FiberFRAC
Fiber-based fracturing fluid technology
Overview
Address proppant settling without increasing fluid viscosity
In low-viscosity fracturing treatments, proppant settling and uneven placement can limit fracture effectiveness and increase fracture height growth. FiberFRAC™ fiber-based fracturing fluid technology uses a degradable fiber network to mechanically support proppant transport, reducing reliance on fluid viscosity and polymer concentration.
This approach enables more predictable fracture geometry, improved stimulation containment, and stronger production outcomes across a wide temperature range.
Applications
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FiberFRAC technology is applied in hydraulic fracturing operations where reliable proppant placement is critical:
- tight and unconventional reservoirs with high settling risk
- slickwater treatments requiring low polymer exposure
- crosslinked gel designs targeting improved placement efficiency
- wells with extended fracture closure times
- treatments with fracture height containment concerns
- reservoir temperatures from approximately 140 to 345 degF (grade dependent).
Benefits
Reliable proppant placement for improved fracture performance
FiberFRAC technology improves fracture effectiveness by enabling more uniform proppant placement, which supports longer effective fracture half-lengths. By reducing fracture height growth, it helps maintain stimulation containment while preserving proppant-pack conductivity through lower polymer loading. This approach also provides greater operational flexibility, allowing low-viscosity treatment designs without compromising proppant transport reliability.
More uniform proppant placement
Longer effective fracture half‑lengths
Preserved proppant-pack conductivity through lower polymer loading
Improved stimulation containment
Reduced fracture height growth
Improved stimulation containment
Operational flexibility enabling low viscosity designs
Features
Reliable production performance
FiberFRAC technology is defined by a small number of core capabilities that directly impact proppant placement, fracture geometry, and operational execution. These differentiators focus on how proppant is transported, how the system integrates with existing fluid designs, and how it is deployed at the wellsite.
Independent proppant suspension
A degradable fiber network physically supports proppant transport, reducing dependence on base-fluid viscosity and polymer concentration
Broad compatibility across fluid systems
Compatible with slickwater friction reducers, borate- and zirconate-crosslinked gels, and polymer-free fracturing systems
Wellsite-ready deployment
Proven delivery using fiber blowers and frac blender integration, including simul-frac configurations, without requiring reengineering of the stimulation spread
Mechanical transport that adapts to the treatment design
FiberFRAC technology introduces a degradable fiber network into the fracturing fluid to mechanically suspend and transport proppant. This allows operators to lower fluid viscosity while maintaining stable transport and placement, even during extended closure periods after fluid break.
Laboratory testing demonstrates reduced static settling in low-viscosity systems and stable transport in slot-flow conditions. Conductivity testing confirms that fibers dissolve without diminishing proppant-pack conductivity, linking the transport mechanism to preserved fracture performance.
FAQs
How does FiberFRAC technology differ from conventional high-viscosity fracturing fluids?
FiberFRAC fiber-based fracturing fluid technology uses a degradable fiber network to mechanically support proppant transport, rather than relying on fluid viscosity alone. This decoupling allows operators to reduce polymer loading while maintaining reliable proppant placement and fracture containment.
In which applications is FiberFRAC technology most effective?
FiberFRAC technology is suited for tight and unconventional reservoirs where proppant settling is a risk, including slickwater and low-polymer treatments, wells with extended fracture closure times, and applications requiring improved fracture height containment across a wide temperature range.
Do the fibers affect proppant-pack conductivity after treatment?
Laboratory conductivity testing shows that FiberFRAC technology fibers degrade into water-soluble products and do not diminish proppant-pack conductivity as they dissolve, helping preserve fracture performance while reducing polymer exposure.
