Determination of in situ stress profiles through hydraulic fracturing measurements in two distinct geologic areas

Abstract

During a hydraulic fracture treatment, the magnitudes of the minimum principal stresses ( in situ stresses) in the different layers of rock become a major factor in the growth of the fracture. The horizontal stress in the producing zone as well as the horizontal stresses in the surrounding intervals must be known in order to design and analyze a fracture treatment correctly. In order to quantify the stress profile prior to stimulation, stress tests have been performed in a total of nine wells. Seven of the wells were in the Travis Peak formation of east Texas. In these wells, 68 stress tests were performed in 61 different zones. The remaining two wells were in the Devonian Shales in the eastern U.S. A total of 13 tests were performed in these two wells. This paper presents a summary of the procedures, equipment and analyses involved in these tests. It also presents the results of all of the tests.