Coupled Hydraulic Fracture and Proppant Transport Simulation
This paper focuses on the study of proppant transport mechanisms in fractures during frac-packing operation. A multi-module, numerical proppant, reservoir and geomechanics simulator has been developed, which improves the current numerical modeling techniques for proppant transport. The modules are l...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/11/2822 |
| _version_ | 1797566323931217920 |
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| author | Morteza Roostaei Alireza Nouri Vahidoddin Fattahpour Dave Chan |
| author_facet | Morteza Roostaei Alireza Nouri Vahidoddin Fattahpour Dave Chan |
| author_sort | Morteza Roostaei |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper focuses on the study of proppant transport mechanisms in fractures during frac-packing operation. A multi-module, numerical proppant, reservoir and geomechanics simulator has been developed, which improves the current numerical modeling techniques for proppant transport. The modules are linked together and tailored to capture the processes and mechanisms that are significant in frac-pack operations. The proposed approach takes advantage of a robust and sophisticated numerical smeared fracture simulator and incorporates an in-house proppant transport module to calculate propped fracture dimensions and concentration distribution. In the development of software capability, the propped fracture geometry and proppant concentration, which are the output of the proppant module, are imported to the hydraulic fracture simulator through mobility modification. Complex issues of proppant transport in fractures that are addressed in the literature and captured by the current model are: hindered settling velocity (terminal velocity of proppant in the injection fluid), the effect of fracture walls, proppant concentration and inertia on settling (due to extra drag forces applied on particles, compared to single-particle motion in Stokes regime in unbounded medium), possible propped fracture porosity and also mobility change due to the presence of proppant, and fracture closure or extension during proppant injection. A sensitivity analysis is conducted using realistic parameters to provide guidelines that allow more accurate predictions of the proppant concentration and fluid flow. The main objective of this study is to link a numerical hydraulic fracture model to a proppant transport model to study the fracturing response and proppant distribution and to investigate the effect of proppant injection on fracture propagation and fracture dimensions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:25:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ce82d4269f4443fd94177a9b129a947a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:25:07Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-ce82d4269f4443fd94177a9b129a947a2023-11-20T02:37:46ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732020-06-011311282210.3390/en13112822Coupled Hydraulic Fracture and Proppant Transport SimulationMorteza Roostaei0Alireza Nouri1Vahidoddin Fattahpour2Dave Chan3Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, CanadaDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, CanadaDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, CanadaDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, CanadaThis paper focuses on the study of proppant transport mechanisms in fractures during frac-packing operation. A multi-module, numerical proppant, reservoir and geomechanics simulator has been developed, which improves the current numerical modeling techniques for proppant transport. The modules are linked together and tailored to capture the processes and mechanisms that are significant in frac-pack operations. The proposed approach takes advantage of a robust and sophisticated numerical smeared fracture simulator and incorporates an in-house proppant transport module to calculate propped fracture dimensions and concentration distribution. In the development of software capability, the propped fracture geometry and proppant concentration, which are the output of the proppant module, are imported to the hydraulic fracture simulator through mobility modification. Complex issues of proppant transport in fractures that are addressed in the literature and captured by the current model are: hindered settling velocity (terminal velocity of proppant in the injection fluid), the effect of fracture walls, proppant concentration and inertia on settling (due to extra drag forces applied on particles, compared to single-particle motion in Stokes regime in unbounded medium), possible propped fracture porosity and also mobility change due to the presence of proppant, and fracture closure or extension during proppant injection. A sensitivity analysis is conducted using realistic parameters to provide guidelines that allow more accurate predictions of the proppant concentration and fluid flow. The main objective of this study is to link a numerical hydraulic fracture model to a proppant transport model to study the fracturing response and proppant distribution and to investigate the effect of proppant injection on fracture propagation and fracture dimensions.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/11/2822proppant transporthydraulic fracturingnumerical simulation |
| spellingShingle | Morteza Roostaei Alireza Nouri Vahidoddin Fattahpour Dave Chan Coupled Hydraulic Fracture and Proppant Transport Simulation Energies proppant transport hydraulic fracturing numerical simulation |
| title | Coupled Hydraulic Fracture and Proppant Transport Simulation |
| title_full | Coupled Hydraulic Fracture and Proppant Transport Simulation |
| title_fullStr | Coupled Hydraulic Fracture and Proppant Transport Simulation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Coupled Hydraulic Fracture and Proppant Transport Simulation |
| title_short | Coupled Hydraulic Fracture and Proppant Transport Simulation |
| title_sort | coupled hydraulic fracture and proppant transport simulation |
| topic | proppant transport hydraulic fracturing numerical simulation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/11/2822 |
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