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Numerical Investigation of Influence of In-Situ Stress Ratio, Injection Rate and Fluid Viscosity on Hydraulic Fracture Propagation Using a Distinct Element Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Bo Zhang

    (Key Laboratory of Shale Gas and Geoengineering, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100029, China
    College of Earth Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)

  • Xiao Li

    (Key Laboratory of Shale Gas and Geoengineering, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100029, China)

  • Zhaobin Zhang

    (Key Laboratory of Shale Gas and Geoengineering, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100029, China)

  • Yanfang Wu

    (Key Laboratory of Shale Gas and Geoengineering, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100029, China)

  • Yusong Wu

    (Key Laboratory of Shale Gas and Geoengineering, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100029, China
    College of Earth Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)

  • Yu Wang

    (Key Laboratory of Shale Gas and Geoengineering, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100029, China)

Abstract

Numerical simulation is very useful for understanding the hydraulic fracturing mechanism. In this paper, we simulate the hydraulic fracturing using the distinct element approach, to investigate the effect of some critical parameters on hydraulic fracturing characteristics. The breakdown pressure obtained by the distinct element approach is consistent with the analytical solution. This indicates that the distinct element approach is feasible on modeling the hydraulic fracturing. We independently examine the influence of in-situ stress ratio, injection rate and fluid viscosity on hydraulic fracturing. We further emphasize the relationship between these three factors and their contributions to the hydraulic fracturing. With the increase of stress ratio, the fracture aperture increases almost linearly; with the increase of injection rate and fluid viscosity, the fracture aperture and breakdown pressure increase obviously. A low value of product of injection rate and fluid viscosity ( i.e. , Qμ ) will lead to narrow fracture aperture, low breakdown pressure, and complex or dispersional hydraulic fractures. A high value of Qμ would lead wide fracture aperture, high breakdown pressure, and simple hydraulic fractures (e.g., straight or wing shape). With low viscosity fluid, the hydraulic fracture geometry is not sensitive to stress ratio, and thus becomes a complex fracture network.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:9:y:2016:i:3:p:140-:d:64678
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Middleton, Richard S. & Carey, J. William & Currier, Robert P. & Hyman, Jeffrey D. & Kang, Qinjun & Karra, Satish & Jiménez-Martínez, Joaquín & Porter, Mark L. & Viswanathan, Hari S., 2015. "Shale gas and non-aqueous fracturing fluids: Opportunities and challenges for supercritical CO2," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 500-509.
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    Cited by:

    1. Li Wang & Aiwei Zheng & Wentao Lu & Tong Shen & Weixi Wang & Lai Wei & Zhen Chang & Qingchao Li, 2024. "Analysis of Fracturing Expansion Law of Shale Reservoir by Supercritical CO 2 Fracturing and Mechanism Revealing," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-18, August.
    2. 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.
    3. Jian Zhou & Luqing Zhang & Anika Braun & Zhenhua Han, 2016. "Numerical Modeling and Investigation of Fluid-Driven Fracture Propagation in Reservoirs Based on a Modified Fluid-Mechanically Coupled Model in Two-Dimensional Particle Flow Code," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-19, September.
    4. Ning Li & Heping Xie & Ziqi Gao & Cunbao Li, 2022. "Study on the Hydraulic Fracturing Failure Behaviour of Granite and Its Comparison with Gas Fracturing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-19, November.

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