Minifrac Test Type

Related Topic:

Minifrac Workflow

Minifrac tests are injection/ falloff tests performed without proppant before a main fracture stimulation treatment. The intent is to break down the formation to create a short fracture during the injection period, and then to observe closure of the fracture system during the ensuing falloff period. Minifrac tests can be designed to provide results useful in designing the main fracture treatment, or to yield initial pressure and reservoir flow characteristics, such as permeability.

It is extremely difficult and impractical to obtain estimates of initial pressure in horizontal multifrac wells following the hydraulic fracture treatments. Minifrac tests are a convenient solution. In comparison to Perforation Inflow tests, Minifrac tests are also attractive because they can give estimates of initial pressure and reservoir flow characteristics within a shorter time frame (provided injection volume is small), and because the mini-fracture can cut through near wellbore damage and contact the native reservoir.

The Minifrac test type supports pre-closure analysis, after-closure analysis, modeling, and step-down test analysis. Minifrac after-closure data may also be analyzed in the same way as falloff data by changing the test type to Injection / Falloff. However, changing the test type will delete any existing minifrac analyses. If you would like to have a combination of minifrac analyses and conventional analyses, we recommend saving the file with a new name prior to changing the test type.