Measurements and Observations 

of Fracture Height Growth

Norm Warpinski
© 2011 Halliburton. All Rights Reserved. 2

Fracture height growth in sedimentary rocks

 Clear understanding from 

minebacks, cores, lab tests, 

diagnostics, and numerical 

studies

Layered sedimentary 

sequences restrict vertical 

fracture growth

 Reduced width in high stress & 

high modulus layers

 Inefficient fracture growth 

vertically across layers and 

interfaces

Sandstone

Sandstone

Mudstone & siltstone layers

Mudstone & siltstone layers

Mudstone & siltstone layers

Example Mesaverde section: 

sandstones interbedded with 

mudstones and stiltstones
© 2011 Halliburton. All Rights Reserved. 3

Observations: Minebacks & Core

 DOE hydraulic fracture 

mineback experiments at 

the Nevada Test Site

 Government funded 

research into hydraulic 

fracture behavior

 Cored fractures from the 

DOE Multiwell experiment & 

DOE/GRI M-Site

 Mineback tests in coal

Core in MWX test at 

~7100 ft showing 

~30 fracture strands 

in a hydraulic 

fracture

Weak interface terminating 

growth in a mineback test

Weak interface

Fractures offsetting and 

splitting at natural fractures

2 fractures

Complex 

mineback

fracture with 

horizontal 

component & 

multiple 

strands

Similar to 

natural 

fractures 

in core

Termination 

at interface
© 2011 Halliburton. All Rights Reserved. 4

Stress contrasts

 Stress profile measured at DOE 

MWX test

 Most comprehensive 

anywhere

 Large variations in stress from 

layer to layer

 Correlates well with lithology

 Stress contrasts restrict vertical 

growth

 High stress may terminate 

fracture

 Low stress zones “trap” 

fracture – extensive lateral 

growth

4000

4500

5000

5500

6000

6500

7000

7500

8000

8500

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000

Depth (ft)

Stress (psi)

Reservoir rocks

Non-reservoir rocks

Lithostatic

(1.07 psi/ft)

GR 2,000 psi

stress 

contrast

Source: DOE Multiwell experiment & DOE/GRI M-Site test
© 2011 Halliburton. All Rights Reserved. 5

Offset -Well Microseismic Mapping

Treatment Well Observation Well

Typically 12-3C Level @ 15M

Observation Distance

Depends on Seismic Attenuation

Perforated

Interval

Recorded Events

• Microseismic Monitoring 

Is Applied Earthquake 

Seismology 

(Seismology 101)

– Based On 

Principles Known 

For Decades

– Has Been Used 

Since Mid-1970’s 

(Hot Dry Rock)

– Primary Difference 

Is The Use Of A 

Downhole Array
© 2011 Halliburton. All Rights Reserved. 6

Microseismic validation: DOE/GRI M-Site

 M-Site diagnostics laboratory: validation of microseismic data using 

tiltmeters and intersection wells

 Azimuth

 Wellbores

 Height

 Tiltmeters

 Length

 Wellbores

4000

4200

4400

4600

4800

5000

5200

-800 -600 -400 -200 0 200 400 600 800

Depth (ft)

Lateral distance along fracture azimuth (ft)

C sand

B sand

A sand

Tiltmeter heights

Intersection 

wells

Microseismic data

Gamma Ray Monitor well: 

cemented-in 

receivers

Monitor well: 

wireline

receivers

-200

0

200

400

600

-800 -600 -400 -200 0 200 400 600 800

Northing (ft)

Easting (ft)

Wireline receivers

Cemented-in receivers Intersection wells

Source: DOE/GRI M-Site test
© 2011 Halliburton. All Rights Reserved. 7

Fracture height growth

 Microseismic examples that show the 

extent of height growth in various 

formations

 Haynesville

 Marcellus

 Eagle Ford

600 ft

900 ft

SPE 125079 GMX Resources

SPE 131783,Curry et al, 2010 DUG Conference, 2010

Haynesville Example

Eagle Ford Example Marcellus Example
© 2011 Halliburton. All Rights Reserved. 8

Mapped microseismic height for Barnett shale

 Top: shallowest microseism; Bottom: deepest microseism

 Aquifers: USGS deepest water wells by county

Fisher: American Oil and Gas Reporter, July 2010
© 2011 Halliburton. All Rights Reserved. 9

Mapped microseismic height for Woodford shale

 Top: shallowest microseism; Bottom: deepest microseism

 Aquifers: USGS deepest water wells by county

Source: Kevin Fisher, personal communication
© 2011 Halliburton. All Rights Reserved. 10

Mapped microseismic height for Marcellus shale

 Top: shallowest 

microseism

 Bottom: deepest 

microseism

 Aquifers: USGS 

deepest water wells by 

county

 Marcellus

 Fractures far from 

mapped aquifers

Fisher: American Oil and Gas Reporter, July 2010
© 2011 Halliburton. All Rights Reserved. 11

5800

6000

6200

6400

6600

6800

-300 -100 100 300

Depth (ft)

Fracture edge-on view (ft)

Shale 

interval

Horizontal well

Normal size 

microseisms

Large fault 

microseisms

Out-of_zone

growth

Magnitude 

scaled by 

width of 

marker

Intersection with faults

 Microseismicity is an excellent tool to 

monitor what happens when a fault is 

intersected by a hydraulic fracture

-4

-3.5

-3

-2.5

-2

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

Distance (m)

Moment Magnitude

Faults

Typical 

Barnett Shale 

Maximum 

Amplitude

Bias Line Biased Data

Viewing 

Limit

-4

-3.5

-3

-2.5

-2

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

Distance (m)

Moment Magnitude

Faults

Typical 

Barnett Shale 

Maximum 

Amplitude

Bias Line Biased Data

Viewing 

Limit

The magnitude-distance 

plot shown above is an 

important diagnostic tool 

for assessing data results, 

effects of noise, bias, and 

viewability. It is also useful 

for determining whether 

fault interactions have 

occurred.
© 2011 Halliburton. All Rights Reserved. 12

Tiltmeter Fracture Component Breakout versus Depth

 Tiltmeters readily 

identify fracture 

components

 Horizontal

 Vertical

 Dipping

 Combined

 Rapid increase in 

horizontal 

components at 

shallow depths

preclude vertical 

growth

Source: Kevin Fisher, personal communication
© 2011 Halliburton. All Rights Reserved. 13

Summary

 Data from thousands of fractures show:

No extensive growth vertically

Increase in horizontal components at shallower 

depth (little vertical growth)

 Sedimentary features restrict vertical fracture growth

Very inefficient growth across layers

 Alternating properties and stress

 Interfacial properties