Patent ID: 7404441
Filing Date: 2008-07-29
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A method for creating a vertical hydraulic fracture in a formation of unconsolidated and weakly cemented sediments, comprising: a. drilling a well bore in the formation to a predetermined depth; b. installing an injection casing having an inner and outer surface in the bore hole at the predetermined depth; c. dilating the casing and the formation in a preferential direction; d. injecting a fracture fluid into the injection casing with sufficient fracturing pressure to initiate a hydraulic fracture at an azimuth orthogonal to the direction of dilation; e. limiting the rate of fracture fluid injection to initiate the hydraulic fracture so that Re is less than 100; and f. maintaining the fracturing fluid viscosity to be greater than 100 centipoise at the initiated fracture fluid shear rate.