Visual Laboratory Tests Effect of Operational Parameters on Dandelion-Based Bionic Proppant Transport in a Hydraulic Fracture with Rough Surfaces

Summary The higher packing height and efficient placement and transportation of proppants in deep shale fractures determine the later oil and gas production. However, as the depth of the shale formation increases and the temperature rises, the viscosity of the fracturing fluid decreases significantly. Achieving efficient transport of low-viscosity liquids carrying proppants has long been an urgent issue that needs to be addressed in developing deep shale gas reservoirs. Based on previous research, it has been proved that a dandelion-structured proppant can solve the above problems. However, the key operational factors influencing dandelion-based bionic proppant placement remain unclear. For this study, we built a rough surface of the shale vertical fracture model and conducted laboratory tests on the dandelion-based bionic proppant transportation and distribution under different key factors. The experimental results show for the first time that compared with the piling-up mechanism of conventional proppants (spherical shaped proppant), the dandelion-based bionic proppant forms an upper and lower packing shape. In addition, the lower-viscosity fluid with a higher injection rate carrying dandelion-based bionic proppant of smaller size and higher concentration can form a large packing area in the top/bottom location of the shale fracture.