Improving the Industry’s Understanding about the Fundamentals of Hydraulic Fracturing

GTI Energy’s hydraulic fracturing research began as early as 1983, leading to “proof-of-concept” experiments at its Hydraulic Fracture Test Site (HFTS) in the Rocky Mountains. Leading-edge technologies were verified in these field tests. One of the GTI Energy’s major achievements was the development of a model for designing and predicting the behavior of hydraulic fractures that included the real-time monitoring of fracturing parameters such as rate, pressure, and viscosity. The industry is still using the technology today, as a model known as FRACPRO available from CARBO Ceramics Inc.

Hydraulic fracture modeling was validated by both mini- and post-fracture measurements to establish a scientific basis for hydraulic fracturing, which up until that time was more an art than a science. The work went beyond just analytical models — GTI Energy developed diagnostics and ran lab experiments in the field to determine where a fracture goes (propagates), how far it goes, and what parameters control its destiny. One of GTI Energy’s shallow coalbed methane wells was mined back, so pictures of the actual fractures were taken as the seams were exposed, providing amazing validation.

From the 1980s through the 1990s, GTI Energy developed methods for monitoring the creation of hydraulic fractures, which led to the development of microseismic imaging of fractures, and worked with Sandia National Laboratories to develop a downhole tool.

A key technique, FracSeis^SM microseismic hydraulic fracture mapping for fracture diagnostics, was developed by GTI Energy to help gas producers plan and conduct effective and economical hydraulic fracturing operations. It is now available as a suite of services from Pinnacle Technologies.