Publications

Borate-crosslinked fluids and linear HEC gels are by far the most commonly used fluids for highpermeability fracture treatments. Extensive laboratory testing has shown that the fluid-loss behavior of these fluids can be very different from that described by conventional fluid-loss models. Traditional minifrac analysis techniques do not account for the correct fluid-loss behavior of these gels. As a result, use of conventional techniques can lead to severe errors in estimation of the leakoff parameters, resulting in overor under-designed jobs. This paper presents a novel minifrac analysis technique that more accurately accounts for the fluid-loss characteristics of the fracturing fluid, allowing for better design.This analysis has been verified against actual treatments and shows excellent agreement with the observed net pressure response for the minifrac and the actual treatments. Several case histories are provided to illustrate the method. This technique has broad applications to low and intermediatepermeability fracturing applications as well.