at the fracture tip were also tested, with minimal impact on proppant deposition, indicating robustness of results against changes in outflow configuration.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Beatriz Ramos Barboza, Bin Chen, Chenfeng Li
Summary: Proppant transport is a critical process in hydraulic fracturing for reservoir stimulation in petroleum engineering. Computational modelling has been increasingly used due to limitations and high costs of well logging, but there is still a need for rigorous validation and justification.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Hai Qu, Rui Wang, Xiang Ao, Zhonghua Liu, Hun Lin, Qianhua Xiao
Summary: Experimental investigation of particle-fluid flow in a vertical nonplanar fracture showed that narrowing width complicates slurry flow and reduces bed coverage area, with vortex flow appearing at the contraction of the cross-section and irregular bed formation due to non-uniform placement. A mathematical model was developed to predict the coverage percentage of the particle bed.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hao Zeng, Yan Jin, Hai Qu, Yun-Hu Lu
Summary: Hydraulic fracturing is crucial for the development of deep shale gas reservoirs. Placing small proppants in complex narrow fractures effectively is a key challenge. This study investigates particle transport and distribution in a narrow planar channel with varied particle and fluid parameters. Four dimensionless parameters are introduced to describe particle transport in narrow fractures. The results show that fluid fingers and small particle aggregation may occur in highly viscous fluids in narrow channels, leading to particle settlement near the entrance. Low viscous fluids facilitate particle dispersion in the fracture, especially at high fluid velocities.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Zhiying Wu, Chunfang Wu, Linbo Zhou
Summary: This study experimentally examines the proppant transport and placement in narrow curving channels and analyzes the factors affecting particle placement in curving fractures. The results show that non-uniform proppant placement occurs in curving fractures, with a lower dune height and covered area compared to straight fractures. The curving pathway hinders proppant distribution and leads to a dune closer to the inlet. Additionally, a large depleted zone is formed in the curving section, hindering oil and gas flowback.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Hai Qu, Xiangjun Chen, Xu Liu, Ying Liu, Zhelun Li, Zhijun Zeng
Summary: Slurry flow in a horizontal pipe with side holes was studied using experiments and numerical simulations. The effects of hole arrangement, diameter ratio, fluid parameters, and particle properties were analyzed. The results showed that the slurry flow regime varied depending on the hole-arrangement patterns, and a regression model was developed to evaluate particle distribution uniformity.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Duo Wang, Sanbai Li, Dongxiao Zhang, Zhejun Pan
Summary: The transport mechanism of densely-packed proppant bed is numerically investigated using the lattice Boltzmann-discrete element coupling method (LB-DEM). This study focuses on the bedload transport of settled proppants in the primary fracture. The results show a nonlinear relationship between particle flux and fluid flux, which is attributed to the shear-thinning property of the proppant bed. The research contributes to an improved hydraulic fracturing operation by optimizing the fracturing fluid injection scheme and proppant flowback control.
Review
Energy & Fuels
Shanshan Yao, Chunli Chang, Ke Hai, Hai Huang, Huazhou Li
Summary: This paper critically reviewed proppant settling in hydraulic fractures, identified six influencing factors, and highlighted a gap between experimental studies and numerical simulations.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Petroleum
Lei Hou, Yiyan Cheng, Derek Elsworth, Honglei Liu, Jianhua Ren
Summary: Sand screenout is a serious challenge in hydraulic fracturing, and this research proposes a method combining data-driven methods and field measurements for continuous evaluation and prediction of screenout probability. By optimizing the inputs and training a deep learning model, the probability of screenout can be accurately predicted, and the effect of pump rate on screenout probability is analyzed.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yiwen Gong, Ilham El-Monier, Mohamed Mehana
Summary: The study used a coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian approach to quantify proppant distributions in complex fracture networks and validated the method's effectiveness. It was found that networks with secondary and tertiary fractures tend to receive more proppant, and the impact of fracturing fluid viscosity on proppant transport varies.
Article
Thermodynamics
Hai Qu, Yang Xu, Ying Liu, Zhelun Li, Xu Liu, Zhijun Zeng, Ruichang Guo
Summary: This paper proposes a novel method to study the particle transport characteristics in rock fractures by combining three-dimensional laser scanning and casting technology. The experimental results show that distorted streamlines, vortexes, sand settling, and dispersion are primary characteristics of particle transport. Increasing fluid velocity and viscosity can improve particle distribution.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Huan Peng, Wenzhe Li, Juncheng Liu, Junliang Peng, Huifen Han, Jiayi Liu, Dan Liu, Zhifan Yang
Summary: With the development of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, volume fracturing technology using slickwater and drag-reducing agent has become an important method for developing shale gas and tight sandstone gas reservoirs effectively. Polyacrylamide, as a widely used water-soluble drag-reducing agent, can enhance the stimulation effect of volume fracturing. Experimental studies on proppant settlement in fractures and the effects of different operation parameters provide strong support for material and parameter optimization in volume fracturing for unconventional oil and gas reservoirs.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shabeeb Alajmei
Summary: Ensuring even distribution of proppant in treatments involving multiple stages and clusters is crucial. This study proposes a correlation that accurately predicts proppant distribution and suggests that injecting more proppant at a higher rate helps allocate it evenly. However, a nonuniform distribution can occur with increased proppant diameter.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Mingkun Lv, Tiankui Guo, Xuliang Jia, Duwu Wen, Ming Chen, Yunpeng Wang, Zhanqing Qu, Daibing Ma
Summary: This study investigates the impact of two different pump schedules on proppant transport behavior and sand dune shape through experiments and numerical simulations. The results show that a pump schedule with constant proppant concentration facilitates proppant transport and reduces flow fluctuations, while a pump schedule with stepwise increasing proppant concentration enhances the filling of near-well fractures.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Bo Zhang, Ranjith Pathegama Gamage, Chengpeng Zhang, Ayal Wanniarachchi
Summary: This study investigates how fracture roughness affects proppant transport and placement using an improved computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method. The results show that increasing fracture roughness enhances the lateral conveyance of proppant and reduces its settling velocity. The fractal dimension of fracture walls and the fracture inclination angle also influence proppant movement and deposition.
