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Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation and Analysis of Geomechanical Controls of Hydraulic Fracturing in Heterogeneous Formations

  • Research Article-Petroleum Engineering
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Abstract

The hydraulic fracture (HF) morphology and corresponding stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) are significantly dependent on the geomechanical factors of the formation. A better understanding of the hydraulic fracturing mechanism under different reservoir attributes is crucial for fracability evaluation and fracturing treatment optimization. In this work, the geomechanical controls on hydraulic fracturing in a heterogeneous formation and its fracability are investigated using a three-dimensional (3D) fully coupled hydraulic–mechanical–damage (HMD) model. Rock heterogeneity, which causes nonlinear progressive failure behavior, is considered in this model by assuming that the mechanical parameters of elements follow a Weibull distribution. The elastic damage mechanics and Darcy’s law describe the damage process and fluid flow in elements, respectively. The element permeability is dependent on its state, which describes the effect of stress on the seepage field. The HF width is conceptually represented by the aperture of fractures, which depends on the failure mechanism of the damaged element. The coupled equations are solved numerically using the finite element method. The model is verified with experimental results of HF network propagation and multi-fracture interference. Then, a series of numerical simulations were performed to investigate the geomechanical controls of HF geometry and SRV in heterogeneous formations. At last, the optimal conditions for the formation of a complex HF network are further discussed according to the numerical results, based on which an improved fracability index is established. The results show that the numerical model can capture the 3D nature of the HFs and reproduce the HF network propagation and multi-fracture interference process. The complex HFs are more likely to generate in formations with high brittleness, large natural fracture (NF) density, small horizontal stress difference, and small fracture toughness. This study provides a reliable numerical method for hydraulic fracturing simulation and offers some reference for the fracability evaluation and fracturing treatment design in heterogeneous formations.

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Acknowledgements

This work was conducted with support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51879041 and 51761135102), the National Science and Technology Major Project of China (Grant No. 2017ZX05072), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. N180105029). The authors express their sincere thanks to the reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions for improving this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Rock Instability and Seismicity Research, School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, China

    Mingyang Zhai & Lianchong Li

  2. Shengli Oilfield Branch Company, SINOPEC, Dongying, 257000, China

    Zenglin Wang, Liaoyuan Zhang, Aishan Li, Zilin Zhang, Bintao Zheng & Bo Huang

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  1. Mingyang Zhai
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Correspondence to Mingyang Zhai or Lianchong Li.

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Zhai, M., Li, L., Wang, Z. et al. Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation and Analysis of Geomechanical Controls of Hydraulic Fracturing in Heterogeneous Formations. Arab J Sci Eng 47, 11533–11552 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-021-06225-y

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