TIP SCREENOUT FRACTURING: A TECHNIQUE FOR SOFT, UNSTABLE FORMATIONS.

This paper discusses an alternative completion technique that involves only normal sand fracture procedures and is effective where acid is ineffectual or undesirable. Because the procedure is aimed primarily at creating short, high-conductivity fractures in soft formations, its use can be extended to any formation where such a treatment is practical and economically feasible. The fracture design is based on intentionally screening out the tip of the fracture with sand and then continuing to pump slurry to increase the fracture width and to pack the fracture with proppant to obtain high conductivity. Special prefracture tests are required to determine fracture design variables. The implementation and analysis of these tests are discussed, along with the theory behind the fracture design schedule.