Chapter 8: Flow Behavior of Fracturing Fluids Available to Purchase

Properly designed fracturing fluids serve many functions, but two are the most important. First, they provide communication from high-pressure pumping equipment on the surface through the wellbore and into the desired formation. During hydraulic fracturing treatment, fracturing fluid is pumped at a pressure exceeding the breaking pressure of formation rock to create a fracture. Propagation of this fracture depends on maintaining pressure within the fracture and ensuring continuous flow at an adequate rate to generate fracture geometry. Second, the fracturing fluid is designed to exhibit specific rheological characteristics necessary to adequately transport proppant (propping agent) into the created fracture and to distribute the slurry as uniformly as possible.