Summary This paper shows proppant-induced pressure increase (i.e., tip screenout, pack, body pack, etc.) can relate to restricted vertical and lateral proppant distribution in hydraulic fractures. The discussion focuses on interpretation of the character of the pressure response during the proppant stages. Essentially, this pressure response relates directly to the quality of the production response and the level of success. The technology presented has been found to apply to all rock types, frac packs, and low-permeability and water-frac applications. This area of study is based on extensive engineering studies and common sense observation. Prior to publication of this work, this approach fit the reservoir engineering interpretation of the producing character and advanced fracture-treatment-pressure interpretation on a minimum of 1,000 wells. When premature proppant-induced friction occurs in the hydraulically induced fracture, lateral and vertical proppant distribution adjacent to the pay interval can be affected negatively. Restricted proppant distribution results in less effective stimulation because proppant is not distributed well both vertically and laterally adjacent to the pay interval. The fracture stimulation may have been "put away;" but the negative aspects of how the stimulation was designed and implemented may have a significant effect on the resultant production response. To establish the basis for additional thought and investigation, there is discussion about deficiencies in overly simplified pretreatment minifracture-analysis procedures. Many of these analysis methods are not focused on the proppant-induced friction character, and therefore do not optimize proppant distribution. Discussion is provided regarding differences in the proppant-induced friction character of various fracturing fluids which is not an inherent variable typically included in fracture-treatment-design methodology.
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Aud et al. (2001) studied this question.