Numerical Investigation of Influence of In-Situ Stress Ratio, Injection Rate and Fluid Viscosity on Hydraulic Fracture Propagation Using a Distinct Element Approach
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Numerical Model and Computational Scheme
2.1. Algorithms Introduction
2.2. Model Setup and Parameters Acquisition
2.3. Simulation Schemes
3. Simulation and Verification
3.1. Initiation and Propagation of Hydraulic Fracture
3.2. Influence of Stress Ratio
3.3. Influence of Injection Rate
3.4. Influence of Fluid Viscosity
4. Relationship between in-situ Stress Ratio, Injection Rate and Fluid Viscosity
4.1. Relationship between Injection Rate and Fluid Viscosity
4.2. Relationship between Stress Ratio and Fluid Viscosity
5. Conclusions
- (1)
- The increasing injection rate and fluid viscosity have the same influence on hydraulic fracturing characteristics. With the increasing injection rate and fluid viscosity, fracture aperture and breakdown pressure obviously increase.
- (2)
- The hydraulic fracture becomes flexed and complex with multiple branches when the value of Qμ is low, and the corresponding fracture aperture as well as the breakdown pressure are small. In contrast, the branches disappear and hydraulic fracture becomes a simple wing shape, and the corresponding fracture aperture as well as the breakdown pressure are high.
- (3)
- With low viscosity fluid, the hydraulic fracture geometry is not sensitive to stress ratio, and becomes a complex fracture network.
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Block and Contact Parameters | |||
---|---|---|---|
Cohesion/MPa | 30 | Normal stiffness/GPa | 2500 |
Friction angle/° | 30 | Shear stiffness/GPa | 1000 |
Tensile strength/MPa | 3 | Minimum allowable aperture/m | 2 × 10−6 |
Elastic modulus/GPa | 27 | Zero normal stress aperture/m | 1 × 10−5 |
Poisson rate | 0.25 | Maximum allowable aperture/m | 2 × 10−4 |
Density/(g/cm3) | 2.6 |
Injection Rate/10−6 m3/s/m | Fluid Viscosity/mPa·s |
---|---|
10 | 1 |
Qμ/10−6mN | Injection Rate, Q/10−6 m3/s/m | Fluid Viscosity, μ/mPa·s |
---|---|---|
5 | 100 | 0.05 |
5 | 50 | 0.1 |
10 | 10 | 1 |
10 | 5 | 2 |
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Zhang, B.; Li, X.; Zhang, Z.; Wu, Y.; Wu, Y.; Wang, Y. Numerical Investigation of Influence of In-Situ Stress Ratio, Injection Rate and Fluid Viscosity on Hydraulic Fracture Propagation Using a Distinct Element Approach. Energies 2016, 9, 140. https://doi.org/10.3390/en9030140
Zhang B, Li X, Zhang Z, Wu Y, Wu Y, Wang Y. Numerical Investigation of Influence of In-Situ Stress Ratio, Injection Rate and Fluid Viscosity on Hydraulic Fracture Propagation Using a Distinct Element Approach. Energies. 2016; 9(3):140. https://doi.org/10.3390/en9030140
Chicago/Turabian StyleZhang, Bo, Xiao Li, Zhaobin Zhang, Yanfang Wu, Yusong Wu, and 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 9, no. 3: 140. https://doi.org/10.3390/en9030140