Hydraulic fracture initiation dictates the communication path between the wellbore and fracture plane. Nonplanar fracture geometries such as multiple, T-Shaped, and reoriented fractures are not advantageous and they adversely affect the potential to achieve a desired stimulation treatment. Oriented perforation can be the solution to initiate a single wide fracture in vertical and deviated wells. Also oriented perforations may be used to create stable tunnels in poorly consolidated formations thus avoiding sand failure and consequently preventing sand production.

This paper presents laboratory experimental results related to oriented perforations for hydraulic fracturing. It also discusses the use of oriented perforation for sand control. Experiments were designed to investigate the effect of perforation orientation in vertical and horizontal wells on hydraulic fracturing treatment.

Keywords:
rock mechanics, maximum horizontal stress, sand production, upstream oil & gas, wellbore, experiment, perforation, hydraulic fracturing, perforation orientation, orientation
Subjects:
Wellbore Design, Drilling Operations, Hydraulic Fracturing, Reservoir Characterization, Wellbore integrity, Perforating, Reservoir geomechanics, Completion Installation and Operations, Completion Operations
Copyright 1994, Society of Petroleum Engineers
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