Patent · US Active

Real-time automated heterogeneous proppant placement

US7451812B2 · kind B2 · utility

109Cited by
23References
41Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 20, 2006
Grant dateNov 18, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 8, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
  • CPC primaryE21B43/267
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A system and a method for heterogeneous proppant placement in a fracture (12) in a subterranean formation (18) are disclosed. The system includes a delivery system (10) for delivering proppant and treatment fluid to the fracture (12), a sensor (20) for measuring geometry of the fracture and a computer (24) in communication with the sensor (20). The computer (24) includes a software tool for real-time design of a model (38) for heterogeneous proppant placement in the fracture (12) based on data from the sensor (20) measurements and a software tool for developing and updating a proppant placement schedule (42) for delivering the proppant and treatment fluid to the fracture (12) corresponding to the model. A control link between the computer (24) and the delivery system (10) permits the delivery system (10) to adjust the delivery of the proppant and treatment fluid according the updated proppant placement schedule.

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