SPE

Society of Petroleum Engineer'S

SPE 14458

Fractured Water-Injection Wells: A Pressure Falloff Test for

Determining Fracture Dimensions
by E.J.L. Koning and H. Niko, Konink/ijke/She/1 E&P Laboratorium
SPE Members

Copyright 1985, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the 60th Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers held in Las
Vegas, NV September 22-25, 1985.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE Program Committee following. review of information. contained in an a~stract submit~ed by the
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Abstract
lateral or vertical propagation the fracture may
establish communication with other reservoirs. This is
Pressure transient theory for a water-injection
usually undesirable. Third, the length and orientation
well in the presence of a closing fracture and a
of induced fractures may be critical for a successful
discontinuity in fluid mobility is developed in
application of a tertiary recovery process.
elliptical coordinates. Solutions are obtained using
In a number of recent publications 1 - 4 the
the Laplace transform and numerical inversion. From
propagation of waterflood-induced fractures was
the results it is concluded that a pressure fall-off
studied with relatively simple models. Two important
test with a closing fracture, in principle provides
conclusions from these studies are a) the conventional
three different methods for determining the fracture
Carter model of one-dimensional leak-off perpendicular
length. The first method is based on rock mechanical
to the fracture is generally inadequate b) changes in
principles only. The second method makes use of
reservoir pressure and temperature can have a
formation linear flow. The third method analyses the
significant effect on the reservoir rock stress and
transition of the pressure transient from the inner
therefore on the fracture propagation pressure.
fluid region to the outer region in conjunction with a
A quantitative prediction of fracture length with
heat or volume balance. If more than one method is
these models is beset with many uncertainties. This is
applicable consistent results should give a reliable
because on the one hand they rely on many simplifying
estimate of the fracture length. The in-situ
assumptions and on the other hand a great number of
horizontal rock stress can also be determined from the
input data are required. A method of determining the
test. It is equal to the pressure at which the closing
dimensions of an induced fracture is therefore useful
of the fracture is observed.
in gauging these models.
Recently 5 a method was proposed for analysing the
dimensions of minifracs. Since it relies on the Carter
Introduction
leak-off model both during fracture propagation and
during fracture closure and since furthermore the
It is a commonly held belief within petroleum
fluid-loss coefficient is assumed to be independent of
engineering that most water-injection wells have been
pressure, this method is in general not suited for
fractured. When dealing with low permeability
analysing waterflood-induced fractures.
formations or with injection water of poor quality,
This paper presents a pressure fall-off test for
fractures are usually induced intentionally in order
a fractured water-injection well with the fracture
to obtain a higher injectivity. Unintentional
closing during the pressure decline. The method is
fracturing can also occur, for instance when cold . 2'
. h'1s th es1s
based on an idea presented by Hagoort 1n
water is injected into a relatively hot reservoir. The
according to which a closing fracture behaves as a
cooling of the reservoir rock can reduce the rock
compressible system. We have extended his work to
stress to the point where the injection pressure
account for different fracture geometries, transition
exceeds the tensile strength of the rock and
from linear to elliptical flow, pressure response at
fracturing occurs.
and after fracture closure and the effect of an
A fracture emanating from a water-injection well
elliptical discontinuity in fluid mobility. In .
is generally not stationary but propagates. This can principle, the test provides three ways of detect1ng
have a number of consequences. FJ.rst, once its length
the fracture length.
becomes of the order of the well spacing it starts
influencing the sweep efficiency of the waterdrive.
Whether the effect is favourable or not depends on the
orientation of the fracture. Second, as a result of
2 FRACTURED WATER-INJECTION WELLS - A PRESSURE FALL-OFF TEST FOR DETERMINING FRACTURE DIMENSIONS SPE 14458

A pressure fall-off test in the presence of a closing has been used in Eq. (2). The basic volume balance for
fracture the fracture is:

The transient pressure response in the fractured dVf

injection well was calculated using the following q = q~ + dt (3)
assumptions.
1 The fracture has infinite conductivity during where q is the injection rate from the well into the
propagation, during closure and after closure. fracture. In Ref. 4 it is shown that during
The assumption of infinite conductivity after propagation dVf/dt becomes usually negligibly small
closure means that a channel of very high after a few hours of injection. If the injection rate
permeability remains where the fracture occurred. into the well is constant, Eq. (3) therefore becomes
This could be caused by erosion or distortion of approximately
the fracture walls. The effect of this condition
and deviations from it will be discussed in the q ~ q~ = constant (propagation) (4)
analysis of the results.
2. The dimensionless fracture le~gth is Ln If at tsh the flow from the well into the fracture is
sufficiently small (L 0 < 0.1) that during shut-off instantaneously so that q = 0, then according
propagation the pressure distribution surrounding to assumption 3 and from Eq. (3)
the fracture behaves as quasi-steady state. dpf
3. During the pressure decline the length and height q~ = - cf dt (during closure) (5)
of the fracture remain constant. The fracture
volume diminishes according to:
For times t > tsh' Eq. (2) therefore becomes (with the
constant rate solution for q 0 = q):
(1)
dt
where Cf is called the fracture storage constant.
4. The isotropic, homogeneous, horizontally infinite
reservoir with uniform properties contains two
zones of slightly compressible fluid. A different
constant mobility and diffusivity is assigned to which can be rewritten as:
each zone.
5. The discontinuity in fluid mobility has the shape
of an ellipse that is confocal with the fracture
tips.

It is supposed that the fracture has a half- The first term on the right-hand side of Eq. (7) can
length L(tsh) when the well is shut-in. According to be integrated to give:
assumption 2, the pressure distribution surrounding
the fracture may be calculated from pressure transient
theory for a constant fracture length. Then the t o cr
substitution L ~ L(t) can be made to account for
f ""5"f t:,pf (t-A)dA = (8)
0
fracture propagation. This means that the pressure
distribution at time t is not affected by the
Multiplying Eq. (7) with -1, adding l:,p~r(tsh) = Psh-pi
propagation history of the fracture. For the present
to both sides, using Eq. {8) and l:,t = ~-tsh we have,
purpose, it may therefore be assumed that the fracture
had the constant length L(tsh) throughout the
injection period.
The pressure in the fracture at tsh is then given
by

t
f
q (A)
-~--
q
.Q__
ot !:, cr ( t-A) dA
Pf
I (2)
0 0 t = t sh
(O <; l:,tD < l:,tD(cl))
where l:,p = pf-p, and q~ is the total leak-off from (9)
the fraclure 1nt6 the reservoir. l:,pfcr is the constant
where the following dimensionless variables have been
rate solution for an infinite conductivity fracture of
introduced:
half-length L(tsh) and for an in~ection rate ~
Duhamels superposition principle for varying rates
2nA h
1
pfD (l:,tD) = ---q--- (psh- pf(tsh + l:,t))

* Ln = L(tsh)//~t h' where ~ is the diffusivity in

the outer fluidszone and L(tsh) the fracture length
at the time of shut-in. It is a measure of the
fracture propagation speed relative to the speed of
(1 0)
the pressure transient through the reservoir.
~1l:,t
This number indicates the stat.e of the pressure =--
distribution surrounding the fracture4.
SPE 14458 E.J.L. KONING and H. NIKO
~~(cl) = dimensionless fracture closing time
where A , n are, respectively, the fluid mobility and
the diffusi~ity of the inner fluid region.
If the analysis is restricted to the time region
where ~t 0 << tD(sh) we have
0 ( 11 )
and Eq. (9) becomes:
( 12)
If the fr~cture closes at.~~D(cl)' with assumption 1
we can st1ll use superpos1t1on and substitute CfD = 0
for ~t 0 > ~tD(cl) in~o Eq. (12):
After 1ntegrat1on th1s results 1n:
( 13)
If the constant rate solution is known, Eqs. (12) and
(13) determine the wellbore pressure response during
and after closure, respectively. An analytical
solution for the constant rate infinite conductivity
fracture was presented by Gringarten et al. in Ref. 7.
In Ref. 8 the same problem was solved in elliptical
coordinates in Laplace space using Mathieu functions.
Recently 9 this approach was extended to include the
presence of an elliptical discontinuity in fluid
mobility. It is this method that we have adopted in
solving Eqs. ( 1 2) and ( 1 3) Some details are given in
Appendix A. Eq. (12) is solved using the Laplace
transform. The solution in Laplace space is inverted
numerically with the Stehfest algorithm 10 Eq. (13) is
. . d d a
so 1 ved by determ1n1ng dA pfD an o(~t ) PfD 1n
cr .
Laplace space and invertrng with the s~ehfest
algorithm to ordinary time space for 0 ( ~t ( ~tD( l)"
0
The integral in the first term on the right-hand s1ae
of Eq. (13) is then integrated numerically. The second
term is again calculated in Laplace space and inverted
numerically with the Stehfest algorithm.
The results are shown in a number of type-curves in
Figs. 1-3. The following additional constants were
introduced:
3
diffusivity ratio (inner to outer)
( 14)
mobility ratio (inner to outer)
position of mobility discontinuity
(elliptical coordinates)
In Fig. 1 a log-log plot of PfD vs ~t is given
0
for the case when C = 0.33 and ~ = 5, for several
values of CfD and for arbitraril? assumed values of
the dimensionless closure time ~tD( l)" The first flow
regime is fracture-storage dominatea and changes
abruptly to formation linear flow for small ~tD(cl)"
In Fig. 2 a derivative type curve plot is shown of
d(pf 0 )/d(ln ~t ) vs ~t ;cfD" Fracture closure shows up
0 0
clearly as high peaks in this plot. Pseudo-radial flow
is reached inside the inner zone when the derivative
reaches the value 0.5. After transition to the outer
zone the constant value 0.5 C is reached. Fig. 3 shows
a log-log plot of the logarithmic derivative of
pf 0 vs ~t for various values of ~ From this plot it
can be s~en that if the fracture ~s close to the front
(small~ ), pseudo-radial flow is not attained in the
inner re~ion (see Fig. 4 for an elliptical coordinate
system).
Based on the conceptual results given in Figs. 1-
3 the following philosophy emerges for a pressure
fall-off test. First shut the well in with a downhole
shut-off tool to avoid the fracture storage being
masked by wellbore storage. Since early-time data are
important, a pressure gauge with a high sampling rate
should be used to record the pressure. Then make a
semilog plot of the late-time data to estimate the
permeability. Estimate the mobility ratio C from
available fluid and relative permeability data. The
fracture length is then determined using the following
three methods.
Method 1
During the very early part of the storage-
dominated flow regime Pf varies linearly with ~t.
In this period
pf-SH
pf-pi
so that the change in fracture volume is large with
respect to the change in leak-off rate. (The fracture
volume is proportional to pf-sH, see Appendix B.)
Therefore,
q ( 15)
and the slope of a linear plot of Pf vs ~t is equal to
~ ' from which cf can be determined.
f
In Appendix B it is shown how Cf can be related
to fracture length for various fracture geometries.
The fracture models considered are the Christianovic-
Geertsma-de Klerk model (CGK) 11 , applicable
to fractures for which hf/2L >> 1, the Perkins- Kern-
Nordgren model (PKN) 11 , for fractures with
4 FRACTURED WATER-INJECTION WELLS - A PRESSURE FALL-OFF TEST FOR DETERMINING FRACTURE DIMENSIONS SPE 14458

hf/2L << 1, and ellipsoidal fractures 12 for the ~t ~ 2 ~t 0

intermediate case. hf is the fracture height at the = 1t~ {~I ___E_- ]__ (1-e erfc{Q/~t >)}
0 (20)
wellbore. Fig. 5 shows the CGK and PKN geometries, pfD 2 ~ 1t ~2 ~
Fig. 6 shows the ellipsoidal geometry. where
The fracture length can be determined graphically
as follows. Estimate the fracture height hf, form the ~ = _2_ { 21)
dimensionless pressure decline coefficient, 1tCfD
3 2 and the other quantities are defined in Eq. (10). If
y
0
= hf y(1-v )/qE ( 16) the analysis is restricted to the time that formation
flow is still linear,type-curves can be generated
where v and E are Poia~on's ratio and Young's modulus, either from Eq. {20) or by using the method given in
respectively andy = dtf determined from the linear Appendix A. A match with the field plot gives values
for L and CfD" Since only linear formation flow is
plot of p vs ~t. Enter Fig. 7 and determine hf/2L for considered, again either Eq. (18) or Eq. {19) can be
a particular fracture geometry. This then gives a used depending on the geometry being studied.
value for L.
Alternatively, if hf is not known, a certain
value for the ratio hf/2L may be assumed and Fig. 7 Method 3
then gives a value for y from which hf can be The dimensionless derivative plot of Fig. 3 can
0 be compared with a similar plot of the field data to
calculated. This method may, for instance, be applied
if i t seems plausible that the fracture area is estimate the position of the mobility discontinuity
~ (in elliptical coordinates, see Fig. 4). Since the
circular (penny-shape fracture). Evaluation of the
curve for the ellipsoid at hf/2L = 1 then gives, o~set and length of the transition zone and its height
for y , the value of 1.5. above or below the line with constant value
0 0.5 C depend on the eccentricity of the mobility
discontinuity, a match with the field data in this
Method 2a region gives a value for ~ In the usual way, a mat,lJ.
Linear formation flow becomes visible if: (i) the also provides a value for
since the corresponding
~t and ~t
fracture closes at a small dimensionless closure time 0 are known.
If ~ has been determined, a heat or volume
~tDlcl)' and ~ii) o~ing to erosion of the fracture
walls or to d1stort1on of the fracture walls, a balance, 8epending on the type of mobility discon-
channel of very high permeability remains where the tinuity, can then be used to obtain an additional
fracture occurred. The latter condition justifies the estimate of L. If, for instance, the mobility
use of the infinite conductivity solution after discontinuity is caused by a sharp temperature front,
closure. Linear formation flow can be recognised by a a heat balance gives:
straight line with slope 1/2on a log-log plot of
~p vs ~t of the field data. In the usual way 13 , a plot heat injected = heat lost to reservoir rock (22)
of Pf vs l~t then gives a slope of,
or

{23)
( 17)
resulting in
qt hM
From the permeability of the semi-log analysis and L = ( s w {24)
7tMrh sinh ~
from the fluid and relative permeability data 0 cosh ~
0
(~/k$c > can be estimated. Then from Eq. (17) the
quanti~y 1 2hL is obtained. Although Eq. (17) is with h being the reservoir height. This value for L
conventionally derived for a rectangular fracture
should be in agreement with the one obtained from the
area, it can be used for a fracture area of any
type-curve match.
geometry if 2hL is replaced by the corresponding
Method 3 is applicable in the following
expression for this area. We therefore have
circumstances.
a) After closure, if a channel of very high
h = hf (CGK and PKN) ( 18)
permeability remains where the fracture occurred.
and
That this condition is satisfied may be inferred
h=lE.h (ellipsoid) { 19)
4 f from the fact that method 2a was applicable or
from type-curve matching.
If the fracture closes very tightly, no formation
b) Before closure, if the fracture closes
linear flow will occur. The dimensionless pressure
sufficiently slowly that the transition from the
will behave differently in this case than indicated in
inner to the outer fluid region occurs while the
our type curves and the above analysis cannot be
fracture is still open.
applied.

Method 2b
Fbr longer closure times ~tD{cl)
storage flow and linear formation flow takes place
before the fracture closes. In his thesis 2 Hagoort
presented an analytical expression for Pfo in this
flow regime. It is given by:
Discussion
a combination of To obtain a measure of the fracture height hf at
the wellbore is sometimes difficult. If cold water is
injected a temperature log can be run in the hole.
From this log, the height of the cooled region can be
determined. If, owing to cooling, the reservoir rock
stress has decreased significantly, the height of the
SPE 14458 E.J.L. KONING and H. NIKO
cooled region may then be used as an upper limit for
h f 14,15
The assumption of a uniform fluid pressure inside,
the fracture during closure may not be strictly valid .
if viscous pressure keeps the fracture open. However,
from Muskat's analysis 16 of the steady-state pressure
profile for a rectangular infinite-conductivity
fracture, it can be shown that the leak-off
distribution in the fracture is given by:
q~x =! --------- lx I < L (25)
.; (L 2_x2)
With assumption 2 (i.e. the pressure distribution
surrounding the fracture behaves as quasi-steady
state) this is also the leak-off distribution at the
time of shut in. As discussed in method 1 the leak-off
will not change appreciably during the early-time
since shut-in. The condition of zero fracture flow at
the wellbore and high leak-off at the tip will only
produce an appreciable pressure gradient in the
fracture near the tip. Therefore the pressure at the
wellbore does not differ very much from the average
pressure in the fracture and the foregoing closure
analysis is valid. Fbr a similar conclusion see
Ref. 5.
The choice between substitution of Eq. (18) or
Eq. (19) in methods 2a and 2b applies when the
fracture does not extend over the whole reservoir
height. For this reason the early-time type-curve
analysis must be restricted to the period of linear
flow perpendicular to the fracture. If the fracture
covers the whole reservoir height (extending, for
instance, into cap and base rock), his always equal
to the reservoir height. In this case the type-curve
analysis in methods 2a or 2b may be extended beyond
the linear flow regime into the elliptical flow
regime. The types curves must then be generated with
the method given in Appendix A. If the fracture area
that is exposed to the formation is rectangular, the
derived fracture length corresponds to the actual one.
If the fracture area that is exposed to the formation
is elliptical, the derived fracture length is an
equivalent fracture length L. The equivalent
length L determines an equivalent rectangular fracture
area such that 2hL = nhL where h is the reservoir
height.
The analysis of method 3 relies on a sharp
elliptical temperature or flood front. If the
temperature of the injection fluid is different to
that of the reservoir a sharp front prevails if 4 :
< 0.05 (26)
The fracture closes if the fluid pressure in the
fracture has become equal to the in-situ horizontal
rock stress. The absolute pressure at which closure is
observed therefore provides a value for the in-situ
stress.
If a fracture starts influencing the sweep
efficiency of a waterdrive, injection at a lower
pressure or at a higher temperature may be considered,
depending on the mechanism that created the fracture.
This action will neutralise the unfavourable effect of
the fracture if it can close tightly. Information on
whether or not the fracture behaves as an infinite
conductivity fracture after closure can therefore be
very valuable.
5
Finally, if more than one of the above methods
can be applied to determine the fracture length,
consistent results will enhance the reliability of the
interpretation.
Conclusions
A pressure fall-off test in principle provides
three methods for determining fracture length.
1. In the first flow period the fracture closes
according to its compressibility. The pressure
varies linearly with time. By using rock
mechanical principles; the slope of the straight
line gives a value for the fracture length.
2. The second flow period is determined by either
linear formation flow or a combination of frac-
ture storage and linear formation flow. In the
first case the usual square root time analysis
and in the second case type curve matching result
in a value for the fracture length.
3. The third flow period is determined by the
transition from the inner fluid region to the
outer fluid region. The length, height and onset
of this transition flow can be used to obtain a
type-curve match with a logarithmic derivative
plot. The match provides a value both for the
elliptical coordinate, ~ , of the fluid front and
0
for the fracture length. A heat or volume balance
together with ~ gives an additional estimate for
the fracture leRgth. This value should be in
agreement with that from the type-curve match.
If more than one of the three methods can be used,
consistent results should give a reliable estimate of
the fracture length. Additionally, the in-situ
horizontal rock stress can be determined from the
test. It is given by the absolute pressure at which
closing of the fracture is observed. Finally, the test
may provide information on whether the fracture closes
tightly or whether it remains highly permeable after
closure. This information is important when injection
below the fracture opening pressure is considered in
order to minimise the effect of the fracture on sweep
efficiency.
List of symbols
A2n Fourier coefficient of Mathieu functions
0
total pore compressibility
modified Mathieu function of the first kind
fracture storage constant
Young's modulus
E(k) complete elliptic integral of the second kind
Fek 2n modified Mathieu function of the third kind
h formation thickness
k permeability
L fracture half-length
heat capacity of fluid filled reservoir rock
heat capacity of cap and base rock
heat capacity of injection fluid
initial reservoir pressure
fluid pressure in the fracture
6 FRACTURED WATER-INJECTION WELLS - A PRESSURE FALL-OFF TEST FOR DETERMINING FRACTURE DIMENSIONS SPE 14458
pressure at shut-in 4. Koning, E.J.L. & Niko, H., Fractured water
Pf-pi injection wells - Analytical modelling of
fracture propagation.
constant rate solution for infinite SPE 14684, 1985.
conductivity fracture 5. Nolte, K.G., Determination of fracture parameters
from fracturing pressure decline.
q injection rate SPE 8341 , 1979.
total leak-off rate from fracture into 6. Van Everdingen, A.F. & Hurst, w., The application
q,R.
of Laplace transformation to flow problems in
reservoir reservoirs.
leak-off rate as function of position along Transactions AIME (Dec. 1949), pp. 305-324.
7. Gringarten, A.C., Ramey, H.J. Jr. & Raghaven, R.,
fracture Unsteady-state pressure distribution created
s Laplace time variable by a well with a single infinite conductivity
vertical fracture.
horizontal reservoir stress SPEJ (Aug. 1974), pp. 347-360.
injection time 8. Ku~uk, F. & Brigham, E.W., Transient flow in
elliptical systems.
time at which the well is shut-in SPEJ (June 1981), pp. 309-314.
t-tsh 9. Obut, S.T. & Ertekin, T., A composite system
solution in elliptical flow geometry,
time since shut-in at which the fracture SPE 13078, 1984.
closes 10. Stehfest, H., An algorithm for numerical inversion
of Laplace transforms.
~T temperature difference between injection Communications ACM (Jan. 1970), pp. 47-49.
fluid and reservoir 11. Geertsma, J. & Haafkens, R., Comparison of the
theories to predict width and extent of
vf fracture volume vertically hydraulically induced fractures.
w fracture half-width Transactions ASME (March 1979), pp. 8-19.
12. Green, A.E. & Sneddon, I.N., The distribution of
stress in the neighbourhood of a flat
Greek elliptical crack in an elastic solid.
a: thermal diffusivity of cap and base rock Proceedings cambridge Phil. Soc. (1950), Vol.
s 46, PP 159-163.
y pressure decline rate
diffusivity 13. Earlougher, R.C. Jr., Advances in well test
T]
diffusivity ratio analysis.
K
mobility of inner and outer fluid region SPE Monograph, Vol. 5 (1977), p. 151.
A.1,2
resp. 14. Perkins, T.K. & Gonzalez, J.A., Changes in earth
s/4 stresses around a wellbore caused by radially
viscosity symmetrical pressure and temperature
Poisson's ratio gradients.
porosity SPEJ (April 1984), pp. 129-140.
elliptical coordinate 15. Koning, E.J.L. & Niko, H., The effect of reservoir
mobility ratio pressure and temperature variations on
fracturing conditions during a waterflood
operation.
Subscripts Proceedings of the 3rd EUropean meeting on
1 inner region improved oil recovery (April 1985), Rome,
2 outer region PP 219-225.
D dimensionless 16. Muskat, M., The flow of homogeneous fluids through
f fracture porous media
sh shut-in McGraw Hill (1946), p. 185.
17. Palmer, I.D. & Carroll, H.B. Jr., 3D hydraulic
fracture propagation in the presence of
stress variations,
References SPE/DOE 10849, 1982.

1. Hagoort, J., Weatherill, B.D. & Settari, A.,

Modelling the propagation of waterflood-
induced fractures.
SPEJ (Aug. 1980), PP 293-303.
2. Hagoort, J., Waterflood-induced hydraulic
fracturing.
Ph.D.Thesis, Delft Technical University,
1981.
3. Perkins, T.K. & Gonzalez, J.A., The effect of
thermo-elastic stresses on injection well
fracturing.
SPE 11 332, 1 982.
SPE 14458 E.J.L. KONING and H. NIKO 7

APPENDIX A A32

Solution for transient pressure behaviour A33

Equation (12) is a convolution-type integral

equation that also occurs in the analysis of ordinary where q = AC and K, C and ~
0
are given in Eq. (14).
wellbore storage problems 6 It is most easily solved
For the definition of the Fourier coefficients A2n and
using the Laplace transform.
the Mathieu functions we refer to Ref. 9. In thi~
Defining:
reference the constants A21 to A33 are multiplied by a
~~tD(pfD) = pfD(s) and~~t D(p~~) = p~~(s) (A-1)
periodic Mathieu function. Since these periodic
functions drop out in Eq. (A-4) we have omitted them
here.
the Laplace transform of Eq. (12) gives:
We have evaluated Eq. (A-3) at ~ = 0 and
Eq. (A-2) was inverted numerically usfng the Stehfest
algorithm 10
(A-2)
APPENDIX B

The Laplace transform of the constant rate solution Relationship between fracture storage constant and
-cr fracture length
pfD in the presence of an elliptical discontinuity in
fluid mobility is given by 9 : Assuming a uniform pressure Pf inside the
fracture we have,

dVf dVf
--=--
dt dpf
(B-1)

(A-3)
so that from (1 ),
where A = sj4. The functions ce 2n and Fek 2n are
modified Mathieu functions of the first and third dVf
kind, respectively. These special functions solve the (B-2)
cf - dpf
differential equations which result after a separation
of variables of the Laplace transform of the For a fracture of the CGK type (Fig. 5) the
diffusivity equation in elliptical coordinates. The volume is given by,
p2ime denotes differentiation with respect to~.
A n is a -Fourier coefficient of the Mathieu functions.
TRe constants c 2n and F2n are obtained from: (B-3)

A22A33 - A23A32
with w(o) the half-width at the wellbore given by 11 :
det(A)
(A-4)
A23A33 - A21A33 w(o) (B-4)
F2n = det(A)
with Assuming that the height and length of the fracture
remain constant during the pressure decline and
det(A) (A-5) assuming that the pressure decline is sufficiently
fast that pore-elastic changes in SH can be neglected
and Eqs. (B-2), (B-3) and (B-4) give,

(B-5)

For a fracture of the PKN type (Fig. 5) the

volume is given by,
A21 Ce2n (~o,-A) hf
Vf = 2L n 2: w(o) (B-6)

A22 Fek2n (~o,-A) where the half-width at the wellbore is now given
by11,
(A-6)
A23 Fek2n (~o,-q)
(B-7)

A31 KCe2n (~o,-A) giving,

8 FRACTURED WATER-INJECTION WELLS - A PRESSURE FALL-OFF TEST FOR DETERMINING FRACTURE DIMENSIONS SPE 14458

If it is assumed that the fracture retains

(B-8) approximately an elliptical shape in spite of the
stress contrast, (B-8) is still valid.
For an ellipsoidal fracture (Fig. 6) the volume The same reasoning holds for Eq. (B-5) in the
is given by 12 , presence of a horizontal stress contrast. It is
therefore reasonable to assume that Eqs. (B-11) and
(B-12) can also be used in the presence of stress
(B-9) contrasts.

As was discussed in the main text, during the

with a and b the major and minor axis respectively of early part of the pressure fall-off we have:
the elliptical fracture area. E(k) is the complete
elliptical integral of the second kind and
q (B-17)

(B-10)
The following dimensionless pressure decline
coefficient can be formed:
From Eqs. (B-9) and (B-10) we have,
3 2
hfy(1-v )
Yo = qE (B-18)
hf 2
1 -( 2L )
where y = dpf/dt.

( B-11 ) Using (B-17) this becomes,

2
2 h L 2
celpsd= _! ( 1-v ) f k2= 1-( 2L
f 3
n;---
E E(k)
) (B-19)
hf
hf From Eqs. (B-5), (B-8), (B-11) and (B-12) a plot
2) L (B-12) of y 0 vs hf/2L can be made for the various fracture
geometries (Fig. 7). This plot can be used to deter-
mine L or hf as described in method 1 in the main
Expressions (B-4), (B-7) and (B-9) are valid for a text.
uniform pressure Pf and a uniform rock stress SH.
When the fracture length or height extends across a
discontinuous change in SH the expressions (B-4) and
(B-7) for the half-width become different. Suppose,
for example, that the fracture extends vertically into
cap and base rock so that hf > h with h the reservoir
height.
If furthermore,

S H -- S H1 lzl ""~ ~2
(B-13)

the width equation (B-7) becomes 17 ,

2
w(o) =~h.
E f
(B-14)

2
2 (SH -sH ) [ cos -1 (u)-u ln(1+1(1-u
{ (pf-sH )- ~ u ))]}
1 2 1

where
h
u =- (B-15)
hf
However, from (B-15),

2
dw(o) ~h
(B-16)
~= E f
 10 10

--~ FRACTURE CLOSURE

---- ,.""
[ ('
\

\
Po

10-1 C,\J_:. . ., .IJ. . ......

...... Ll t 0 !ell= 0.01
dP 0
d (lnllt 0 )

10-1 _j}/" ~ TRANSITION PERIOD ~

10-2 MOBILITY DISCONTINUITY AT ~ 0 = 5

MOBILITY (DIFFUSIVITY) RATIO: 0.33

MOBILITY DISCONTINUITY AT ~ 0 = 5
MOBILITY (DIFFUSIVITY) RATI0:0.33
10-3 103
10-2 10-1 10 1 102 103 104 10-1 1~ 102 103 104 105
Ll~!Cm
Mo
FIG. 2 DERIVATIVE TYPE CURVE PLOT FOR PRESSURE FALL-OFF TEST
FIG. 1 WITH CLOSING FRACTURE
TYPE CURVE FOR A PRESSURE FALL-OFF TEST WITH A CLOSING FRACTURE

101

d (P 0 )
d (In M 0 l
~
10-1 ~0 0.5

10-2
At 0 (cl) = 0.1 (ASSUMED)
)( = ~ =
~
0.33

10-1 101 1o2 103 104 105 106

J-1
Ato .f!-
+:-
~
FIG.3 DERIVATIVE TYPE CURVE PLOT FOR VARIOUS POSITIONS OF THE
OQ
ELLIPTICAL MOBILITY DISCONTINUITY
 FIG. 4 ELLIPTICAL COORDINATE SYSTEM THAT IS
CONFOCAL WITH FRACTURE TIPS

CGI<-MODEL

L
PKN-MODEL

FIG. 5 FRACTURE MODELS WITH RECTANGULAR FRACTURE AREA

 Z-AXIS

FIG. e FRACTURE MODEL WITH ELLIPTICAL FRACTURE AREA (ELLIPSOID)

103

--ELLIPSOID
CGK
102 .......... PKN

101 .............................~...
Yo= hly(1- v2 ) I qE
Yo
y = dpf/dt
100

10"2 ~......o:.;.__...................&.....l..l....u-..L.......I-......L......J....JL....L...I...I..U----L.--J.........L...I...J...J....I..U......-..L...--L......L....L-U...L..I.I
10-2 10-1 10o 101 102

FIG. 7 PRESSURE DECLINE COEFFICIENT VS INVERSE FRACTURE LENGTH