Reference number : GC-2017-Q3-00554, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Kuru, Ergun (University of Alberta), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Alberta, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Engage Grants for universities, program name french : Subventions d'engagement partenarial pour les universités, program purpose english : Proppant transport efficiency is a critical aspect of hydraulic fracturing operations. Proppants must be properly_x000D_
placed to hold fractures open and enable increased hydrocarbon production. Proppants most widely used by_x000D_
industry are high density particles like sand and ceramics. These particles settle down in water-based fluids and_x000D_
their placement to fractures becomes a task that requires high intensity pumping power and large amount of_x000D_
water-based fluids to ensure these heavy particles travel to specified zones in the reservoir. Although chemistry_x000D_
is used to viscosify fracking fluids to facilitate transport of particles, the use of chemicals is not desirable._x000D_
Slickwater (non-viscosified fluid) contains a minimum amount of chemicals and is one of the preferred options_x000D_
for hydraulic fracturing operations but difficulties are encountered in achieving efficient proppant transport due_x000D_
to proppant settling in these fluids. An improved understanding of the drivers behind proppant transport (i.e._x000D_
near wall turbulence, fluid rheological properties, proppant size, density, and surface characteristics, etc.) based_x000D_
on the results from this project, will be useful for designing optimum fracturing operations which ensures_x000D_
proper placement of proppants by avoiding premature settling and screening of proppants. This will help_x000D_
developing new, more reliable proppant surface modification products, resulting in more efficient and secure_x000D_
frac job designs for improved reservoir production. Canada's Oil and gas industry's capacity to conduct more_x000D_
efficient and economical hydraulic fracturing jobs will benefit tremendously from this proposed study. The_x000D_
benefits in improved proppant transport will potentially lead to reduction of water and energy consumption in_x000D_
the operations. In addition, improved slick-water fracturing jobs will result in use of less chemistry in the_x000D_
hydraulic fracturing market with positive environmental advantages for Canada., program purpose french : Proppant transport efficiency is a critical aspect of hydraulic fracturing operations. Proppants must be properly_x000D_
placed to hold fractures open and enable increased hydrocarbon production. Proppants most widely used by_x000D_
industry are high density particles like sand and ceramics. These particles settle down in water-based fluids and_x000D_
their placement to fractures becomes a task that requires high intensity pumping power and large amount of_x000D_
water-based fluids to ensure these heavy particles travel to specified zones in the reservoir. Although chemistry_x000D_
is used to viscosify fracking fluids to facilitate transport of particles, the use of chemicals is not desirable._x000D_
Slickwater (non-viscosified fluid) contains a minimum amount of chemicals and is one of the preferred options_x000D_
for hydraulic fracturing operations but difficulties are encountered in achieving efficient proppant transport due_x000D_
to proppant settling in these fluids. An improved understanding of the drivers behind proppant transport (i.e._x000D_
near wall turbulence, fluid rheological properties, proppant size, density, and surface characteristics, etc.) based_x000D_
on the results from this project, will be useful for designing optimum fracturing operations which ensures_x000D_
proper placement of proppants by avoiding premature settling and screening of proppants. This will help_x000D_
developing new, more reliable proppant surface modification products, resulting in more efficient and secure_x000D_
frac job designs for improved reservoir production. Canada's Oil and gas industry's capacity to conduct more_x000D_
efficient and economical hydraulic fracturing jobs will benefit tremendously from this proposed study. The_x000D_
benefits in improved proppant transport will potentially lead to reduction of water and energy consumption in_x000D_
the operations. In addition, improved slick-water fracturing jobs will result in use of less chemistry in the_x000D_
hydraulic fracturing market with positive environmental advantages for Canada., agreement title english : Effect of Proppant Size and Surface Characteristics on the Critical Velocity Required for the Effective Transport of Proppants in Hydraulic Fracturing of Horizontal Wells, agreement title french : Effect of Proppant Size and Surface Characteristics on the Critical Velocity Required for the Effective Transport of Proppants in Hydraulic Fracturing of Horizontal Wells, agreement number : EGP, agreement value : 25000.0, agreement start date : 2017-10-18, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019)., additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier (2017-2018 à 2018-2019)., owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada