The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 01, 2005
Filed:
Apr. 16, 2003
Manuel E. Gonzalez, Kingwood, TX (US);
Joseph H. Schmidt, Galveston, TX (US);
Manuel E. Gonzalez, Kingwood, TX (US);
Joseph H. Schmidt, Galveston, TX (US);
Chevron U.S.A. Inc., San Ramon, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for enhancing the production of hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation. A hydrocarbon bearing formation, surrounding a well bore, is fractured with a fracturing fluid to create one or more fractures in the formation. The formation includes a higher permeability zone and a lower permeability zone with the fractures extending across both the higher and lower permeability zones. The lower permeability zone may contain a substantially higher concentration of hydrocarbons, oil and gas, than does the higher permeability zone which may generally be depleted of hydrocarbons. Proppant is then selectively positioned, such as by allowing the proppant to 'float' in a carrier fluid to the top of the fracture, with a majority of the proppant being positioned in the lower permeability zone. The fracture is allowed to close about the proppant to create at least one high conductivity channel in the lower permeability zone.