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Numerical Investigation into the Effect of Natural Fracture Density on Hydraulic Fracture Network Propagation

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  • Zhaohui Chong

    (Key Laboratory of Deep Coal Resource, Ministry of Education of China, School of Mines, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
    Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong 2522, Australia)

  • Xuehua Li

    (Key Laboratory of Deep Coal Resource, Ministry of Education of China, School of Mines, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China)

  • Xiangyu Chen

    (Key Laboratory of Deep Coal Resource, Ministry of Education of China, School of Mines, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China)

  • Ji Zhang

    (Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Beijing 100193, China)

  • Jingzheng Lu

    (Key Laboratory of Deep Coal Resource, Ministry of Education of China, School of Mines, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China)

Abstract

Hydraulic fracturing is an important method to enhance permeability in oil and gas exploitation projects and weaken hard roofs of coal seams to reduce dynamic disasters, for example, rock burst. It is necessary to fully understand the mechanism of the initiation, propagation, and coalescence of hydraulic fracture network (HFN) caused by fluid flow in rock formations. In this study, a coupled hydro-mechanical model was built based on synthetic rock mass (SRM) method to investigate the effects of natural fracture (NF) density on HFN propagation. Firstly, the geometrical structures of NF obtained from borehole images at the field scale were applied to the model. Secondly, the micro-parameters of the proposed model were validated against the interaction between NF and hydraulic fracture (HF) in physical experiments. Finally, a series of numerical simulations were performed to study the mechanism of HFN propagation. In addition, confining pressure ratio (CPR) and injection rate were also taken into consideration. The results suggested that the increase of NF density drives the growth of stimulated reservoir volume (SRV), concentration area of injection pressure (CAIP), and the number of cracks caused by NF. The number of tensile cracks caused by rock matrix decrease gradually with the increase of NF density, and the number of shear cracks caused by rock matrix are almost immune to the change of NF density. The propagation orientation of HFN and the breakdown pressure in rock formations are mainly controlled by CPR. Different injection rates would result in a relatively big difference in the gradient of injection pressure, but this difference would be gradually narrowed with the increase of NF density. Natural fracture density is the key factor that influences the percentages of different crack types in HFN, regardless of the value of CPR and injection rate. The proposed model may help predict HFN propagation and optimize fracturing treatment designs in fractured rock formations.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhaohui Chong & Xuehua Li & Xiangyu Chen & Ji Zhang & Jingzheng Lu, 2017. "Numerical Investigation into the Effect of Natural Fracture Density on Hydraulic Fracture Network Propagation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-33, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:10:y:2017:i:7:p:914-:d:103434
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bo Zhang & Xiao Li & Zhaobin Zhang & Yanfang Wu & Yusong Wu & Yu Wang, 2016. "Numerical Investigation of Influence of In-Situ Stress Ratio, Injection Rate and Fluid Viscosity on Hydraulic Fracture Propagation Using a Distinct Element Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-19, February.
    2. Yanfang Wu & Xiao Li, 2016. "Numerical Simulation of the Propagation of Hydraulic and Natural Fracture Using Dijkstra’s Algorithm," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-15, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ali Shafiei & Maurice B. Dusseault & Ehsan Kosari & Morteza N. Taleghani, 2018. "Natural Fractures Characterization and In Situ Stresses Inference in a Carbonate Reservoir—An Integrated Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-26, February.
    2. Ningbo Zhang & Changyou Liu & Baobao Chen, 2018. "A Case Study of Presplitting Blasting Parameters of Hard and Massive Roof Based on the Interaction between Support and Overlying Strata," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-14, May.
    3. Wendong Wang & Yuliang Su & Bin Yuan & Kai Wang & Xiaopeng Cao, 2018. "Numerical Simulation of Fluid Flow through Fractal-Based Discrete Fractured Network," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-15, January.
    4. Yuwei Li & Dan Jia & Wei Li & Kunpeng Zhang, 2018. "Model of T-Type Fracture in Coal Fracturing and Analysis of Influence Factors of Fracture Morphology," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-13, May.
    5. Long Ren & Wendong Wang & Yuliang Su & Mingqiang Chen & Cheng Jing & Nan Zhang & Yanlong He & Jian Sun, 2018. "Multiporosity and Multiscale Flow Characteristics of a Stimulated Reservoir Volume (SRV)-Fractured Horizontal Well in a Tight Oil Reservoir," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-14, October.
    6. Xuelei Feng & Fengshan Ma & Haijun Zhao & Gang Liu & Jie Guo, 2019. "Gas Multiple Flow Mechanisms and Apparent Permeability Evaluation in Shale Reservoirs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-21, April.
    7. Xiangxiang Zhang & Jianguo Wang & Feng Gao & Xiaolin Wang, 2018. "Numerical Study of Fracture Network Evolution during Nitrogen Fracturing Processes in Shale Reservoirs," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-22, September.

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