OREANDA-NEWS. August 10, 2012. One of the most effective ways to significantly increase the oil recovery rate and cost-effectively operate wells at the late stage of development at TATNEFT is the technology of the formation hydraulic fracturing. The Company's specialists have planned to perform 364 FHF operations in 2012 (320 in 2011 and 239 in 2010). The Company used to perform up to 60 FHF jobs per year earlier, reported the press-centre of TATNEFT.

The application of FHF has resulted in the average increase of the wells' flow rate in the amount of 4.5 tons per day. The cumulative incremental production amounts to more than 5.5 million tons.

Also TATNEFT is working on expanding the area of hydraulic fracturing application. In particular, it means application of the technology immediately after drilling and performance of re-fracturing jobs.

The process of hydraulic fracturing is designed to create and fix fractures in the reservoir through injection of fracturing fluid into the well. Due to the formation overbalance fractures are created, where the fixing agent - proppant is injected to, thus filling fractures and maintaining their high conductivity after the rock closure.

Modeling of the hydraulic fracturing process is made using the "Meyer" software system. A high-tech approach involves preliminary geological and geophysical studies information collection and analysis and then refinement of the data through execution of a mini-hydraulic fracturing prior to the major FHF job.

Currently, TATNEFT applies different types of FHF operations, such as classical, local, large-scale and acid fracturing.

The plans envisage acquisition of another FHF equipment package, which will greatly increase the amount of fracturing jobs to be performed.