Paper: Effect of Incomplete Fracture Fill-Up At The Wellbore On Productivity Ratio

The process of hydraulic fracturing has been used extensively for well stimulation by the petroleum industry for over two decades. During this time the ability to successfully execute a fracturing treatment has increased to the point where very few mechanical failures currently occur. In addition, the development of treatment design and evaluation procedures has evolved to the point where fracturing is now considered a science rather than an art. As the science progresses, new problems concerning the design and evaluation of optimum fracturing treatments arise frequently. One of the most pertinent of these problems is what effect incomplete fracture fill-up at the wellbore has on productivity ratio. Solution of this problem will be useful in treatment planning to accomplish desired production goals. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of incomplete fracture fill-up at the wellbore on productivity ratio, and to present the findings of a controlled screen-out fracturing program which was initiated for the purpose of obtaining field results to substantiate the theory presented in the paper.