Gazprom Neft has held layer hydrofracturing with the use of quartz sand

Gazprom Neft has successfully completed the cluster layer hydrofracturing with the use of quartz sand. The new technology of the oil output increase has been tested at the South-Priobsky deposit of Gazprom Neft-Khantos with the assistance of the specialists of the scientific and technical center of Gazprom Neft. The application of cluster layer hydrofracturing with the use of quartz sand is expected to allow it to reach a 20% reduction of layer hydrofracturing with cost savings from its efficiency.

The cluster technology of layer hydrofracturing has been applied at the oil deposits of Gazprom Neft for a few years and differs from the traditional method of hydrofracturing by the way of the proppant supply into the layer. Usually it is supplied uninterruptedly during the entire operation of layer hydrofracturing and fully fills the hole produced as a result of hydrofracturing. When running the operation by the cluster technology, the proppant is supplied into the well alternatively with the special synthetic fiber which is able to form canals inside the hole. Thus the cluster technology reduces by 40-50% the volume of proppant necessary for the layer hydrofracturing operation. The method of proppant replacement by quartz sand tested at Gazprom Neft-Khantos’ deposits (which costs by 2-3 times less) shows a higher level of production and economic efficiency.