Patent ID: 7395859

Claim:
A method for creating a permeable, sandpacked annulus in a bottom of a well bore, the sandpacked annulus used for increasing production of oil, gas and other fluids from a rock formation, the steps comprising: selecting a granular material of desired grain size, shape, density, crushing strength, surface roughness, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, chemical composition to provide a desired fluid permeability in the sandpacked annulus; pumping the granular material in a frac pad fluid through a production casing to a bottom of the well bore; forming the permeable, sandpacked annulus in an annulus space between the production casing and the well bore; and creating an unobstructed, open well bore below a bottom of the production casing and below the immobile, permeable, sandpacked annulus subsequent to forming the immobile, permeable, sandpacked annulus between the production casing and the well bore, thereby providing an unobstructed open well bore for initiating a propagation of an hydraulic fracture into the rock formation.