System and method for low damage fracturing

1. A method of fracturing a subterranean formation comprising at least in part shale formation, comprising:

providing a carrier fluid;

providing a particulate blend including a first amount of particulates having a first average particle size between about 100 and 2000 μm and a second amount of particulates having a second average particle size between about three and twenty times smaller than the first average particle size, such that a packed volume fraction of the particulate blend exceeds 0.75;

combining the carrier fluid and the particulate blend into a fracturing slurry;

fracturing the formation with the fracturing slurry to create at least a fracture; and

removing the second amount of particulates from the fracture.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier fluid further include a viscosifying agent.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the viscosifying agent includes a member selected from the list consisting of a hydratable gelling agent at less than 20 lbs per 1,000 gallons of carrier fluid, and a visco-elastic surfactant at a concentration less than 1% by volume of carrier fluid.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second amount of particulates comprise a degradable material, and wherein the removing comprises degrading the degradable material.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second amount of particulates further comprise a reactive compound that reacts with at least one of the degradable material and a hydrolysis product of the degradable material.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the particulate blend further includes a third amount of particulates having a third average particulate size that is smaller than the second average particulate size.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the second and third amount of particulates comprises a degradable material.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the second and third amount of particulates comprises a reactive compound that reacts with at least one of the degradable material and a hydrolysis product of the degradable material.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first amount of particulates comprise one of a proppant and a fluid loss additive.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second average particle size is between about three and ten times smaller than the first average particle size.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second average particle size is between about three and fifteen times smaller than the first average particle size.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the packed volume fraction of the particulate blend exceeds 0.8.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier fluid comprises a fluid selected from the fluids consisting of an acid, a viscosified acid, an emulsified acid, a brine with hydratable gel, a brine with cross-linked hydratable gel, a brine, an energized fluid, and an oil-based fluid.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the carrier fluid comprises at least one fluid selected from the fluids consisting of hydro-chloric acid, hydro-fluoric acid, ammonium bifluoride, formic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, maleic acid, tartaric acid, sulfamic acid, malic acid, citric acid, methyl-sulfamic acid, chloro-acetic acid, an amino-poly-carboxylic acid, 3-hydroxypropionic acid, a poly-amino-poly-carboxylic acid, and an acid salt.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein a sum of all of the particulates in the fracturing slurry is greater than about 16 pounds per gallon of the carrier fluid.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier fluid is a gas.

17. A method of fracturing a subterranean formation comprising at least in part shale formation, comprising:

providing a carrier fluid and a viscosifying agent;

providing a particulate blend including a first amount of particulates having a first average particle size between about 100 and 2000 μm and a second amount of particulates having a second average particle size between about three and twenty times smaller than the first average particle size, such that a packed volume fraction of the particulate blend exceeds 0.80;

combining the carrier fluid and the particulate blend into a fracturing slurry;

fracturing the formation with the fracturing slurry to create at least a fracture; and

removing the second amount of particulates from the fracture.

18. A method of fracturing a subterranean formation, comprising:

providing a liquefied petroleum gas;

providing a particulate blend including a first amount of particulates having a first average particle size between about 100 and 2000 μm and a second amount of particulates having a second average particle size between about three and twenty times smaller than the first average particle size, such that a packed volume fraction of the particulate blend exceeds 0.75;

combining the liquefied petroleum gas and the particulate blend into a fracturing slurry;

fracturing the formation with the fracturing slurry to create at least a fracture; and

removing the second amount of particulates from the fracture.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the carrier fluid further include a viscosifying agent.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the carrier fluid further include a gas.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second amount of particulates comprise a degradable material, and wherein the removing comprises degrading the degradable material.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second average particle size is between about three and fifteen times smaller than the first average particle size.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the second average particle size is between about three and ten times smaller than the first average particle size.

24. The method of claim 18 , wherein the packed volume fraction of the particulate blend exceeds 0.8.