Advanced Shale Gas Recovery Technologies for Horizontal Well Completion Optimization

Hydraulic fracturing can significantly increase well production, but it can be cost prohibitive and environmentally unsound due to the large volumes of water and proppant needed to perform the procedure. Typical slickwater (water + surfactant) systems are inefficient at distributing the proppant far into the fractures, underperforming compared to the potential output of the well. To reduce the water needed for each well, in addition to improving the potential outcome from the fracking procedure, new fluids which improve proppant transport while lowing the water content are needed. Foams which incorporate significant amounts of gas into a liquid phase can reduce the water content by up to 90% for the same volume of fluid. Stabilized by surfactants, the properties of foams can be tailored to have ideal properties for fracture permeation and proppant dispersion. Using natural gas from on-site or nearby wells can reduce the transportation costs, and by designing the foam to break down over time, as used in the fracturing procedure can be reclaimed. This study will focus on creating a metastable foam which displays robust stability during the fracturing period before decaying back into its constituent parts. It will be paired with a neutrally buoyant proppant material designed to be easily carried deep within fractures. Research will focus on surfactant selection, proppant integration, and permeability comparisons between traditional slickwater and the new foam fluid. If successful in the laboratory proof of concept is successful in Phase I, Phase II efforts will focus on high pressure validation, scale-up production, and eventual pilot deployments for this fluid. Wells which were previously too expensive to perform fracturing on, or were unsuitable for fracturing with high water content fluids, would be ideal candidates to use this solution. This is a step forward for environmental stewardship for wells while still allowing for the utilization of existing infrastructure, helping to promote energy independence in the US, where many shale gas plays are in need of stimulation.