In sand-fracturing, the sand concentration in the fracturing fluid injected into the well is a critical parameter, as it controls the final permeability of the fractures. Accurate measurement of this concentration is therefore crucial. Sand concentration, measured as the mass of sand per unit volume of fracturing fluid, is typically calculated on-site by converting the total fluid volume from the output of the fracturing truck and estimating the instantaneous mass of sand based on the rotation speed of the screw conveyor under the sand tank. This method, however, has a margin of error, which can exceed 30%, as field tests have shown. To improve accuracy, more advanced methods are sought. Research indicates that non-contact acoustic methods can effectively measure sand concentration within pipelines. Field experiments conducted in the sand-fracturing process revealed that, under conditions with minimal electromagnetic interference, the sand concentration signals correlated well with the trends of the sand addition concentration. However, converting the acoustic signals generated by sand particles hitting the pipe walls into sand mass per unit volume of fracturing fluid requires consideration of the signal capture rate, a factor influenced by variables not yet fully understood, lacking a foundational mathematical model. While acoustic methods show promise for monitoring sand concentration in real-time during sand-fracturing, substantial experimentation is still needed to establish empirical formulas and models for accurate readings in various fracturing environments.

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Exploration and Considerations on Monitoring Sand Concentration Using Acoustic Methods During Sand-Fracturing

  • Feng Xiong,
  • JIan Yang,
  • Zhi-Hong Zhao,
  • Yang Liu,
  • Jing-Yu Hu,
  • Yu-Kun Fu

摘要

In sand-fracturing, the sand concentration in the fracturing fluid injected into the well is a critical parameter, as it controls the final permeability of the fractures. Accurate measurement of this concentration is therefore crucial. Sand concentration, measured as the mass of sand per unit volume of fracturing fluid, is typically calculated on-site by converting the total fluid volume from the output of the fracturing truck and estimating the instantaneous mass of sand based on the rotation speed of the screw conveyor under the sand tank. This method, however, has a margin of error, which can exceed 30%, as field tests have shown. To improve accuracy, more advanced methods are sought. Research indicates that non-contact acoustic methods can effectively measure sand concentration within pipelines. Field experiments conducted in the sand-fracturing process revealed that, under conditions with minimal electromagnetic interference, the sand concentration signals correlated well with the trends of the sand addition concentration. However, converting the acoustic signals generated by sand particles hitting the pipe walls into sand mass per unit volume of fracturing fluid requires consideration of the signal capture rate, a factor influenced by variables not yet fully understood, lacking a foundational mathematical model. While acoustic methods show promise for monitoring sand concentration in real-time during sand-fracturing, substantial experimentation is still needed to establish empirical formulas and models for accurate readings in various fracturing environments.