General criterion for intersection between hydraulic induced fractures and pre-existing natural fractures

Pre-existing natural fractures and other structurally weak planes are usually well-developed in unconventional reservoirs. When such fractures intersect with hydraulic induced fractures, they will redirect and propagate as an important mechanical principle of volume fracturing by the formation of co...

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Main Authors: Zhifeng Luo, Nanlin Zhang, Liqiang Zhao, Fei Liu, Nianyin Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2019-09-01
Series:Petroleum
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405656117301311
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author Zhifeng Luo
Nanlin Zhang
Liqiang Zhao
Fei Liu
Nianyin Li
author_facet Zhifeng Luo
Nanlin Zhang
Liqiang Zhao
Fei Liu
Nianyin Li
author_sort Zhifeng Luo
collection DOAJ
description Pre-existing natural fractures and other structurally weak planes are usually well-developed in unconventional reservoirs. When such fractures intersect with hydraulic induced fractures, they will redirect and propagate as an important mechanical principle of volume fracturing by the formation of complex fracture networks. Under the shadow effect of natural fractures and other structurally weak planes with hydraulic supported fracture stress, hydraulic fractures do not fully propagate in the direction of the maximum horizontal-principal-stress. This paper computed the stress intensity factors of hydraulic fracture types I and II by integrating the various interactions, established universally-applicable mechanical principles for the propagation behavior when a hydraulic fracture propagating in an arbitrary direction intersects with a natural fracture at an arbitrary angle, and demonstrated the mechanical principles of the intersection between hydraulic induced fractures and pre-existing natural fractures. This study proved the following conclusions: as the intersection angle between the hydraulic fracture and the maximum horizontal-principal-stress increased, the possibility of the hydraulic fracture being captured by the natural fracture with an identical approaching angle first increased and then decreased; as the net stress increased, the intersection behavior between the hydraulic fracture and the natural fracture transitioned from penetration to capture. Keywords: Hydraulic induced fracture, Pre-existing natural fracture, Intersection criterion, Stress intensity factor, Extended finite element method
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spelling doaj.art-537fc7adaaad4431b19da23e8ccb364f2022-12-21T18:18:31ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Petroleum2405-65612019-09-0153315320General criterion for intersection between hydraulic induced fractures and pre-existing natural fracturesZhifeng Luo0Nanlin Zhang1Liqiang Zhao2Fei Liu3Nianyin Li4State Key Laboratory of Oil & Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Oil & Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Oil & Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China; Corresponding author.Engineering Technology Research Institute of Southwest Oil & Gas Field Company, PetroChina, Guanghan, 618300, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Oil & Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, ChinaPre-existing natural fractures and other structurally weak planes are usually well-developed in unconventional reservoirs. When such fractures intersect with hydraulic induced fractures, they will redirect and propagate as an important mechanical principle of volume fracturing by the formation of complex fracture networks. Under the shadow effect of natural fractures and other structurally weak planes with hydraulic supported fracture stress, hydraulic fractures do not fully propagate in the direction of the maximum horizontal-principal-stress. This paper computed the stress intensity factors of hydraulic fracture types I and II by integrating the various interactions, established universally-applicable mechanical principles for the propagation behavior when a hydraulic fracture propagating in an arbitrary direction intersects with a natural fracture at an arbitrary angle, and demonstrated the mechanical principles of the intersection between hydraulic induced fractures and pre-existing natural fractures. This study proved the following conclusions: as the intersection angle between the hydraulic fracture and the maximum horizontal-principal-stress increased, the possibility of the hydraulic fracture being captured by the natural fracture with an identical approaching angle first increased and then decreased; as the net stress increased, the intersection behavior between the hydraulic fracture and the natural fracture transitioned from penetration to capture. Keywords: Hydraulic induced fracture, Pre-existing natural fracture, Intersection criterion, Stress intensity factor, Extended finite element methodhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405656117301311
spellingShingle Zhifeng Luo
Nanlin Zhang
Liqiang Zhao
Fei Liu
Nianyin Li
General criterion for intersection between hydraulic induced fractures and pre-existing natural fractures
Petroleum
title General criterion for intersection between hydraulic induced fractures and pre-existing natural fractures
title_full General criterion for intersection between hydraulic induced fractures and pre-existing natural fractures
title_fullStr General criterion for intersection between hydraulic induced fractures and pre-existing natural fractures
title_full_unstemmed General criterion for intersection between hydraulic induced fractures and pre-existing natural fractures
title_short General criterion for intersection between hydraulic induced fractures and pre-existing natural fractures
title_sort general criterion for intersection between hydraulic induced fractures and pre existing natural fractures
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405656117301311
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AT liqiangzhao generalcriterionforintersectionbetweenhydraulicinducedfracturesandpreexistingnaturalfractures
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