Hydraulic Fracture Conductivity Inferred from Tube Wave Reflections

A non-intrusive method was proposed to estimate the conductivity of hydraulic fractures in multistage plug-and-perf stimulation treatments using tube wave reflections. Acoustic tube waves generated at the wellhead travel down the wellbore, reflect off the fractures in the current stage, and are recorded upon returning to the surface. The data is interpreted through a model accounting for Darcy flow within proppant-filled fractures, elastic compliance of the fractures, and coupling between the fractures and borehole. By comparing the model and recorded data in both time and frequency domains, the method uniquely constrains the product of fracture width and permeability, offering an efficient way to monitor fracture properties during and after stimulation treatments.