Predicting changes in hydrofrac orientation in depleting oil and gas reservoirs
US7848895B2 · kind B2 · utility
4Cited by
19References
8Claims
0Family size
Assignee
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Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 15, 2008 |
| Grant date | Dec 7, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 27, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21B43/26
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
Stress rotation due to depletion can be estimated in reservoirs having an impermeable reservoir boundary. More specifically, the isotropic change in stress due to depletion, and the uniaxial stress resulting from a change in pore pressure across an impermeable boundary are both modeled as perturbations to an initial stress state. These perturbations can result in a rotation of the principal stress directions. Estimates of the stress rotation are helpful for hydraulic fracturing operations, because fracture tends to occur in a plane perpendicular to the least principal stress.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.