Numerical Study of Proppant Transport in Complex Fracture Geometry

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiahang Han ◽  
Peng Yuan ◽  
Xu Huang ◽  
Hao Zhang ◽  
Andy Sookprasong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Study ◽  
Fracture Geometry ◽  
Proppant Transport ◽  
Complex Fracture

Numerical Study of Wall Roughness Effect on Proppant Transport in Complex Fracture Geometry

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu Huang ◽  
Peng Yuan ◽  
Hao Zhang ◽  
Jiahang Han ◽  
Alberto Mezzatesta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Study ◽  
Wall Roughness ◽  
Roughness Effect ◽  
Fracture Geometry ◽  
Proppant Transport ◽  
Complex Fracture

Numerical study of complex fracture geometry effect on two-phase performance of shale-gas wells using the fast EDFM method

2018 ◽  
Vol 164 ◽  
pp. 603-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad AlTwaijri ◽  
Zhaohui Xia ◽  
Wei Yu ◽  
Liangchao Qu ◽  
Yunpeng Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shale Gas ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Gas Wells ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Fracture Geometry ◽  
Geometry Effect ◽  
Complex Fracture

scholarly journals Experimental and Numerical Study on Proppant Transport in a Complex Fracture System

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 6290
Author(s):  
Zhaopeng Zhang ◽  
Shicheng Zhang ◽  
Xinfang Ma ◽  
Tiankui Guo ◽  
Wenzhe Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transport Mechanism ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Phase Method ◽  
Fracture System ◽  
Pumping Rate ◽  
Secondary Fracture ◽  
Proppant Transport ◽  
Complex Fracture ◽  
Primary Fracture ◽  
Slickwater Fracturing

Slickwater fracturing can create complex fracture networks in shale. A uniform proppant distribution in the network is preferred. However, proppant transport mechanism in the fracture network is still uncertain, which restricts the optimization of sand addition schemes. In this study, slot flow experiments are conducted to analyze the proppant placement in the complex fracture system. Dense discrete phase method is used to track the particle trajectories to study the transport mechanism into the branch. The effects of the pumping rate, sand ratio, sand size, and branch angle and location are discussed in detail. Results demonstrate that: (1) under a low pumping rate or coarse proppant conditions, the dune development in the branch depends on the dune geometry in the primary fracture, and a high proportion of sand can transport into the branch; (2) using a high pumping rate or fine proppants is beneficial to the uniform placement in the fracture system; (3) sand ratio dominates the proppant placement in the branch and passing-intersection fraction of a primary fracture; (4) more proppants may settle in the near-inlet and large-angle branch due to the size limit. Decreasing the pumping rate can contribute to a uniform proppant distribution in the secondary fracture. This study provides some guidance for the optimization of proppant addition scheme in the slickwater fracturing in unconventional resources.

Numerical simulation of complex fracture geometry caused by hydrodynamics in shale with pre-existing weak planes

2021 ◽  
Vol 199 ◽  
pp. 108306
Author(s):  
Yongquan Hu ◽  
Qiang Wang ◽  
Jinzhou Zhao ◽  
Shengnan Chen ◽  
Daiqiang Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Fracture Geometry ◽  
Complex Fracture

Investigation of Production-Induced Stress Changes for Infill-Well Stimulation in Eagle Ford Shale

SPE Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (04) ◽  
pp. 1372-1388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuyang Guo ◽  
Kan Wu ◽  
John Killough
Keyword(s):  
Horizontal Wells ◽  
Eagle Ford Shale ◽  
Eagle Ford ◽  
Fracture Geometry ◽  
Complex Fracture ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Stress Changes ◽  
Sensitivity Studies ◽  
Stress States ◽  
The Impact

Summary Heterogeneous stress has a great effect on fracture propagation and perforation-cluster efficiency of infill wells. Principal-stress reorientation induced by depletion of parent wells has been investigated by previous numerical studies assuming uniform biwing fracture geometry along the horizontal wells. However, recent field diagnostics indicate that fractures along the horizontal wells are generally nonuniformly developed. In this study, we investigated the impact of depletion of parent wells with complex fracture geometry on stress states, and analyzed stimulation efficiency of infill wells by using an in-house reservoir geomechanical model for Eagle Ford Shale. The model fully couples multiphase flow and rock deformation in three dimensions based on the finite-element method, incorporating complex fracture geometry and heterogeneity. We used this model to accurately characterize pressure distribution and to update stress states through history matching production data of parent wells in Eagle Ford Shale. Depletion of parent wells with nonuniform fracture geometries, which has not been researched thoroughly in the literature, is incorporated in the study. Results show that magnitude and orientation of principal stresses are greatly altered by depletion, and the alteration is uneven because of nonuniform fracture geometries. Stress reversal monitored at the center of the infill location starts after 1 year of production, and it takes another 8 months to be totally reversed for 90°. We also performed sensitivity studies to examine effects of parameters on changes of magnitude and orientation of stress at the infill location, and found that effects of bottomhole pressure (BHP), differential stress (DS), and fracture geometry of parent wells are all significant, whereas effects of the reservoir elastic property are limited. Effects of production time of parent wells are also noticeable in all sensitivity studies. This work analyzes stress-state change induced by depletion of parent wells in Eagle Ford Shale, and provides critical insights into the optimization for stimulation of infill wells.

Can We Engineer Better Multistage Horizontal Completions? Evidence of the Importance of Near-wellbore Fracture Geometry from Theory, Lab and Field Experiments

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.. Lecampion ◽  
J.. Desroches ◽  
X.. Weng ◽  
J.. Burghardt ◽  
J.E.. E. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Horizontal Wells ◽  
Fracture Plane ◽  
Hydraulic Fractures ◽  
Multiple Fractures ◽  
Fracture Geometry ◽  
Complex Fracture ◽  
Limited Entry ◽  
The Impact

Abstract There is accepted evidence that multistage fracturing of horizontal wells in shale reservoirs results in significant production variation from perforation cluster to perforation cluster. Typically, between 30 and 40% of the clusters do not significantly contribute to production while the majority of the production comes from only 20 to 30% of the clusters. Based on numerical modeling, laboratory and field experiments, we investigate the process of simultaneously initiating and propagating several hydraulic fractures. In particular, we clarify the interplay between the impact of perforation friction and stress shadow on the stability of the propagation of multiple fractures. We show that a sufficiently large perforation pressure drop (limited entry) can counteract the stress interference between different growing fractures. We also discuss the robustness of the current design practices (cluster location, limited entry) in the presence of characterized stress heterogeneities. Laboratory experiments highlight the complexity of the fracture geometry in the near-wellbore region. Such complex fracture path results from local stress perturbations around the well and the perforations, as well as the rock fabric. The fracture complexity (i.e., the merging of multiple fractures and the reorientation towards the preferred far-field fracture plane) induces a strong nonlinear pressure drop on a scale of a few meters. Single entry field experiments in horizontal wells show that this near-wellbore effect is larger in magnitude than perforation friction and is highly variable between clusters, without being predictable. Through a combination of field measurements and modeling, we show that such variability results in a very heterogeneous slurry rate distribution; and therefore, proppant intake between clusters during a stage, even in the presence of limited entry techniques. We also note that the estimated distribution of proppant intake between clusters appears similar to published production log data. We conclude that understanding and accounting for the complex fracture geometry in the near-wellbore is an important missing link to better engineer horizontal well multistage completions.

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