Simulation of two-phase flow in horizontal fracture networks with numerical manifold method

Complex fracture networks are easily developed along the horizontal wellbore during hydraulic fracturing. The water phase increases the seepage resistance of oil in natural fractured reservoir. The flow regimes become more intricate due to the complex fractures and the occurrence of two-phase flow. Therefore, a semi-analytical two-phase flow model is developed based on the assumption of orthogonal fracture networks to describe the complicate flow regimes. The natural micro-fractures are treated as a dual-porosity system and the hydraulic fracture with complex fracture networks are characterized explicitly by discretizing the fracture networks into multiple fracture segments. The model is solved according to Laplace transformation and Duhamel superposition principle. Results show that seven possible flow regimes are described according to the typical curves. The major difference between the vertical fractures and the fracture networks along the horizontal wellbore is the fluid “feed flow” behavior from the secondary fracture to the main fracture. A natural fracture pseudo-radial flow stage is added in the proposed model comparing with the conventional dual-porosity model. The water content has a major effect on the fluid total mobility and flow capacity in dual-porosity system and complex fracture networks. With the increase of the main fracture number, the interference of the fractures increases and the linear flow characteristics in the fracture become more obvious. The secondary fracture number has major influence on the fluid feed capacity from the secondary fracture to the main fracture. The elastic storativity ratio mainly influences the fracture flow period and inter-porosity flow period in the dual-porosity system. The inter-porosity flow coefficient corresponds to the inter-porosity flow period of the pressure curves. This work is significantly important for the hydraulic fracture characterization and performance prediction of the fractured horizontal well with complex fracture networks in natural fractured reservoirs.

Download Full-text

A Two-Phase Flow Model for Fractured Horizontal Well with Complex Fracture Networks: Transient Analysis in Flowback Period

10.2118/187486-ms ◽

2017 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Zhiming Chen ◽

Wei Yu ◽

Xinwei Liao ◽

Xiaoliang Zhao ◽

Youguang Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Transient Analysis ◽

Horizontal Well ◽

Flow Model ◽

Two Phase Flow ◽

Phase Flow ◽

Fracture Networks ◽

Two Phase ◽

Complex Fracture ◽

Fractured Horizontal Well

Download Full-text

Two-phase flow properties of a horizontal fracture: The effect of aperture distribution

Advances in Water Resources ◽

10.1016/j.advwatres.2014.12.001 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 76 ◽

pp. 43-54 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Zuyang Ye ◽

Hui-Hai Liu ◽

Qinghui Jiang ◽

Chuangbing Zhou

Keyword(s):

Two Phase Flow ◽

Phase Flow ◽

Flow Properties ◽

Two Phase ◽

Horizontal Fracture ◽

Aperture Distribution

Download Full-text

Experimental and Modeling Studies of Episodic Air-Water Two-Phase Flow in Fractures and Fracture Networks

Dynamics of Fluids and Transport in Complex Fractured-Porous Systems - Geophysical Monograph Series ◽

10.1002/9781118877517.ch14 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 209-228 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Thomas Wood ◽

Hai Huang

Keyword(s):

Two Phase Flow ◽

Phase Flow ◽

Fracture Networks ◽

Two Phase ◽

Modeling Studies

Download Full-text

Study of Oil-Water Two-Phase Stratified Flow in Horizontal Fractures

E3S Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/e3sconf/202018504033 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 185 ◽

pp. 04033

Author(s):

Na Huang ◽

Dongxu Liu ◽

Yuhan Sun ◽

Lei Liu

Keyword(s):

Aspect Ratio ◽

Relative Permeability ◽

Two Phase Flow ◽

Phase Flow ◽

Relative Permeabilities ◽

Two Phase ◽

Horizontal Fracture ◽

Flow Equations ◽

Basic Fluid ◽

Oil Water

The relative permeability of oil-water two-phase flow is an important parameter in fractured petroleum reservoirs. It is widely accepted that the sum of relative permeabilities is less than 1. In this study, a series of experiments have been conducted on six rectangular fractures for oil-water two-phase flows. Analytical investigations of the effects of flow rate, aspect ratio, and fracture size on the relative permeability of oil-water two-phase are analysed. Basic fluid flow equations are combined to develop a new analytical model for water-oil two-phase flow in a horizontal fracture. The simulation results predicted by this model are in good agreement with the experimental data. The relative permeability is a function of flow ratio, viscosity ratio, aspect ratio and saturation. It increases as aspect ratio increases if the fracture depths are the same, while it decreases as aspect ratio increases if the fracture widths are identical. Both experiment and model indicate that the sum of relative permeabilities of oil and water is greater than 1 in some cases, different from the accepted view.

Download Full-text