Ever had a job where your perfectly chosen proppant just disappears into the formation? It’s like they’re on a little holiday while the rest of us are left dealing with the pressure drops. I had a session last month where we were all geared up for some major flowback, and the sand just went AWOL. Makes you wonder if they’re competing for the best hiding spot or just trying to avoid the work.
It’s wild how often the proppant plays a disappearing act. I’ve found adding a bit of polymer to the mix helps keep things where they belong — just don’t overdo it or you’ll start dealing with a whole new set of issues. Have you tried adjusting your gel concentrations to see if that makes a difference?
I totally get it — proppant can be the ultimate magician in our field! I’ve had decent luck by tweaking the pump rates; sometimes just a slight adjustment keeps it from getting lost. Ever experimented with that, @gabbyk_304?
I’ve definitely seen that happen too — last month we had a major flowback planned, and just when we thought we were set, the proppant decided to take a vacation. One trick I’ve found helpful is adjusting the viscosity of the fluid; it can help the proppant stay put. Have you ever played around with different fluid formulations to combat that, @gabbyk_304?