In this viscoelastic model, shale creep deformation was characterized and rheological models were developed. It not only addressed instantaneous, transient, and long-term sample deformations, but also enabled the estimation of proppant-embedment depth during production. Creep deformation was most pronounced when water impregnated the shale; decaneimpregnated samples produced less creep deformation; and the least creep was measured when shale was dry. The theory of linear viscoelasticity was used to model the samples’ time-dependent deformation.

Keywords:
shale oil, complex reservoir, Reservoir Characterization, hydraulic fracturing, shale gas, oil shale, fracturing fluid, Eagle Ford shale, hold stress, Embedment
Subjects:
Fracturing materials (fluids, proppant), Hydraulic Fracturing, Reservoir Characterization, Shale gas, Shale oil, Unconventional and Complex Reservoirs
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2015. Society of Petroleum Engineers
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