TYPES OF STIMULATION TECHNIQUES

1. Matrix Acidization
2. Hydraulic Fracturing
3. Fracture Acidizing

Hydraulic fracturing
Hydraulic fracturing (also fracking, fraccing, frac'ing, hydrofracturing or
hydrofracking) is a well stimulation technique in which rock is fractured
by a pressurized liquid. The process involves the high-pressure injection
of 'fracking fluid' (primarily water, containing sand or other proppants
suspended with the aid of thickening agents) into a wellbore to create
cracks in the deep-rock formations through which natural gas,
petroleum, and brine will flow more freely. When the hydraulic pressure
is removed from the well, small grains of hydraulic fracturing proppants
(either sand or aluminium oxide) hold the fractures open.
Hydraulic fracturing fluids:-
Fracturing fluids are pumped into the well to create conductive fractures
and bypass near-wellbore damage in hydrocarbon-bearing zones. The
net result is an expansion in the productive surface-area of the reservoir,
compared to the unfractured formation. A series of chemical additives
are selected to impart a predictable set of properties of the fluid,
including viscosity, friction, formation-compatiblity, and fluid-loss
control.
The ideal fracturing fluid should:

 Be able to transport the propping agent in the fracture

 Be compatible with the formation rock and fluid
 Generate enough pressure drop along the fracture to create a wide
fracture
 Minimize friction pressure losses during injection
 Be formulated using chemical additives that are approved by the local
environmental regulations.
 Exhibit controlled-break to a low-viscosity fluid for cleanup after the
treatment
 Be cost-effective.

The main purposes of fracturing fluid are to extend fractures, add

lubrication, change gel strength, and to carry proppant into the
formation. There are two methods of transporting proppant in the fluid –
high-rate and high-viscosity. High-viscosity fracturing tends to cause
large dominant fractures, while high-rate (slickwater) fracturing causes
small spread-out micro-fractures.
A wide variety of chemical additives are used in hydraulic fracturing
fluids. They include: dilute acids, biocides, breakers, corrosion
inhibitors, crosslinkers, friction reducers, gels, potassium chloride,
oxygen scavengers, pH adjusting agents, scale inhibitors, and
surfactants. These chemical additives typically might make up just 1/2 to
2 percent of the fluid. The remaining 98 to 99 1/2 percent of the fluid is
water. Proppants such as sand, aluminum shot, or ceramic beads are
frequently injected to hold fractures open after the pressure treatment is
completed.
Water-soluble gelling agents (such as guar gum) increase viscosity and
efficiently deliver proppant into the formation.
Fluid is typically a slurry of water, proppant, and chemical additives.
Additionally, gels, foams, and compressed gases, including nitrogen,
carbon dioxide and air can be injected. Typically, 90% of the fluid is
water and 9.5% is sand with chemical additives accounting to about
0.5%. However, fracturing fluids have been developed using liquefied
petroleum gas (LPG) and propane in which water is unnecessary.
Fracture closure pressure is the fluid pressure needed to initiate the
opening of a fracture. This is not the same as the breakdown pressure,
which is the fluid pressure required to initiate a fracture in intact rock.
Closure pressure is equal to the minimum in-situ stress because the
pressure required to open a fracture is the same as the pressure required
to counteract the stress in the rock perpendicular to the fracture. And the
proppant are selected based on the fracture closure stress.
The proppant is a granular material that prevents the created fractures
from closing after the fracturing treatment. Types of proppant include
silica sand, resin-coated sand, bauxite, and man-made ceramics. The
choice of proppant depends on the type of permeability or grain strength
needed. In some formations, where the pressure is great enough to crush
grains of natural silica sand, higher-strength proppants such as bauxite or
ceramics may be used. The most commonly used proppant is silica sand,
though proppants of uniform size and shape, such as a ceramic proppant,
are believed to be more effective.
Proppants are classified on their strength:-
1) Low strength
2) Intermediate strength
3) High strength
Corundum (extremely hard crystallized alumina) is added to the low
strength proppant to increase its strength and when around 80-85%
Corundum is added to it, it becomes Intermediate strength proppant and
when around 90% is added it becomes High strength proppant.
The fracturing fluid varies depending on fracturing type desired, and the
conditions of specific wells being fractured, and water characteristics.
The fluid can be gel, foam, or slickwater-based. Fluid choices are
tradeoffs: more viscous fluids, such as gels, are better at keeping
proppant in suspension; while less-viscous and lower-friction fluids,
such as slickwater, allow fluid to be pumped at higher rates, to create
fractures farther out from the wellbore. Important material properties of
the fluid include viscosity, pH, various rheological factors, and others.
Water is mixed with sand and chemicals to create hydraulic fracturing
fluid. Approximately 40,000 gallons of chemicals are used per
fracturing. A typical fracture treatment uses between 3 and 12 additive
chemicals.
Borate-crosslinked fluids are guar-based fluids cross-linked with boron
ions (from aqueous borax/boric acid solution). These gels have higher
viscosity at pH 9 onwards and are used to carry proppant. After the
fracturing job, the pH is reduced to 3–4 so that the cross-links are
broken, and the gel is less viscous and can be pumped out.

Fracturing Fluid Additives

Additive Type Main Compound(s) Purpose Common Use of
Main Compound
Diluted Acid (15%) Hydrochloric acid or Help dissolve Swimming pool
muriatic acid minerals and initiate chemical and cleaner
cracks in the rock
Biocide Glutaraldehyde Eliminates bacteria in Disinfectant; sterilize
the water that produce medical and dental
corrosive byproducts equipment
Breaker Ammonium persulfate Allows a delayed Bleaching agent in
break down of the gel detergent and hair
polymer chains cosmetics,
manufacture of
household plastics
Used in
N,n-dimethyl Prevents the corrosion
Corrosion Inhibitor pharmaceuticals,
formamide of the pipe
acrylic fibers, plastics
Maintains fluid Laundry detergents,
Crosslinker Borate salts viscosity as hand soaps, and
temperature increases cosmetics
Friction Reducer Polyacrylamide Minimizes friction Water treatment, soil
Mineral oil between the fluid and conditioner
the pipe make-up remover,
laxatives, and candy
Guar gum or Thickens the water in Cosmetics, toothpaste,
Gel hydroxyethyl order to suspend the sauces, baked goods,
cellulose sand ice cream
Food additive,
Prevents precipitation flavoring in food and
Iron Control Citric acid
of metal oxides beverages; Lemon
Juice ~7% Citric Acid
KCI Potassium chloride Creates a brine carrier Low sodium table salt
 fluid substitute
Removes oxygen
Cosmetics, food and
from the water to
Oxygen Scavenger Ammonium bisulfite beverage processing,
protect the pipe from
water treatment
corrosion
Maintains the Washing soda,
Sodium or potassium effectiveness of other detergents, soap,
pH Adjusting Agent
carbonate components, such as water softener, glass
crosslinkers and ceramics
Allows the fractures Drinking water
Proppant Silica, quartz sand to remain open so the filtration, play sand,
gas can escape concrete, brick mortar
Automotive
Prevents scale antifreeze, household
Scale Inhibitor Ethylene glycol
deposits in the pipe cleansers, and deicing
agent
Used to increase the Glass cleaner,
Surfactant Isopropanol viscosity of the antiperspirant, and
fracture fluid hair color

STEPS FOR HYDRAULIC FRACTURING

1) Priming
2) Line test
3) Circulation
4) DCT(DYNAMIC CLOSURE TEST)
5) Mini-Frac (STEP RATE TEST)
6) Main-Frac
7) Flush out