A fracture in a subterranean formation having zones of solids intermittently spaced throughout the fracture is formed by injecting alternating quantities of displacement liquid and carrier liquid having solids supported therein into the fracture to extend the fracture into the subterranean formation.

Improved methods of propping a fracture in a subterranean zone whereby the subsequent flow-back of the proppant is prevented are provided. The methods basically comprise the steps of placing proppant and a magnetized material in said fracture while maintaining the fracture open and then allowing the fracture to close on the proppant and magnetized material whereby the magnetized material clusters in voids and channels in the proppant bed formed.

A method for hydraulically fracturing a single subterranean formation in which a fracture is first induced in the formation and then subjected to multiple hydraulic fracturing cycles to generate vertical linear fractures or to linearly extend the fracture outward from the point of introduction of the fracing fluid into a well penetrating the formation. By utilizing fracing fluid containing a high ratio of fine proppant and injected at a low rate, the linear fracturing solely within the formation...

A method for gravel-packing an interval within a cased wellbore wherein perforations in the well casing are cleaned of any plugging materials before placement of the gravel (e.g. sand). A screen having alternate flowpaths thereon is lowered adjacent the perforated casing and a clear fluid (e.g. clear fracturing gel) is pumped through the perforations into the formation. The gel cleans the perforation of any plugging material and fractures the formation. A gravel (e.g. sand) slurry is then pumped...

A propping agent for fractures produced in the walls of a bored well comprising a granular or particulate product containing on the basis of its oxide content up to 85% by weight zirconium oxide (ZrO.sub.2) in a quantity which is such that the weight ratio of ZrO.sub.2 /SiO.sub.2 is equal to or greater than 1.5, alumina (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3) in a quantity which is such that the weight ratio Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 /SiO.sub.2 is between 0 and 1.5 and sodium oxide (Na.sub.2 O) in a quantity which is such th...

A method for drilling and completing a drainhole wellbore wherein the drainhole is hydraulically fractured using a fracturing liquid which has a viscosity that is not substantially greater than that of diesel oil, said fracturing liquid carrying a solid propping agent to be deposited in the fractures to prevent same from closing, whereby due to the low viscosity of said fracturing liquid, said propping agent preferentially settles into fractures which extend downwardly from said drainhole thereb...

A method for fracturing and propping a thick and/or non-homogeneous fracture interval of a subterranean formation which is traversed by a wellbore. A workstring is lowered into the wellbore and a fracturing fluid is flowed into either or both ends of the fracture interval annulus (i.e. that portion of the well annulus which lies adjacent the fracture interval) to initiate a fracture. The flow of fracturing fluid is continued into one end of the annulus while a slurry containing proppants is flow...

A subsurface formation having original in-situ stresses that favor the propagation of a horizontal fracture is penetrated by a borehole. A first fracturing fluid containing a propping material is pumped through the borehole and into the formation at a first depth to propagate a horizontal fracture which alters the in-situ stress field. The pumping of the first fracturing fluid is stopped and a second fracturing fluid is pumped through the borehole and into the formation at a second depth to form...

One embodiment of the prevent invention provides a method of creating a high porosity propped fracture comprising creating a slurry comprising a treatment fluid, proppant particulates, pieces of reticulated foam having cells, and an adhesive substance such that the adhesive substance at least partially coats the proppant particulates and such that the proppant particulates become substantially embedded within the cells of the reticulated foam; and, depositing at least a portion of the reticulate...

Provided herein are methods for controlling the migration of particulates within a portion of a subterranean formation that comprise aqueous tackifying treatment fluids, curable resin compositions, and/or noncurable resin compositions.