A General Analysis of Fracturing Pressure Decline With Application to Three Models

Abstract

Summary: This paper presents the basis for determining the parameters that quantify the creation of a hydraulic fracture from the fracturing pressure decline after a fracture treatment. The analyses are generally applicable to the standard models used in fracture design—i.e., Perkins-Kern (PK), Khristianovitch-Geertsma- de Klerk (KGD), and the penny or radial models. The parameters that can be determined, as shown in an example, include the fracture's dimensions, fluid-loss coefficients, fluid efficiency, and fracture closure time.