Production EngineeringHydraulic Fracturing

Average Fracture Width - Acidizing Formula

\bar{w}=\frac{\pi w_w}{4}

Average Fracture Width - Acidizing calculates average fracture width for hydraulic fracturing workflows in production engineering.

Calculate

How engineers use this formula

Use this formula when the listed inputs (w_w) are known and the assumptions behind the cited hydraulic fracturing relationship match the engineering case being checked.

Assumptions

Input values are representative for the well, reservoir, fluid, or equipment case being evaluated.
The declared units match the field-unit constants used in the formula.
The cited formula applies to the selected petroleum engineering workflow.

Limitations

The calculation does not replace a full engineering model or operating procedure.
Accuracy depends on the source correlation, assumptions, input quality, and unit consistency.

Common mistakes

Mixing unit systems without converting the inputs.
Using default example values as field recommendations.
Applying the formula outside the source assumptions.

Default example

Using the default inputs, w_avg equals 0.031416 m.

w_wm

0.04

Inputs

w_w

Fracture Width at the Wellbore

Outputs

w_avg

Average Fracture Width

w_w

Fracture Width at the Wellbore

Source and review

reviewed

Williams, B.B., Gidley, J.L. and Schechter, R.S. 1979. Acidizing Fundamentals. Henry L. Doherty Memorial Fund of AIME, Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME, Page 41.

Source