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Experimental Study on Plugging Behavior of Degradable Diverters in Partially Open Fracture in Temporary Plugging and Diverting Fracturing

By: Ming Li, Jianchun Guo, Fujian Zhou, Minghui Li, Jiaqi Chen, Hui Liu, Qing Wang, and Longqiao Hu (April 5, 2023)

Experimental Study on Plugging Behavior of Degradable Diverters in Partially Open Fracture in Temporary Plugging and Diverting Fracturing

This study delves into the application and behavior of the Temporary Plugging and Diverting Fracturing Technology (TPDF), a technique renowned for its efficacy in enhancing reservoir productivity. Notably, many real-world reservoir fractures exhibit rapidly narrowing widths and sealed ends, which are termed as partially open fractures (POF). There is a lacuna in understanding how diverters, which help in plugging these fractures, behave in POF conditions. To address this, the paper focuses on understanding the behavior of diverters at the tip of these fractures.

A 3D-printed model was employed to simulate the POF, and its characteristics were juxtaposed with open fractures using scan data. Through an array of experiments, the transportation behavior of diverters in these POFs was monitored using pressure sensors. The findings shed light on the pivotal role of diverter composition and fracture type on the plugging behavior. Results demonstrated that a combined use of fibers and particles yielded higher pressure at the fracture tip, facilitating effective transportation and plugging by the diverter. Moreover, minor alterations in particle size and concentration drastically affected the plugging outcome. For optimal results, the use of fibers combined with multi-sized particles, where the maximum particle size is less than half the fracture width, is recommended. Furthermore, the plugging patterns varied between POFs and open fractures. Specific diverter formulations were proposed based on the width of the POFs. These findings furnish both a theoretical and experimental foundation for the real-world application of TPDF in reservoirs.

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