Flow-limiting fracturing technology is a key technique for the efficient development of unconventional reservoirs. When proppant-laden fluid flows through perforations at high speeds, severe erosion occurs, altering the perforation morphology. This leads to the failure of the flow-limiting effect, resulting in uneven fluid distribution among perforations and ineffective initiation of cluster fractures, which negatively impacts reservoir stimulation. To investigate the law of borehole erosion under different proppant types and optimize the effect of flow-limiting fracturing transformation, experimental data from large mine sites were used to fit the Long model, establishing a theoretical erosion model that is suitable for flow-limiting fracturing conditions. The perforation erosion patterns under various proppant types were analyzed, and the effectiveness of flow-limiting fracturing transformation was optimized based on these findings. The research results show as follows. Under different proppant types, increasing sand concentration exacerbates perforation erosion. The erosion rate initially increases and then decreases with rising sand concentration, and erosion rate is positively correlated with pumping volume. The erosion rate follows the order: 20/40 mesh quartz sand > 40/70 mesh ceramic granule > 40/70 mesh quartz sand, and erosion rate being more sensitive to proppant size than proppant type.
GUO Xiao-dong, ZHANG Jing-chen, ZHANG Shi-cheng, SHI Shan-zhi, XI Xiang-rui, SHI Lei.
Theoretical Model of Eyelet Friction of Current-limiting Fracturing Based on Large-scale Mine Experiments[J].
Science Technology and Engineering, 2026, 26(2): 573-581 DOI:10.12404/j.issn.1671-1815.2501271
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