Rheological behaviour effects of non‐Newtonian fracturing fluids on propagation of a vertical hydraulic fracture

Abstract This communication investigates the effects fo the non‐Newtonian behaviour of the fracturing fluids in the hydraulic fracturing mechanism. These effects are illustrated on the propagation of a vertical hydraulic fracture into an oil reservoir, in which the fracturing fluid is of power law and of pseudo‐plastic type. The analytical solutions for evaluating the fracture lengrhs are presented for the cdases of large fluid loss and for no fiuid loss. The results obtained should be useful in the design of fracture treatments, permitting the finding of the rheological properties of the injected fluid for obtaining the desired fracture length and width.