The Impact Proppant Size on the Properties of Hydraulic Fractures in Marcellus Shale Horizontal Well

ABSTRACT: This study examines how proppant size and type influence fracture conductivity in multistage fractured horizontal wells in the Marcellus Shale, specifically analyzing data from Bogges-5H and nearby wells. Reduction in fracture conductivity due to increased stress is a critical factor that can significantly decrease production over time. A reservoir model for Bogges-5H was constructed using data from hydraulic fracture treatments and petrophysical properties. Our findings indicate that larger proppants are less impacted by compaction compared to smaller ones. While the larger proppants yield higher and sustainable conductivity, the effective lengths of the created fractures are shorter, leading to lower long-term gas recovery. In contrast, smaller proppants penetrate deeper and create fractures with longer effective length leading to improved long-term gas recovery even though the fracture conductivity is impacted by compaction. The analysis also revealed that higher proppant concentrations, stiffer formations, and ceramic-based proppants can sustained the gas production more effectively.