Flowback

The flowback of a proppant following fracture stimulation treatment is a major concern because of the damage to equipment and loss in well production. The mechanisms of flowback and the methods to control flowback have been recently discussed in the literature [ 1343]. To reduce proppant flow-back, a curable resin-coated proppant can be applied [1349]. The agent must be placed across the producing interval to prevent or reduce the proppant flowback. 

Thermoplastic Films. Recently, thermoplastic film [1342,1343] materials have been developed to reduce the proppant flowback that can occur after fracturing treatments. A heat-shrinkable film cut into thin slivers provides flowback reduction over broad temperature ranges and closure stress ranges... 

Adhesive-Coated Material. The addition of an adhesive-coated material [335] to proppants decreases the flowback of the particulates. Such adhesive-coated materials can be inorganic or organic fibers, flakes, and the like. The adhesive-coated material interacts mechanically with the proppant particles to prevent the flowback of particulates to the wellbore. The consolidation of a proppant also may occur via a polyurethane coating, which will slowly polymerize after the fracturing treatment because of a polyaddition process [1856]. 

P. D. Ellis and B. W. Surles. Chemically inert resin coated proppant system for control of proppant flowback in hydraulically fractured wells. Patent US 5604184,1997. 

P. D. Nguyen and J. D. Weaver. Method of controlling particulate flowback in subterranean wells and introducing treatment chemicals. Patent US 6209643, 2001. 

The main materials and methods used in the Manchester studies of whole ejaculates and flowbacks have been described in detail elsewhere (Baker and Beilis 1993a,b, 1995). 

Between 1988 and 1996, four main types of samples were collected copulatory, flowback, anal intercourse, and masturbatory. In all, 83 males and 58 females have generated 700 samples for examination. 

Flowback is the material that flows back out of the vagina 15—120 minutes after insemination. Females collected flowbacks in a beaker, then fixed and thereafter processed the material as for whole ejaculates. The detailed instructions given to females for the collection of flowbacks have been published in full elsewhere (Baker and Beilis 1995). All flowbacks so far collected have been IPCs. 

DJ. MiUer, X. Huang, H. Li, S. Kasemset, A. Lee, D. Agnihotri, et al., Fouling-resistant membranes for the treatment of flowback water from hydraulic shale fracturing a pilot study,. Memb. Sci. 437 (2013) 265-275. 

C. Cagle, Sustainable solutions for flowback/produced water challenges in oil and gas fields. Paper presented at the AIChE 2012 Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, USA, November 2012. 

Treatment of produced and flowback wastewaters is extremely challenging because of its composition and toxicity. The salinity range is 8000—200,000 ppm [31]. 

Key data employed in the LCAs are reported in Figure 2. We note in particular that flowback gas fix)m Marcellus wells is typically flared, whereas flowback gas from Barnett wells is typically captured and sent to sale. If flowback gas is not captured in the Barnett, it is vented. Both flaring and venting will be reduced by U.S. regulations in the near future. 

In Figme 2, red lines denote medians, boxes delineate the 25 and 75 percentiles (f>25, Pid, and whiskers denote either minima, maxima, or 1.5xIQD, where the QD=p s-P25 EUR is the expected ultimate recovery. Flowback gas data from 2009-2010 are reported for Marcellus wells. Flowback gas data from 2009 - 2012 are reported for Barnett wells. The... 

Murali Mohan A, Hartsock A, Hammack RW, Vidic RD, Gregory KB (2013) Microbial communities in flowback water impoundments from hydraulic fracturing for recovery of shale gas. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 86 567-580... 

Gel breaking performance was an important indicator of its quality. The lower surface tension, the faster fracturing fluid s flowback. Base fluid viscosity was not more than 5 mPa-s after defoaming, and the surface tension of the base fluid was 17.27 mN/m, the interfacial tension was 0.34 mN/m. Foam fluid system was consisted of soluble surfactant molecules, so there was no residue after fracturing fluid gel breaking. 

Fluorocarbon foaming agent used in foam fracturing fluid effectively reduces the surface tension which is conduciveto flowback. 

Flowback—The fracture fluids that return to the surface after a hydraulic fracture is completed. 

Proppants, usually composed of sand and occasionally glass beads, prop or hold fissures open, allowing gas to flow out of the cracked formation. An ideal proppant should produce maximum permeability in a fracture. Fracture permeabUity is a function of proppant grain roundness, proppant purity, and crush strength. Larger proppant volumes allow for wider fractures, which facilitate more rapid flowback to the production well. Over a period of 30 minutes, 4500 to 15,000 gal of fracturing fluid will typically transport and place approximately 11,000 to 25,000 lb of proppant into the fracture (Powell et al., 1999). 

Flowback The process of causing fluid to flow back to the well of a fracture after a hydraulic fracturing event is complete. 

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