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Author: Wenxu Xue
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
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Hydraulic fracturing of a naturally-fractured reservoir is a challenge for industry, as fractures can have complex growth patterns when propagating in systems of natural fractures in the reservoir. Fracture propagation near a natural fracture (NF) considering interaction between a hydraulic fracture (HF) and a pre-existing NF, has been investigated comprehensively using a two dimensional Displacement Discontinuity Method (DDM) Model in this thesis. The rock is first considered as an elastic impermeable medium (with no leakoff), and then the effects of pore pressure change as a result of leakoff of fracturing fluid are considered. A uniform pressure fluid model and a Newtonian fluid flow model are used to calculate the fluid flow, fluid pressure and width distribution along the fracture. Joint elements are implemented to describe different NF contact modes (stick, slip, and open mode). The structural criterion is used for predicting the direction and mode of fracture propagation. The numerical model was used to first examine the mechanical response of the NF to predict potential reactivation of the NF and the resultant probable location for fracture re-initiation. Results demonstrate that: 1) Before the HF reaches a NF, the possibility of fracture re-initiation across the NF and with an offset is enhanced when the NF has weaker interfaces; 2) During the stage of fluid infiltration along the NF, a maximum tensile stress peak can be generated at the end of the opening zone along the NF ahead of the fluid front; 3) Poroelastic effects, arising from fluid diffusion into the rock deformation can induce closure and compressive stress at the center of the NF ahead of the HF tip before HF arrival. Upon coalescence when fluid flows along the NF, the poroelastic effects tend to reduce the value of the HF aperture and this decreases the tension peak and the possibility of fracture re-initiation with time. Next, HF trajectories near a NF were examined prior to coalesce with the NF using different joint, rock and fluid properties. Our analysis shows that: 1) Hydraulic fracture trajectories near a NF may bend and deviate from the direction of the maximum horizontal stress when using a joint model that includes initial joint deformation; 2) Hydraulic fractures propagating with higher injection rate or fracturing fluid of higher viscosity propagate longer distance when turning to the direction of maximum horizontal stress; 3) Fracture trajectories are less dependent on injection rate or fluid viscosity when using a joint model that includes initial joint deformation; whereas, they are more dominated by injection rate and fluid viscosity when using a joint model that excludes initial joint deformation.
Author: Wenxu Xue
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
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Book Description
Hydraulic fracturing of a naturally-fractured reservoir is a challenge for industry, as fractures can have complex growth patterns when propagating in systems of natural fractures in the reservoir. Fracture propagation near a natural fracture (NF) considering interaction between a hydraulic fracture (HF) and a pre-existing NF, has been investigated comprehensively using a two dimensional Displacement Discontinuity Method (DDM) Model in this thesis. The rock is first considered as an elastic impermeable medium (with no leakoff), and then the effects of pore pressure change as a result of leakoff of fracturing fluid are considered. A uniform pressure fluid model and a Newtonian fluid flow model are used to calculate the fluid flow, fluid pressure and width distribution along the fracture. Joint elements are implemented to describe different NF contact modes (stick, slip, and open mode). The structural criterion is used for predicting the direction and mode of fracture propagation. The numerical model was used to first examine the mechanical response of the NF to predict potential reactivation of the NF and the resultant probable location for fracture re-initiation. Results demonstrate that: 1) Before the HF reaches a NF, the possibility of fracture re-initiation across the NF and with an offset is enhanced when the NF has weaker interfaces; 2) During the stage of fluid infiltration along the NF, a maximum tensile stress peak can be generated at the end of the opening zone along the NF ahead of the fluid front; 3) Poroelastic effects, arising from fluid diffusion into the rock deformation can induce closure and compressive stress at the center of the NF ahead of the HF tip before HF arrival. Upon coalescence when fluid flows along the NF, the poroelastic effects tend to reduce the value of the HF aperture and this decreases the tension peak and the possibility of fracture re-initiation with time. Next, HF trajectories near a NF were examined prior to coalesce with the NF using different joint, rock and fluid properties. Our analysis shows that: 1) Hydraulic fracture trajectories near a NF may bend and deviate from the direction of the maximum horizontal stress when using a joint model that includes initial joint deformation; 2) Hydraulic fractures propagating with higher injection rate or fracturing fluid of higher viscosity propagate longer distance when turning to the direction of maximum horizontal stress; 3) Fracture trajectories are less dependent on injection rate or fluid viscosity when using a joint model that includes initial joint deformation; whereas, they are more dominated by injection rate and fluid viscosity when using a joint model that excludes initial joint deformation.
Author: Amir R. Khoei
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118457684
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 600
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Book Description
Introduces the theory and applications of the extended finite element method (XFEM) in the linear and nonlinear problems of continua, structures and geomechanics Explores the concept of partition of unity, various enrichment functions, and fundamentals of XFEM formulation. Covers numerous applications of XFEM including fracture mechanics, large deformation, plasticity, multiphase flow, hydraulic fracturing and contact problems Accompanied by a website hosting source code and examples
Author: Yu Wang
Publisher: Scientific Research Publishing, Inc. USA
ISBN: 1618968963
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 383
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Book Description
This book is intended as a reference book for advanced graduate students and research engineers in shale gas development or rock mechanical engineering. Globally, there is widespread interest in exploiting shale gas resources to meet rising energy demands, maintain energy security and stability in supply and reduce dependence on higher carbon sources of energy, namely coal and oil. However, extracting shale gas is a resource intensive process and is dependent on the geological and geomechanical characteristics of the source rocks, making the development of certain formations uneconomic using current technologies. Therefore, evaluation of the physical and mechanical properties of shale, together with technological advancements, is critical in verifying the economic viability of such formation. Accurate geomechanical information about the rock and its variation through the shale is important since stresses along the wellbore can control fracture initiation and frac development. In addition, hydraulic fracturing has been widely employed to enhance the production of oil and gas from underground reservoirs. Hydraulic fracturing is a complex operation in which the fluid is pumped at a high pressure into a selected section of the wellbore. The interaction between the hydraulic fractures and natural fractures is the key to fracturing effectiveness prediction and high gas development. The development and growth of a hydraulic fracture through the natural fracture systems of shale is probably more complex than can be described here, but may be somewhat predictable if the fracture system and the development of stresses can be explained. As a result, comprehensive shale geomechanical experiments, physical modeling experiment and numerical investigations should be conducted to reveal the fracturing mechanical behaviors of shale.
Author: Jaber Taheri-Shakib
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Technology
Languages : en
Pages :
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Book Description
The behavior of natural fractures at the hydraulic fracturing (HF) treatment is one of the most important considerations in increasing the production from this kind of reservoirs. Therefore, considering the interaction between the natural fractures and hydraulic fractures can have great impact on the analysis and design of fracturing process. Due to the existence of such natural fractures, the perturbation stress regime around the tip of hydraulic fracture leads to some deviation in the propagation of path of hydraulic fracture. Increasing the ratio of transverse stress to the interaction stress results in a reduction in the deviation of hydraulic fracturing propagation trajectory in the vicinity of natural fracture. In this study, we modeled a hydraulic fracture with the extended finite element method (XFEM) using a cohesive-zone technique. The XFEM is used to discrete the equations, allowing for the simulation of induced fracture propagation; no re-meshing of domain is required to model the interaction between hydraulic and natural fractures. XFEM results reveal that the distance and angle of natural fracture with respect to the hydraulic fracture have a direct impact on the magnitude of tensile and shear debonding. The possibility of intersection of natural fracture by the hydraulic fracture will increase with increasing the deviation angle value. At the approaching stage of hydraulic fracture to the natural fracture, hydraulic fracture tip exerts remote compressional and tensile stress on the interface of the natural fracture, which leads to the activation and separation of natural fracture walls.
Author: Weiwei Wang
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
Microseismic events, which are generated during hydraulic fracturing treatments, suggest that a complicated fracture network develops in many naturally−fractured unconventional reservoirs. Deformation along weak planes, such as cemented natural fractures, has been proposed as one of the possible reasons for fracture network complexity. Cemented natural fractures widely exist in shale reservoirs. They are diverse in composition and size, depending on the burial condition, the composition of the rock matrix, and the geochemical environment. The interaction between cemented natural fractures with hydraulic fractures generated as part of the reservoir stimulation are thought to impact hydraulic fracture propagation. Previous studies mostly treated natural fractures as frictional interfaces without considering the actual cement fillings. In this study, I analyzed the effect of cemented natural fractures on hydraulic fracture propagation by considering natural fracture thickness, mechanical properties and rock−cement interface bond strength. Firstly, I conducted a series of semi−circular bend (SCB) tests and corresponding numerical simulations to study the interaction between hydraulic and natural fractures. The SCB tests are attractive in general because of their simple setup with consistent results. The experimental results also served as a validation for numerical model. Two drawbacks of the SCB tests include that the test is unconfined and there is no fluid component. Numerical modeling can then be applied to extend results beyond these shortcomings. Synthetic hydrostone samples with embedded inclusions of different mechanical properties were used to mimic rock with cemented natural fractures. Experimental results identified several parameters that could be used to explain hydraulic fractures interaction with cemented natural fractures. The SCB test conditions that promoted fracture crossing were near−orthogonal approach angles, small natural fracture thicknesses, and strong rock−cement interfaces. Such conditions in a reservoir would promote long hydraulic fractures and less complicated fracture networks. In contrast, the SCB test conditions that caused fracture diverting were more oblique approach angles, large natural fracture thicknesses, and weak rock−cement interfaces, resulting in short hydraulic fractures and more complicated fracture networks. The SCB tests using synthetic rock samples provided insights into the hydraulic fracture propagation in naturally−fractured reservoirs. Through the numerical modeling with the finite element code in Abaqus, the impact of fluid driven fracturing on fracture−fracture interaction was investigated. Fracture propagation in two dimensions was modeled using the cohesive elements and anisotropic compressive remote stress conditions. Results suggest that if the natural fracture thickness is considered, the commonly used fracture crossing/diverting criterion will overestimate the hydraulic fracture crossing scenario. Factors including modulus contrast and coefficient of friction also influence hydraulic fracture interaction with natural fractures. An application of this work is the case of how bedding−parallel veins will affect hydraulic fracture height growth. Such natural fractures are abundant in the unconventional resource play in the Vaca Muerta formation in Argentina. When the rock−cement coefficient of friction is around 0.4−0.5, which most likely represents shale reservoirs, hydraulic fracture crossing behavior is affected by the modulus contrast between natural fractures and host rock as well as the natural fracture thickness.
Author: Yu-Shu Wu
Publisher: Gulf Professional Publishing
ISBN: 0128129999
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 568
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Book Description
Hydraulic Fracture Modeling delivers all the pertinent technology and solutions in one product to become the go-to source for petroleum and reservoir engineers. Providing tools and approaches, this multi-contributed reference presents current and upcoming developments for modeling rock fracturing including their limitations and problem-solving applications. Fractures are common in oil and gas reservoir formations, and with the ongoing increase in development of unconventional reservoirs, more petroleum engineers today need to know the latest technology surrounding hydraulic fracturing technology such as fracture rock modeling. There is tremendous research in the area but not all located in one place. Covering two types of modeling technologies, various effective fracturing approaches and model applications for fracturing, the book equips today's petroleum engineer with an all-inclusive product to characterize and optimize today's more complex reservoirs. - Offers understanding of the details surrounding fracturing and fracture modeling technology, including theories and quantitative methods - Provides academic and practical perspective from multiple contributors at the forefront of hydraulic fracturing and rock mechanics - Provides today's petroleum engineer with model validation tools backed by real-world case studies
Author: Antonio A. Munjiza
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470020172
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 348
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Book Description
The combined finite discrete element method is a relatively new computational tool aimed at problems involving static and / or dynamic behaviour of systems involving a large number of solid deformable bodies. Such problems include fragmentation using explosives (e.g rock blasting), impacts, demolition (collapsing buildings), blast loads, digging and loading processes, and powder technology. The combined finite-discrete element method - a natural extension of both discrete and finite element methods - allows researchers to model problems involving the deformability of either one solid body, a large number of bodies, or a solid body which fragments (e.g. in rock blasting applications a more or less intact rock mass is transformed into a pile of solid rock fragments of different sizes, which interact with each other). The topic is gaining in importance, and is at the forefront of some of the current efforts in computational modeling of the failure of solids. * Accompanying source codes plus input and output files available on the Internet * Important applications such as mining engineering, rock blasting and petroleum engineering * Includes practical examples of applications areas Essential reading for postgraduates, researchers and software engineers working in mechanical engineering.
Author: Debashish Talukder
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Finite element method
Languages : en
Pages : 184
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Book Description
A three-layered, 3-D geo-mechanical model was developed using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software (ABAQUS) to simulate single stage hydraulic fracturing treatment in a synthetic fractured model based on available shale information from literature. The main objectives of this study were- (i) to investigate the interaction between a hydraulic fracture (HF) orthogonally intersecting two parallel natural fractures (NF) and (ii) to identify significant parameters and their 2-factor interactions that affect HF propagation in the presence of multiple NFs. Based on literature review, an initial set of 20 parameters (a combination of geologic and drilling parameters) was selected. Those parameters were believed to affect the hydraulic fracture propagation in a naturally fractured model. Experiments were conducted in two stages. First-order order numerical experiments were conducted under the Plackett-Burman experimental design. Central Composite Design (CCD) was used to check curvature and to take care of non-linearity existing in the dataset. A stepwise sensitivity analysis and parametric study were conducted to identify significant parameters and their interactions. When the HF interacted with NFs, there were three possible outcomes- the HF either got arrested, dilated or crossed the NF. The overall hydraulic fracture geometry depended on the type of interaction behavior occurring at the intersection. The NF leakoff coefficient was the most significant factor in the 1st order experiments that affected the HF propagation in the presence of multiple NFs. CCD results suggested that NF strength at the bottom shale layer and injection fluid viscosity significantly influenced the HF opening in the presence of the natural fractures. The most significant two-factor interaction was the interaction between stress contrast and Young’s modulus of the overburden shale (Ytop). This study will help understand the interaction behavior between a HF and two pre-existing NFs. The parametric study will provide a valuable insight for hydraulic fracturing treatment in a naturally fractured formation.
Author: Xinpu Shen
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1351796283
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 259
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Book Description
The expansion of unconventional petroleum resources in the recent decade and the rapid development of computational technology have provided the opportunity to develop and apply 3D numerical modeling technology to simulate the hydraulic fracturing of shale and tight sand formations. This book presents 3D numerical modeling technologies for hydraulic fracturing developed in recent years, and introduces solutions to various 3D geomechanical problems related to hydraulic fracturing. In the solution processes of the case studies included in the book, fully coupled multi-physics modeling has been adopted, along with innovative computational techniques, such as submodeling. In practice, hydraulic fracturing is an essential project component in shale gas/oil development and tight sand oil, and provides an essential measure in the process of drilling cuttings reinjection (CRI). It is also an essential measure for widened mud weight window (MWW) when drilling through naturally fractured formations; the process of hydraulic plugging is a typical application of hydraulic fracturing. 3D modeling and numerical analysis of hydraulic fracturing is essential for the successful development of tight oil/gas formations: it provides accurate solutions for optimized stage intervals in a multistage fracking job. It also provides optimized well-spacing for the design of zipper-frac wells. Numerical estimation of casing integrity under stimulation injection in the hydraulic fracturing process is one of major concerns in the successful development of unconventional resources. This topic is also investigated numerically in this book. Numerical solutions to several other typical geomechanics problems related to hydraulic fracturing, such as fluid migration caused by fault reactivation and seismic activities, are also presented. This book can be used as a reference textbook to petroleum, geotechnical and geothermal engineers, to senior undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students, and to geologists, hydrogeologists, geophysicists and applied mathematicians working in this field. This book is also a synthetic compendium of both the fundamentals and some of the most advanced aspects of hydraulic fracturing technology.
Author: Xueping Zhao
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
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