U. Hassan, Z. Z. Ibrahim, I. I. Khalid
Hydraulic fracturing is said to have facilitated the economic production of indigenous unconventional gas reserves in so many parts of the world. However, injecting large volumes of fluid into the subsurface is not without risk, most critical being groundwater contamination. A hydraulic fracturing impact study has been performed, reviewing the geological and Engineering aspects of fracking, the potential environmental impact, and the existing regulatory framework. To counter some of the impacts, the possibility of fracking using only water and proppants has been analyzed using LOT Analyzer and fracpro software to determine the practicality of such a method. Graphs were obtained for a leak off test using normal hydraulic fracturing fluid with a density of 11.79 ppg, a viscosity of 5cp at a flow rate of 0.023 bbl/sec. This gives a leak off the pressure of 765psi, fracture initiation pressure of 850 psi, fracture propagation pressure of 780 psi and instantaneous shut-in pressure of 776 psi. Graph of leak off test using only water with density of 8.34 ppg, a viscosity of 0.89 cp and flow rate of 0.023 bbl/sec gives a leak of the pressure of 730 psi, fracture initiation pressure of 818psi, fracture propagation pressure of 790 psi, and instantaneous shut-in the pressure of 784 psi. This shows the possibility of fracking using only water without additives. Fracking with only water tackles critical effects like groundwater contamination due to toxic additives. However, it presents some challenges like poor proppant transportation. To tackle this issue, the fluid was subjected to turbulence. Fracpro software was used for the two different flow rates (0.023 bbl/sec and 2.8 bbl/sec). A flow rate of 2.8 bbl/sec shows more dispersion of proppants than a flow rate of 0.023 bbl/sec.
Hydraulic Fracturing, Fracturing additives, Leakoff, Proppants, LOT Analyzer, Fracfo.