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Hydraulic fracture height limits and fault interactions in tight oil and gas formations
Author(s) -
Flewelling Samuel A.,
Tymchak Matthew P.,
Warpinski Norm
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/grl.50707
Subject(s) - microseism , hydraulic fracturing , geology , tight gas , slip (aerodynamics) , petrology , shear (geology) , seismology , fluid pressure , fracture (geology) , permeability (electromagnetism) , geotechnical engineering , mechanics , physics , thermodynamics , genetics , membrane , biology
Abstract The widespread use of hydraulic fracturing (HF) has raised concerns about potential upward migration of HF fluid and brine via induced fractures and faults. We developed a relationship that predicts maximum fracture height as a function of HF fluid volume. These predictions generally bound the vertical extent of microseismicity from over 12,000 HF stimulations across North America. All microseismic events were less than 600 m above well perforations, although most were much closer. Areas of shear displacement (including faults) estimated from microseismic data were comparatively small (radii on the order of 10 m or less). These findings suggest that fracture heights are limited by HF fluid volume regardless of whether the fluid interacts with faults. Direct hydraulic communication between tight formations and shallow groundwater via induced fractures and faults is not a realistic expectation based on the limitations on fracture height growth and potential fault slip.