Patent ID: 9328600
Filing Date: 2016-05-03
CPC Classification: E21B

Claim Text:
1. A method of forming a propped fracture outwardly from a wellbore in a subsurface formation, the method comprising: (a) injecting a first fluid having a first proppant concentration into the subsurface formation to form a fracture having a first opening width, wherein the first proppant concentration may be zero, and wherein the subsurface formation is ductile and has at least one of a Poisson's ratio greater than or equal to 0.25 and a Young's Modulus not greater than 3.5×10 (b) reducing pressure in the fracture so as to allow the fracture to substantially close; (c) injecting a second fluid having a second proppant concentration into the fracture to re-open the fracture, wherein the second proppant concentration is greater than the first proppant concentration and wherein the re-opened fracture has a second opening width which is less than the first opening width; and (d) reducing the pressure in the fracture after injecting the second fluid into the fracture, wherein a portion of proppant from the second fluid remains in the fracture to prop the fracture.