The Engineering of Hydraulic Fractures--State of the Art and Technology of the Future

A new age is dawning in the application of computers to precise engineering design and analysis for the optimization of petroleum field operations, particularly hydraulic fracturing. This progress is based on rapid improvements in equipment, materials, model analysis, and computer-based monitoring of operations in the field, allowing real-time evaluation and immediate feedback control of each process as it evolves in each unique set of field circumstances. Much has been written about equipment and materials. This review concentrates on the dramatic changes in technology generated by the power of computer-based analysis and design, based on sound engineering models of the process. Such engineering has gradually replaced guesswork, as research and development have proved their value over the past decade or so. Primary results include more realistic fracture treatment designs, better quality control, and the possibility of largely automatic control for such operations in the near future.