NAPS-03-18AUTHOR:GeorgeE.King,P.E.ApacheCorporation

ProppantErosionDuringFracturing:FromWellheadtoPerforations

ProppantErosionFactors:Shape,Size,Density,Amount,Velocity,ImpactAngle,ProppantHardness

NAPS-03-18/Proppant ErosionDuringFracturing:FromWellheadtoPerforations

ProppantTypeProppantType SpecificGravity(g/cc) Mohs Hardness

Sand 2.6 ~7

ResinCoatedSand(RCS)

2.65

LightWeightCeramic(LWC)

2.7 ~6.4

IntermediateStrengthCeramic(ISP)

3.3 ~8.2

SinteredBauxite 3.6 ~9

ProppantErosionFactors:ProppantSource

NAPS-03-18/Proppant ErosionDuringFracturing:FromWellheadtoPerforations

ProppantErosionFactors:ProppantConcentrationandVelocity

NAPS-03-18/Proppant ErosionDuringFracturing:FromWellheadtoPerforations

ProppantErosionFactors

TargetHardness

PipeGrade(Min.Yield)

HRCatMinYield

Higher YieldHRC

L-80 23max

P-110 30max 36+

Q-125 36max

IfproppantwasmeasuredonHRCscale–wouldgofromHRC50toHRC80.

Harderpipemayhavedrawbacksincorrosion.

NAPS-03-18/Proppant ErosionDuringFracturing:FromWellheadtoPerforations

ProppantErosionFactors

Wellhead

NAPS-03-18/Proppant ErosionDuringFracturing:FromWellheadtoPerforations

ErosionFactors– VelocityandDirectionChange

FracPacking– anExtremeErosionSituation

NAPS-03-18/Proppant ErosionDuringFracturing:FromWellheadtoPerforations

Velocitiesasfluiddirectionchangesfromdownthepipeintothefracture

MultipleStrings?– WhatEffect?5-12”x9-5/8”x13-3/8”DifficultforAnyPerforator5-1/2”x7”x13-3/8”(unrealisticspacing)

Verycloselyspacedstrings– mucheasier,butstillanissue– Erosionprobablywon’tbeseenintheouterstrings.

Notmuchdamagetothecement.

ProppantErosionatJoint– alsoaproblem.

Erosion-Corrosion

• Smallgapscausebigproblemsinhighrateflow.

Production– lowerrate,longterm Injection– highrate(+solids),

shortterm

Right:progressiveerosionofthedown-lookingpinathighproductionrate.

Left:erosioninawellheadafterseveralfracturetreatments.

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ErosionalCouplingDamage

12

Thisisclassicdownwardsflowerosion– notetheundamagedupperpinend.

Caliper3-DView

exampleofmeasurableerosion

WellJointafter17fracs54,400m3H2O/3,400tSand16m3/min

Thereasontheselogswereimportant

Whatwesaw

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DF-70-J

Erosionbelowportsinwellhead

Coupling1

Coupling214

Erosionmostseriousintheuppercouplings– justunderthewellhead.

Coupling1 Coupling42Coupling2 15

2600feetdown.

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Conclusions• Erosionisvariable– manyfactorsaffecttheoutcome• Proppant– angularity,size,density,concentration• PumpRate– velocity• Welldesign– directionchanges,gaps,ports• Pipe- Casinghardness,diameter,depth

• Horizontals– Settling?• Flowback– Firstfewdayscritical• Heelvs.Toe– Dampingmechanisms

NAPS-03-18/Proppant ErosionDuringFracturing:FromWellheadtoPerforations

NAPS-03-18AUTHOR:GeorgeE.King,P.E.ApacheCorporation

QUESTIONS?THANKYOU