Abstract: Deviated wells, in particular, are hydraulically fractured at reduced rates and with higher viscosity fracturing fluids if the fracture design indicates during an initial test fracture that the instantaneous shut-in pressure, upon cessation of injection, exceeds a predetermined amount indicating high friction pressure losses in the near wellbore region of the fracture. Increasing the fracture fluid viscosity and reducing the fracture fluid rate of injection minimizes the creation of multiple fractures of reduced width in the near wellbore region and the high probability of fracture screenout resulting from the creation of the multiple reduced width fractures.