Patent ID: 9194222
Filing Date: 2015-11-24
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A method of determining a pad volume and a proppant volume for fracturing a subterranean formation comprising: selecting an initial proppant volume for placement in a fracture to be created in the subterranean formation; determining a fracture geometry for the fracture, based upon the initial proppant volume; determining a pad volume sufficient to create the desired fracture geometry at a first fluid efficiency value; determining a fracture length and width that would result from injecting the pad volume into the subterranean formation at a second fluid efficiency value; and calculating a proppant volume sufficient to fill a fracture having the length and width; wherein the first fluid efficiency value is lower than the second fluid efficiency value; and, creating a propped fracture within a subterranean formation using a fluid comprising the calculated pad volume and a proppant volume equal to or less than the calculated proppant volume.