Hydraulic fracturing to determine the regional in situ stress field, Piceance Basin, Colorado

Abstract

Research Article| February 01, 1976 Hydraulic fracturing to determine the regional in situ stress field, Piceance Basin, Colorado J. D. BREDEHOEFT; J. D. BREDEHOEFT 1U.S. Geological Survey, National Center, Reston, Virginia 22092 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar R. G. WOLFF; R. G. WOLFF 1U.S. Geological Survey, National Center, Reston, Virginia 22092 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar W. S. KEYS; W. S. KEYS 2U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado 80225 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar EUGENE SHUTER EUGENE SHUTER 2U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado 80225 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information J. D. BREDEHOEFT 1U.S. Geological Survey, National Center, Reston, Virginia 22092 R. G. WOLFF 1U.S. Geological Survey, National Center, Reston, Virginia 22092 W. S. KEYS 2U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado 80225 EUGENE SHUTER 2U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado 80225 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1976) 87 (2): 250–258. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1976)87<250:HFTDTR>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation J. D. BREDEHOEFT, R. G. WOLFF, W. S. KEYS, EUGENE SHUTER; Hydraulic fracturing to determine the regional in situ stress field, Piceance Basin, Colorado. GSA Bulletin 1976;; 87 (2): 250–258. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1976)87<250:HFTDTR>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Several authors have discussed the theoretical aspects of using the techniques of hydraulic fracturing to determine the state of stress within the Earth. Few, however, have attempted systematic hydraulic fracturing for the specific purpose of determining the regional stress field. Using specially designed equipment, the state of stress was determined on a regional scale in the Piceance Oil Shale Basin of northwest Colorado. Structurally, the area is a simple basin that has been subjected to normal faulting.Seven oil-shale, test holes scattered throughout the Piceance Basin were logged with an acoustic borehole televiewer to select unfractured solution-free intervals. Fracture-free intervals, ranging in depth from 60 to 460 m, were isolated between packers and hydraulically fractured. Induced fractures were propped with ground lucite and relogged with the televiewer to determine their strike and dip. These data, combined with pressure measurements made during the fracturing experiments, were used to compute the orientation and magnitude of the stress tensor.Field observations showed that in a tectonically relaxed area, vertical fractures can be induced at hydraulic pressures as low as 0.6 of the overburden stress. Below a depth of 120 m, the induced fractures were approximately vertical, with a prominent strike of N70°W. This orientation parallels the major normal faulting in the basin as well as one of the prominent directions of jointing. These results also agree with those obtained at Rangely, about 50 km to the northwest. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.