Subsurface Characterization of Hydraulic Fracture Test Site-2 (HFTS-2), Delaware Basin

The hydraulic fracture test was developed under the Strategic Highway Research Program to address the need for a more rapid, less expensive test for concrete aggregate freeze–thaw durability. Although the test concept appeared sound, the original test and analysis procedures were not sufficiently reliable and accurate to merit widespread adoption and implementation. Several follow-up research efforts have been performed, and each has resulted in improvements to the test. The results of the most recent study, which evaluated changes in both the test procedure (to include additional test sieves for better characterization of particle fractures) and the analysis procedures, are described. The “hydraulic fracture index” has been replaced by a model that predicts freeze–thaw test dilation as a function of the distribution of particle mass retained on the test sieves. This model was developed using data obtained from freeze–thaw and hydraulic fracture testing of 18 quarried carbonate and gravel aggregate sources; the resulting correlation is exceptional ( r2 = 0.98). An additional improvement is the development of a large test chamber capable of handling aggregate samples five times larger than the original small chamber, which thereby allows aggregate durability characterization with a single test run. It is believed that the hydraulic fracture test is now ready for more broad-based validation testing and eventual widespread acceptance and implementation as an accurate screening tool for concrete aggregate freeze–thaw durability.

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Hydraulic Fracture Test Site Drained Rock Volume and Recovery Factors Visualized by Scaled Complex Analysis Method (CAM): Emulating Multiple Data Sources (Production Rates, Water Cuts, Pressure Gauges, Flow Regime Changes, and b-Sigmoids)

Proceedings of the 8th Unconventional Resources Technology Conference ◽

10.15530/urtec-2020-2434 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ruud Weijermars ◽

Kiran Nandlal ◽

Murat Tugan ◽

Ron Dusterhoft ◽

Neil Stegent

Keyword(s):

Flow Regime ◽

Hydraulic Fracture ◽

Complex Analysis ◽

Test Site ◽

Data Sources ◽

Analysis Method ◽

Fracture Test ◽

Regime Changes ◽

Multiple Data ◽

Drained Rock Volume

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Novel Geochemistry Determined from High Pressure, High Temperature Simulation Experiments of Hydraulic Fracture Test Site 2

Proceedings of the 9th Unconventional Resources Technology Conference ◽

10.15530/urtec-2021-5219 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Djuna Gulliver ◽

Preom Sarkar ◽

Kara Tinker ◽

Nicholas Means ◽

James Fazio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Pressure ◽

High Temperature ◽

Hydraulic Fracture ◽

Test Site ◽

Fracture Test ◽

Simulation Experiments ◽

High Pressure High Temperature

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Stratigraphically Controlled Stress Variations at the Hydraulic Fracture Test Site-1 in the Midland Basin, TX

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14248328 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (24) ◽

pp. 8328

Author(s):

Arjun Kohli ◽

Mark Zoback

Keyword(s):

Hydraulic Fracturing ◽

Hydraulic Fracture ◽

Active Faults ◽

Horizontal Wells ◽

Test Site ◽

Stress Profile ◽

Fracture Test ◽

Orientation Data ◽

Stress Measurements ◽

Fracture Growth

We investigated the relationship between stratigraphy, stress, and microseismicity at the Hydraulic Fracture Test Site-1. The site comprises two sets of horizontal wells in the Wolfcamp shale and a deviated well drilled after hydraulic fracturing. Regional stresses indicate normal/strike-slip faulting with E-W compression. Stress measurements in vertical and horizontal wells show that the minimum principal stress varies with depth. Strata with high clay and organic content show high values of the least compressive stress, consistent with the theory of viscous stress relaxation. By integrating data from core, logs, and the hydraulic fracturing stages, we constructed a stress profile for the Wolfcamp sequence, which predicts how much pressure is required for hydraulic fracture growth. We applied the results to fracture orientation data from image logs to determine the population of pre-existing faults that are expected to slip during stimulation. We also determined microseismic focal plane mechanisms and found slip on steeply dipping planes striking NW, consistent with the orientations of potentially active faults predicted by the stress model. This case study represents a general approach for integrating stress measurements and rock properties to predict hydraulic fracture growth and the characteristics of injection-induced microseismicity.

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