Hydraulic Test of Preexisting Fractures (HTPF)

Hydraulic Fracturing  (HF) and its variants named Hydraulic Jacking (HJ) and Hydraulic Test of Preexisting Fractures  (HTPF) are the most powerful and flexible method for measuring the Natural State of Stress of the Rock and to study the Fractures Permeability at high pressure level.

Theese techniques are used both in deep surface boreholes and in short underground boreholes.

The testing depth varies from a few m to over 1000 m.

The know-how, the equipments and the experimental / interpretative procedures we use, fit a wide range of situations:

• test depth over 1000 m, with use of down-hole electonics;
• range of borehole diameter 38-101 mm;
• every borehole orientation (downward and upward);
• use of the drill rig or wire cable + winch, for the movimentation of the test tools in the borehole;
• test pressure over 50 MPa (500 bar)
• injection flow-rate variable in the range 0.1 e 15 l/min;
• tests from fast (e few minuts duration) to slow (several days duration);
• the standard fluid used for Hydroftacturing is water; it is also possible to use other fluids (gas or liquids) expressly designed for special applications.