Patent · US Expired

Means and method for assessing the geometry of a subterranean fracture during or after a hydraulic fracturing treatment

US7082993B2 · kind B2 · utility

161Cited by
31References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 24, 2005
Grant dateAug 1, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 24, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
  • CPC primaryE21B47/138
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A method is given of fracturing a subterranean formation including the step of a) pumping at least one device actively transmitting data that provide information on the device position, and further comprising the step of assessing the fracture geometry based on the positions of said at least one device, or b) pumping metallic elements, preferably as proppant agents, and further locating the position of said metallic elements with a tool selected from the group consisting of magnetometers, resistivity tools, electromagnetic devices and ultra-long arrays of electrodes, and further comprising the step of assessing the fracture geometry based on the positions of said metallic elements. The method allows monitoring of the fracture geometry and proppant placement.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.