Simulation of hydraulic fracture initiation and propagation for glutenite formations based on discrete element method
The existence of gravels in the glutenite formations leads to the complex geometries of hydraulic fracturing propagation and difficult construction in fracturing engineering. To study the hydraulic fracturing propagation law of glutenite formations, this paper establishes a fracture propagation mode...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.1116492/full |
| _version_ | 1811155598074445824 |
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| author | Peng Tan Peng Tan Gang Chen Gang Chen Qian Wang Qian Wang Qing Zhao Qing Zhao Zhaowei Chen Zhaowei Chen Degui Xiang Degui Xiang Chaolan Xu Xiao Feng Xiao Feng Wenbao Zhai Wenbao Zhai Zixuan Yang Zixuan Yang Qinglin Shan |
| author_facet | Peng Tan Peng Tan Gang Chen Gang Chen Qian Wang Qian Wang Qing Zhao Qing Zhao Zhaowei Chen Zhaowei Chen Degui Xiang Degui Xiang Chaolan Xu Xiao Feng Xiao Feng Wenbao Zhai Wenbao Zhai Zixuan Yang Zixuan Yang Qinglin Shan |
| author_sort | Peng Tan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The existence of gravels in the glutenite formations leads to the complex geometries of hydraulic fracturing propagation and difficult construction in fracturing engineering. To study the hydraulic fracturing propagation law of glutenite formations, this paper establishes a fracture propagation model for the heterogeneous glutenite formations based on discrete element method, and analyzes the effects of gravel content, particle size, distribution, horizontal stress difference, fracturing fluid viscosity and flow rate on hydraulic fracturing propagation behavior. Results show that the complex geometries of hydraulic fractures in glutenite formations can lead to the generation of branched fractures and fracture bifurcation. Small-sized gravels have little effect on the fracture propagation shape which leads to a single main fracture with a flat fracture surface, on the contrary, large-sized gravels may induce hydraulic fractures to deflect along the gravel interface and form branched fractures with distorted fracture surfaces. Hydraulic fractures can propagate around gravels under the condition of high stress difference, high viscosity and medium flow rate. Gravels can prevent the propagation of hydraulic fractures under low stress difference, low viscosity and small flow rate. Hydraulic fracture bifurcation can occur when encountering gravels under high stress difference and large displacement. Properly increasing the high viscosity of fracturing fluids can effectively promote the main hydraulic fracture propagation and reduce the fracture tortuosity, thereby avoiding sand up. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:37:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3a914346a2ad48b7bff20cf00c8a33c4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:37:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-3a914346a2ad48b7bff20cf00c8a33c42023-03-09T14:57:49ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632023-02-011010.3389/feart.2022.11164921116492Simulation of hydraulic fracture initiation and propagation for glutenite formations based on discrete element methodPeng Tan0Peng Tan1Gang Chen2Gang Chen3Qian Wang4Qian Wang5Qing Zhao6Qing Zhao7Zhaowei Chen8Zhaowei Chen9Degui Xiang10Degui Xiang11Chaolan Xu12Xiao Feng13Xiao Feng14Wenbao Zhai15Wenbao Zhai16Zixuan Yang17Zixuan Yang18Qinglin Shan19CNPC Engineering Technology R and D Company Limited, Beijing, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center for Oil and Gas Drilling and Completion Technology, Beijing, ChinaCNPC Engineering Technology R and D Company Limited, Beijing, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center for Oil and Gas Drilling and Completion Technology, Beijing, ChinaCNPC Engineering Technology R and D Company Limited, Beijing, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center for Oil and Gas Drilling and Completion Technology, Beijing, ChinaCNPC Engineering Technology R and D Company Limited, Beijing, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center for Oil and Gas Drilling and Completion Technology, Beijing, ChinaCNPC Engineering Technology R and D Company Limited, Beijing, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center for Oil and Gas Drilling and Completion Technology, Beijing, ChinaCNPC Engineering Technology R and D Company Limited, Beijing, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center for Oil and Gas Drilling and Completion Technology, Beijing, ChinaCollege of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing, ChinaCNPC Engineering Technology R and D Company Limited, Beijing, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center for Oil and Gas Drilling and Completion Technology, Beijing, ChinaCNPC Engineering Technology R and D Company Limited, Beijing, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center for Oil and Gas Drilling and Completion Technology, Beijing, ChinaCNPC Engineering Technology R and D Company Limited, Beijing, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center for Oil and Gas Drilling and Completion Technology, Beijing, ChinaCollege of Energy and Mining Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Shangdong, ChinaThe existence of gravels in the glutenite formations leads to the complex geometries of hydraulic fracturing propagation and difficult construction in fracturing engineering. To study the hydraulic fracturing propagation law of glutenite formations, this paper establishes a fracture propagation model for the heterogeneous glutenite formations based on discrete element method, and analyzes the effects of gravel content, particle size, distribution, horizontal stress difference, fracturing fluid viscosity and flow rate on hydraulic fracturing propagation behavior. Results show that the complex geometries of hydraulic fractures in glutenite formations can lead to the generation of branched fractures and fracture bifurcation. Small-sized gravels have little effect on the fracture propagation shape which leads to a single main fracture with a flat fracture surface, on the contrary, large-sized gravels may induce hydraulic fractures to deflect along the gravel interface and form branched fractures with distorted fracture surfaces. Hydraulic fractures can propagate around gravels under the condition of high stress difference, high viscosity and medium flow rate. Gravels can prevent the propagation of hydraulic fractures under low stress difference, low viscosity and small flow rate. Hydraulic fracture bifurcation can occur when encountering gravels under high stress difference and large displacement. Properly increasing the high viscosity of fracturing fluids can effectively promote the main hydraulic fracture propagation and reduce the fracture tortuosity, thereby avoiding sand up.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.1116492/fullglutenitegravelhydraulic fracturingbranching fracturesnon-planar propagation |
| spellingShingle | Peng Tan Peng Tan Gang Chen Gang Chen Qian Wang Qian Wang Qing Zhao Qing Zhao Zhaowei Chen Zhaowei Chen Degui Xiang Degui Xiang Chaolan Xu Xiao Feng Xiao Feng Wenbao Zhai Wenbao Zhai Zixuan Yang Zixuan Yang Qinglin Shan Simulation of hydraulic fracture initiation and propagation for glutenite formations based on discrete element method Frontiers in Earth Science glutenite gravel hydraulic fracturing branching fractures non-planar propagation |
| title | Simulation of hydraulic fracture initiation and propagation for glutenite formations based on discrete element method |
| title_full | Simulation of hydraulic fracture initiation and propagation for glutenite formations based on discrete element method |
| title_fullStr | Simulation of hydraulic fracture initiation and propagation for glutenite formations based on discrete element method |
| title_full_unstemmed | Simulation of hydraulic fracture initiation and propagation for glutenite formations based on discrete element method |
| title_short | Simulation of hydraulic fracture initiation and propagation for glutenite formations based on discrete element method |
| title_sort | simulation of hydraulic fracture initiation and propagation for glutenite formations based on discrete element method |
| topic | glutenite gravel hydraulic fracturing branching fractures non-planar propagation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.1116492/full |
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