Title: New Perforation Pressure Loss Correlations
for Limited Entry Fracturing Treatments
Author(s): A.M. EIRabaa and S.N. Shah, The University
of Oklahoma, D.L. Lord, Halliburton Energy Services.
Presentation: Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting
Location: Casper, Wyoming USA
Date: May 18-21, 1997
Abstract: Estimating the perforation pressure loss is
an essential part in design and analysis of hydraulic
fracturing treatments. Accurate determination of perforation
pressure loss for the rheologically complex fracturing
fluids being used today can best be achieved through
experimental study. Investigation of the perforation
pressure loss for linear polymer solutions, crosslinked
gels, and fracturing slurries has been conducted at the
Fracturing Fluid Characterization Facility (FFCF) since
1994. Using the data acquired from these experiments, new
correlations are developed to estimate the coefficient of
discharged used in the orifice equation that governs the
perforation pressure loss. The correlations can be used to
accurately predict the coefficient of discharge for linear
polymer solutions and titanium/borate-crosslinked gels. In
addition, the slurry correlation can be utilized to
determine the dynamic change in the coefficient of discharge
for fracturing slurries due to erosion. The present
correlations are developed such that they can easily be
incorporated into current fracturing simulators.