Patent ID: 9470078
Filing Date: 2016-10-18
CPC Classification: E21B

Claim Text:
1. A method of re-fracturing a horizontal wellbore comprising: extending a tubing string into a horizontal wellbore from a surface location; positioning an end of the tubing string adjacent a first location within the horizontal wellbore, the first location having been previously hydraulically fractured at least once to form a fracture that extends into a subterranean formation at the first location prior to extending the tubing string into the horizontal wellbore, the tubing string extending from the surface location to the first location; providing a first fluid in an annulus between the tubing string and the horizontal wellbore, wherein a portion of the horizontal wellbore beyond an end of the tubing string includes the first fluid; providing a second fluid within the tubing string, wherein the second fluid differs from the first fluid; sealing the annulus adjacent to the surface location; and pumping the second fluid down the tubing string to initiate a re-fracture of the fracture that extends into the subterranean formation at the first location while the annulus is sealed adjacent to the surface location.