Журнал нефтяной и экологической биотехнологии

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Preliminary Evaluation of Silica Sand in Sudan with Respect to Fracture Sand

Mohammed Khair EM* and Mohammed Faried

Hydraulic fracturing is a well stimulation method performed on reservoirs with low permeability to improve the flow of hydrocarbon into wellbore. Certain chemicals are injected into the well under very high pressure; propping agent, such as sand is added to the fracturing fluid to keep the fracture open. Silica sand was appeared as ideal proppant agent due to its high performance in USA. Many areas in Sudan contain sources of silica sand that may have the potential to act as proppant agent. Recently, no study was conducted to characterize and evaluate the use of this sand as proppant; the current study try to primary evaluate some Sudanese sand with respect to proppant agent. Three samples were collected from different areas in Sudan and a series of laboratory tests were performed according to the API recommended practice API RP 19C. Two samples were taken from Khartoum State (ALMarkhiyat and Hattab zones) and one sample was taken from AL-jaded al- Thawra in Al-jazeera State. The clay content, roundness and sphericity, acid solubility, crush resistance and grain size were measured for all samples. The results of sphericity and roundness show that the sand is satisfy with the API requirements for hydraulic fracturing; the turbidity of samples is also agreed with the API. On the other hand more than 10% of fine has been produced from the different samples under stress of 3000 Psi; which indicate that the sample can be used as proppant for reservoir with the closer pressure less than 3000 Psi; for pressure above 3000 Psi, the samples have to be coated for strength improvement.