Patent ID: 8763699
Filing Date: 2014-07-01
Classification: C09K,E21B

Abstract:
1. A method of placing a proppant pack into a fracture formed in a subterranean formation, the method comprising: injecting a first treatment fluid comprising a gas and substantially free of macroscopic particles through a wellbore at a pressure sufficient to initiate a fracture in a subterranean formation; injecting a second treatment fluid comprising proppant and channelant through the wellbore into the fracture; placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters forming pillars and spacing the pillars apart by the channelant disposed in a plurality of channels between the plurality of proppant clusters; and, removing the channelant to form open channels around the pillars for fluid flow from the subterranean formation through the fracture toward the wellbore.