Experimental investigation shows how closure pressure affects permeability and conductivity in reservoir rock, indicating proppant selection is crucial.
Abstract Prior to conducting hydraulic fracturing operations, evaluating how proppants interact with cored reservoir rock can play a critical role in selecting the most suitable proppant type. This study introduces a newly developed testing apparatus and associated methodology designed for on-site evaluation of a monolayer proppant pack within a simulated fracture. The experimental investigation focuses on how increasing closure pressure impacts fracture width, permeability, and conductivity when a monolayer proppant pack is present. The custom-built equipment is capable of applying closure pressures up to 65.5 MPa while simultaneously measuring the fluid flow rate through the system. Observations were made on how various fracture parameters respond to escalating closure pressures, with results thoroughly assessed and interpreted. Before Hydraulic-fracturing operations, a pre-analysis of proppant's interaction with cored reservoir-rock can significantly contribute in selection of proppant type.
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Shekhawat et al. (2025) studied this question.
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