A new method for predicting friction pressures and rheology of proppant-laden fracturing fluids

Abstract

The prediction of friction pressures for proppant-laden fracturing fluids requires estimatons of both the base-gel friction factor and the effect of proppant on fluid rheology. This paper introduces two new expressions, each theoretically based with constants determined from data, that address these two issues for hydroxypropyl guar (HPG)-based fracturing fluids in laminar and turbulent flow. The paper first introduces a new expression for the turbulent friction factor of HPG base gels. This implicit expression for the friction factor is more theoretically correct and requires one less empirical constant than explicit forms currently used