Abstract:
     Progress in drilling and fracturing techniques allow the O&G industry to economically develop ultra tight, naturally fractured shale formations.  In addition, the increasing price differential between crude oil and natural gas is resulting in unprecedented recovery in the Bakken, Eagle Ford, Niobrara, and other oil rich shales.  The industry is actively building drilling rigs again and the fracturing companies are adding equipment and crews at an escalating rate to keep up with the market.  These events have placed demands on hydraulic fracturing proppants as never before. Proppant shortages in all areas are expected to worsen before additional capacity can begin to offer some relief.  Natural Quartz Proppant and Resin Coated Proppant are now used in deeper, hotter, and higher closure stress environments, some of which exceed conventional design limits.
     It is a truism that establishing and maintaining fracture conductivity is critical in order for a well to deliver the highest possible production rates and ultimate recoveries.  This presentation presents the factors which are critical to proper proppant selection and ultimately, proppant performance.  The effects of depth & closure stress, formation permeability, multi-phase flow, embedment, and non-Darcy effects are explained in relation to proppant selection.  This presentation will answer the question to the audience of how to correctly select the correct proppant and elucidate the importance and significance of fracture conductivity.

Biography:  
     Frank E. Syfan Jr., U. S. Silica Company’s Technical Director – Oil & Gas, is a Professional Engineer with over 31 years of global completions and operations, hydraulic fracturing, and reservoir optimization experience. He has served in leadership positions with several companies recently including Executive VP – Technology Applications for Frac Tech Services, Halliburton, and Statoil. He has accumulated reservoir engineering, drilling engineering, completion engineering, and operations experience with all types of sandstone and carbonate formations, in both single and dual porosity reservoirs, as well as conventional and low permeability environments. He has significant CBM experience and over 17 years of fractured shale operations, reservoir and hydraulic fracturing experience including the Barnett, Woodford, Marcellus, Fayetteville, Bakken, Niobrara, and Eagle Ford Shales.  
     Mr. Syfan is considered an industry expert in hydraulic fracturing and formation damage for tight gas and fractured shale reservoirs. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University with dual degrees in Petroleum Engineering and Geology. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and has served in various positions, including Chairperson, on several SPE Technical Committees. He is also a member of the Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers (SPEE) and has authored several papers and articles. He continues to serve as Ex-Officio Chair for the SPE Petroleum Engineering Registration Subcommittee in conjunction with the National Council for the Examination of Engineers and Surveyors (NCEES) and was elected as the 2008 & 2009 Drilling Sub-Committee Chair, the 2009 Examination Coordinator, and the 2010 Committee Chairman.