Hydraulic Fracturing and Reservoir Simulation for Enhanced Geothermal Systems

A Special Issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717) belonging to the section "Energy Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2026 | Viewed by 1537

Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Geoscience and Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CN Delft, The Netherlands
Interests: renewable energy; geothermal production; advanced technologies for geothermal development; enhanced geothermal systems; hot dry rock; digital twin; geological modeling; simulation; data assimilation; multi-physics coupling; thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical coupling; uncertainty quantification; value of information

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Guest Editor
Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
Interests: fracture media; coupled processes; numerical modelling; discrete fracture networks

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Guest Editor
School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Interests: hot dry rock; fracture networks; thermal-hydraulic-mechanical-chemical coupling; dynamic characterization of fracture network; reservoir simulation; thermal performance

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Guest Editor Assistant
College of Petroelum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102200, China
Interests: rock mechanics; hydraulic fracturing; naturally fractured reservoirs

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Geothermal resources in deep subsurface formations play a crucial role in the energy transition toward a zero-carbon future. Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) are a primary approach to developing these deep resources. In EGS, hydraulic fracturing is employed to construct fracture networks, while reservoir simulation provides forecasts of fluid flow and heat transfer, thereby supporting the long-term operation of geothermal projects. The key challenges lie in designing effective fracture networks, ensuring reliable reservoir predictions, and operating the system intelligently.

For this Special Issue on “Hydraulic Fracturing and Reservoir Simulation for Enhanced Geothermal Systems”, we invite high-quality contributions that highlight the latest advances in geothermal engineering, including drilling technology, hydraulic fracturing, reservoir simulation, and geothermal reservoir management. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Mechanisms of hydraulic, thermal, and chemical stimulation in EGS;
  • Advanced stimulation technologies for EGS;
  • Initiation and propagation of hydraulic fractures in fractured reservoirs;
  • Thermal–hydro–mechanical–chemical (THMC) simulations for geothermal reservoirs;
  • Uncertainty quantification in geothermal production;
  • Fracture characterization and inversion methods;
  • Applications of artificial intelligence in geothermal development and reservoir management.

Dr. Guofeng Song
Dr. Chuanyin Jiang
Dr. Jiayan Ji
Guest Editors

Dr. Zixiao Xie
Guest Editor Assistant

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Keywords

  • hot dry rock (HDR)
  • enhanced geothermal systems (EGS)
  • hydraulic fracturing
  • reservoir simulation
  • fracture networks
  • injection-induced seismicity
  • multi-physics coupling
  • chemical reactions
  • heat extraction
  • production optimization and management

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 4420 KB  
Article
Mechanism of Conductivity Attenuation of Cross-Layer Fractures in Sand–Mudstone Interbedded Formation in WZ Oilfield
by Runsen Li, Bing Hou, Yuxuan Zhao and Juncheng Li
Processes 2026, 14(5), 753; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14050753 - 25 Feb 2026
Viewed by 576
Abstract
To address the significant decline in fracture conductivity after cross-layer fracturing in the L3 sand–mudstone interbedded reservoir of the WZ Oilfield, which restricts efficient development, this study investigates three typical fracture types formed after fracturing: simple fractures in muddy siltstone, simple fractures in [...] Read more.
To address the significant decline in fracture conductivity after cross-layer fracturing in the L3 sand–mudstone interbedded reservoir of the WZ Oilfield, which restricts efficient development, this study investigates three typical fracture types formed after fracturing: simple fractures in muddy siltstone, simple fractures in mudstone, and complex fractures in muddy siltstone. Based on downhole full-diameter cores, fracture conductivity plates were prepared, and long-term (50 h) conductivity evaluation experiments were conducted under a simulated formation closure pressure of 28 MPa. The interaction modes between fracture surfaces and proppants, as well as the conductivity evolution laws of different fracture types were systematically analyzed. The results indicate that the interaction modes between proppants and fracture walls vary significantly with lithology and fracture morphology. Specifically, proppant embedment dominates in simple muddy siltstone fractures, whereas hydration-induced embedding and wrapping by swelled clay particles dominate in mudstone fractures. The conductivity evolution of simple fractures in muddy siltstone and mudstone follows an exponential decay law, with attenuation amplitudes of 35% and 98% after 50 h, respectively. Complex fractures in muddy siltstone exhibit a staged decay pattern with an attenuation amplitude of 92%, and their long-term conductivity primarily depends on shear-induced self-support. The overall conductivity of cross-layer fractures is controlled by the minimum conductivity among the intersected layers. Under the specific experimental conditions of 28 MPa closure pressure and 30/50 mesh ceramic proppant, the poor long-term conductivity of mudstone simple fractures (only 2% of the initial value) becomes the key bottleneck restricting productivity. This study characterizes the evolutionary features of conductivity evolution of cross-layer fractures in sand–mudstone interbedded reservoirs and provides theoretical support and engineering guidance for optimizing fracturing fluid systems to inhibit hydration and refining stage isolation strategies in similar reservoirs. Full article
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