Method for processing sampled proppant during hydraulic fracturing
A method for processing proppant from a well. A plurality of proppant samples are collected during drilling of a well for imaging analysis. In addition to imaging analysis a further correction factor is determined for the samples using additional analysis on a portion of the samples. Determining and applying the correction factor to the imaging results provides a more accurate proppant log. The additional analysis can be by scanning electron microscopy, such as for differentiating the silicon proppant particles from other elemental particles resulting from the drilling.
1 . A method for processing proppant from a well, the method comprising the steps of:
collecting a plurality of proppant samples during drilling of a well;
imaging the plurality of proppant samples collected to obtain baseline proppant values within the plurality of proppant samples;
analyzing a sample subset of the plurality of proppant samples to determine an elemental composition of the sample subset to distinguish proppant from other mineral particles in the sample subset, wherein the analyzing includes imaging the sample subset using an imaging technique that generates elemental composition information;
determining a correction factor from the elemental composition, wherein the correction factor is an element ratio of proppant to calcium and/or barium in the sample subset of the plurality of proppant samples; and
applying the correction factor to the imaging results to correct the baseline proppant values.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining the elemental composition with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the sample subset.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a distance zone within the well for the sample subset; and
applying the correction factor to all proppant samples within the distance zone.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the correction factor is a correction curve.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the correction factor is an element ratio of silicon to calcium and/or barium in the sample subset of the plurality of proppant samples.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the correction factor comprises adjusting an imaging element ratio in the imaging results as a function of the element ratio of the correction factor.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising
normalizing the correction factor as a function of a rate of drilling or penetration at a time of the sample collection.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a number of proppant particles in the sample subset within each of a plurality of particle size ranges; and
interpreting hydraulic fractures as a function of a particle size distribution within the sample subset.
9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a source of proppant in the sample subset as a function of proppant particle size within the sample subset.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
collecting the sample subset at one of a mud and cuttings inlet, a liquids and fine solids discharge, and/or a cuttings discharge of a hydraulic fracturing mud cleaner or shale shaker.
11 . A method for processing proppant from a well, the method comprising the steps of:
collecting a plurality of proppant samples during drilling of a well;
imaging the plurality of proppant samples collected to obtain baseline proppant values within the plurality of proppant samples;
establishing proppant log data of the baseline proppant values;
analyzing at least a sample subset of the plurality of proppant samples by applying scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to the sample subset to obtain a SEM elemental composition analysis of the sample subset to distinguish proppant from other mineral particles in the sample subset;
generating a regression model correction factor by comparing the imaging results to the SEM elemental analysis; and
validating or correcting the proppant log data with the regression model correction factor.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
applying the correction factor to a proppant log; and
producing a corrected proppant log.
13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a distance zone within the well for each of the proppant samples; and
applying the correction factor to all proppant samples within the distance zone.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the correction factor is an element ratio of silicon to calcium and/or barium in the at least a sample subset.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein applying the correction factor comprises adjusting an imaging element ratio in the imaging results as a function of the element ratio of the correction factor.
16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
normalizing the correction factor as a function of a rate of drilling or penetration at a time of the sample collection.
17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a number of proppant particles in the at least a sample subset within each of a plurality of particle size ranges; and
interpreting hydraulic fractures as a function of the particle size distribution within the at least a sample subset.
18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a source of proppant in the at least a sample subset as a function of proppant particle size within the at least a sample subset.