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GASFRAC's LPG Fracturing Process
Comparison of Conventional and GASFRAC's Fracturing Process
Benefits of LPG as a Fracturing Fluid
What is LPG
LPG Saturation Curve
Comparison of Fracturing Fluids Properties
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Comparison of Conventional and GASFRAC’s LPG Fracturing Process

Conventional Fracturing Process GASFRAC's LPG Fracturing Process
 Fracturing Fluid
Water or Refined C7+ Oil, treated with proprietary chemicals that can be comingled with CO2 or N2 to create an energized, foamed or emulsified stimulation fluid. 100 % LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), gelled with GASFRAC's proprietary chemicals.
CO2 and N2 energizers are stored and pumped as cryogenic liquids. Cool down and venting of equipment is required prior to pumping. LPG is stored at Ambient Temperature. No cool-down or venting of equipment is required.
Water may contain impurities that affect viscosity. Refined Oils have varying carbon chain lengths that may also effect viscosity. LPG is a refined product, with minimum impurities. It has a consistent viscosity when gelled with GASFRAC's proprietary chemical technology.
Energized by the introduction of liquid carbon dioxide(CO2) or nitrogen gas (N2) to enhance the recovery of fracturing fluid. LPG is naturally energizing, eliminating the need and cost of using N2 and CO2 for gas assist on flow back.
There are often shortages of C02 and/or N2. LPG is an abundant by-product of the Natural Gas Industry.

 Fracturing Process
Conventional Fracturing Equipment required:
  • Storage Tanks for base fluid
  • Open System Sand Blender
  • Sand Truck· Chemical Van
  • Data Van
  • 2 treating line Iron Truck
  • Fluid Pumpers ( 1000 – 1670 kW each)
  • Energizer (CO2 or N2) Pumpers
  • CO2 Boost Equipment
  • CO2 or N2 storage tanks
  • Flow Back Equipment
 GASFRAC’s LPG Fracturing Process requires a reduced number of units. LPG Fracturing Equipment required:
  • Storage Tanks for LPG
  • Closed System Sand Blender
  • Chemical Van
  • Treatment Control Van
  • Single line Iron Truck
  • LPG Pumpers ( 1850 kW each)
  • N2 Blanket and Purge Equipment
  • Flow Back Equipment
Blender, Chemical Operators, and Supervision are present in the Hot Area during pumping operations. Blender is manned during pumping operations. All Personnel are removed from Hot Area during pumping operations. All equipment is operated remotely in the Treatment Control Van using Process Logic Controllers (PLC), remote observers, continuous gas monitors, and CCTV.
Third party testing equipment is required to flow the well to recover the fracturing fluids, CO2 and N2 that are introduce during the fracture process. With GASFRAC’s LPG Fracturing Process, testing initial flow rates can be completed directly at the facility, saving the expense of third party testing equipment.
Addition of water in under-saturated reservoirs can reduce and impair the effective permeability of the reservoir. Refined C7+ oils may introduce a third phase into the reservoir that can cause permeability impairment. Immediate and rapid cleanups are recommended to reduce exposure and minimize damage. LPG occurs naturally in gas wells and results in little or no formation damage.
Can be many months before the full potential of a well is realized due to inherent problems such as skin damage, fluid blocks and extensive well clean up times. GASFRAC’s LPG Fracturing Process requires minimum time for well clean-up and subsequent absolute open flow (AOF) tests, will allow operators to better size their production equipment sooner.

 Cleanup & Recovery
The cost associated with clean up times and other problems (skin damage, fluid blocks etc.), can often exceed the price of the fracturing treatment itself. With GASFRAC’s LPG Fracturing Process, there is no costly recovery and cleanup of carrier fluid resulting in significant cost savings to oil and gas operators.
Up to 50% fracture fluid retention, even after costly recovery, resulting in reduced well production. Initially LPG returns to surface as a low density liquid once the fracture treatment is completed. No phase trapping. Zero fracture fluid retention. No water or CO2 to recover.
Requires open flaring to recover CO2, N2, and fracture fluids prior to returning production to the sales line. LPG carrier fluid is highly soluble in reservoir gas forming a single phase with formation hydrocarbons on flow-back to local gas facilities where 100% of the LPG can be recovered immediately for sales. GASFRAC's LPG Fracturing Process is a closed system that minimizes flaring.
High specific gravities slow fracturing fluid recovery. The Specific Gravity of
  • water is 1.0
  • Refined Hydrocarbons ( C7+ ) is 0.780
  • N2 Energized fluids 0.30 – 0.90
 The Specific Gravity of GASFRAC’s gelled LPG is approximately 0.540. It generates approximately half the hydrostatic head of conventional fracturing fluids. Utilizing this under-balance condition allows the rapid recovery of 100% of the LPG fracturing fluid.

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