Hydraulic fracture height limits and fault interactions in tight oil.pdf

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 40, 3602–3606, doi:, 2013
Hydraulic fracture height limits and fault interactions in tight oil
and gas formations
Samuel A. Flewelling,1 Matthew P. Tymchak,1 and Norm Warpinski2
Received 12 April 2013; revised 27 June 2013; accepted 28 June 2013; published 26 July 2013.
[1] The widespread use of hydraulic fracturing (HF) has [3] An extensive microseismic data set was presented by
raised concerns about potential upward migration of HF Fisher and Warpinski [2011], who used the shallowest
fluid and brine via induced fractures and faults. We and deepest microseisms as indicators of the maximum
developed a relationship that predicts maximum fracture vertical extent of fracture growth (., fracture heights).
height as a function of HF fluid volume. These predictions These data indicated that hydraulic fractures have remained
generally bound the vertical extent of microseismicity from far below potable groundwater in a range of . sedi-
over 12,000 HF stimulations across North America. All mentary basins; however, Fisher and Warpinski did not
microseismic events were less than 600 m above well derive bounding relationships for hydraulic fracture height
perforations, although most were much closer. Areas of growth. In this paper we present a simple physical relation-
shear displacement (including faults) estimated from