US 11,885,205 B1
Fracturing a subsurface formation based on the required breakdown pressure accounting for filter cake
Chao Liu, Brookshire, TX (US); Yanhui Han, Houston, TX (US); Dung Phan, Brookshire, TX (US); Katherine Leigh Hull, Houston, TX (US); and Younane N. Abousleiman, Norman, OK (US)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Aug. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/889,024.
Int. Cl. E21B 43/26 (2006.01); E21B 7/00 (2006.01); E21B 43/02 (2006.01); E21B 47/06 (2012.01); E21B 49/00 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 43/02 (2013.01) [E21B 47/06 (2013.01); E21B 49/00 (2013.01); E21B 2200/20 (2020.05)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for fracturing a formation, the method comprising:
drilling a wellbore into the formation;
measuring a time-dependent permeability and a time-dependent thickness of a filter cake formed by a first drilling mud;
determining a time-dependent permeability model based on the measured time-dependent permeability of the filter cake;
determining a time-dependent thickness model of the filter cake based on the measured time-dependent thickness of the filter cake;
measuring a permeability of the formation;
selecting a breakdown pressure model based on (i) the time-dependent thickness of the filter cake, (ii) the time-dependent permeability of the filter cake, and (iii) the permeability of the formation;
using the selected breakdown pressure model to predict the breakdown pressure of the formation, wherein using the selected breakdown pressure model comprises using the time-dependent thickness model of the filter cake and the time-dependent permeability model of the filter cake in the breakdown pressure model;
determining a critical mud weight based on the predicted breakdown pressure; and
pumping a second drilling mud into the wellbore to fracture the formation, the second drilling mud having a mud weight within 10% of the critical mud weight.