A hydraulic fracturing treatment operation begins by rigging up a high pressure steel treating or flow line from special high-pressure hydraulic fracturing pumps to the well and pressure-testing the equipment for safety.

The next step of hydraulic fracturing is to inject a large volume of special fluid(s) into a prospective producing formation at an injection rate that will place sufficient stress on the rock to cause the rock to physically split (fracture) in one or more places. This initial volume of fluid is termed the “Pad”and typically comprises 20% of total fluid volume.The Pad fluid of hydraulic fracturing is pumped to create enough fracture width to accept proppants particles.

 Proppants typically comprised of size-graded, rounded and nearly spherical white sand, but may also be man-made proppants particles. Proppants particles are mixed into additional hydraulic fracturing fluid and the resulting slurryis pumped into the reservoir, Proppants is propping open the created fracture(s) so that they will remain open and permeable after pump pressure is relieved.

 At the end of placing the slurry in hydraulic fracturing , a tubular volume of clean “Flush” fluid is pumped to clear tubular of proppants and the pumps are shut down.Well pressure is then bled off to allow the fracture(s) to close on the proppants.

The final step in a hydraulic fracturing treatment is to recover the injected fluid by flowing or lifting the well (load recovery.)