scholarly journals Permeability of Three‐Dimensional Numerically Grown Geomechanical Discrete Fracture Networks With Evolving Geometry and Mechanical Apertures

2020 ◽  
Vol 125 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin N. Thomas ◽  
Adriana Paluszny ◽  
Robert W. Zimmerman
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Fracture Networks ◽  
Discrete Fracture Networks ◽  
Discrete Fracture

EFFECT OF FRACTAL FRACTURES ON PERMEABILITY IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL DIGITAL ROCKS

Fractals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (01) ◽  
pp. 1940015 ◽  
Author(s):  
WEIFENG LV ◽  
GUOLIANG YAN ◽  
YONGDONG LIU ◽  
XUEFENG LIU ◽  
DONGXING DU ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fractal Dimension ◽  
Fractal Theory ◽  
Fractured Reservoirs ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Absolute Permeability ◽  
Fracture Aperture ◽  
Fracture Networks ◽  
Discrete Fracture Networks ◽  
Discrete Fracture ◽  
The Relationship

The fracture has great impact on the flow behavior in fractured reservoirs. Fracture traces are usually self-similar and scale-independent, which makes the fractal theory become a powerful tool to characterize fracture. To obtain three-dimensional (3D) digital rocks reflecting the properties of fractured reservoirs, we first generate discrete fracture networks by stochastic modeling based on the fractal theory. These fracture networks are then added to the existing digital rocks of rock matrixes. We combine two low-permeable cores as rock matrixes with a group of discrete fracture networks with fractal characteristics. Various types of fractured digital rocks are obtained by adjusting different fracture parameters. Pore network models are extracted from the 3D fractured digital rock. Then the permeability is predicted by Darcy law to investigate the impacts of fracture properties to the absolute permeability. The permeability of fractured rock is subject to exponential increases with fracture aperture. The relationship between the permeability and the fractal dimension of fracture centers is exponential, as well as the relationship between permeability and the fractal dimension of fracture lengths.

scholarly journals Identifying Backbones in Three-Dimensional Discrete Fracture Networks: A Bipartite Graph-Based Approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 1948-1968 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey D. Hyman ◽  
Aric Hagberg ◽  
Dave Osthus ◽  
Shriram Srinivasan ◽  
Hari Viswanathan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipartite Graph ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Fracture Networks ◽  
Discrete Fracture Networks ◽  
Discrete Fracture

Fully Coupled Hydromechanical Simulation of Hydraulic Fracturing in Three-Dimensional Discrete Fracture Networks

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark W. McClure ◽  
Mohsen Babazadeh ◽  
Sogo Shiozawa ◽  
Jian Huang
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Hydraulic Fracture ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Hydraulic Fractures ◽  
Fracture Aperture ◽  
Natural Fractures ◽  
Fracture Networks ◽  
Field Scale ◽  
Discrete Fracture Networks ◽  
Discrete Fracture

Abstract We developed a hydraulic fracturing simulator that implicitly couples fluid flow with the stresses induced by fracture deformation in large, complex, three-dimensional discrete fracture networks. The simulator can describe propagation of hydraulic fractures and opening and shear stimulation of natural fractures. Fracture elements can open or slide, depending on their stress state, fluid pressure, and mechanical properties. Fracture sliding occurs in the direction of maximum resolved shear stress. Nonlinear empirical relations are used to relate normal stress, fracture opening, and fracture sliding to fracture aperture and transmissivity. Fluid leakoff is treated with a semianalytical one-dimensional leakoff model that accounts for changing pressure in the fracture over time. Fracture propagation is treated with linear elastic fracture mechanics. Non-Darcy pressure drop in the fractures due to high flow rate is simulated using Forchheimer's equation. A crossing criterion is implemented that predicts whether propagating hydraulic fractures will cross natural fractures or terminate against them, depending on orientation and stress anisotropy. Height containment of propagating hydraulic fractures between bedding layers can be modeled with a vertically heterogeneous stress field or by explicitly imposing hydraulic fracture height containment as a model assumption. The code is efficient enough to perform field-scale simulations of hydraulic fracturing with a discrete fracture network containing thousands of fractures, using only a single compute node. Limitations of the model are that all fractures must be vertical, the mechanical calculations assume a linearly elastic and homogeneous medium, proppant transport is not included, and the locations of potentially forming hydraulic fractures must be specified in advance. Simulations were performed of a single propagating hydraulic fracture with and without leakoff to validate the code against classical analytical solutions. Field-scale simulations were performed of hydraulic fracturing in a densely naturally fractured formation. The simulations demonstrate how interaction with natural fractures in the formation can help explain the high net pressures, relatively short fracture lengths, and broad regions of microseismicity that are often observed in the field during stimulation in low permeability formations, and which are not predicted by classical hydraulic fracturing models. Depending on input parameters, our simulations predicted a variety of stimulation behaviors, from long hydraulic fractures with minimal leakoff into surrounding fractures to broad regions of dense fracturing with a branching network of many natural and newly formed fractures.

Permeability tensors of three-dimensional numerically grown geomechanical discrete fracture networks

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana Paluszny ◽  
Robin N Thomas ◽  
Robert W Zimmerman
Keyword(s):  
Stress Intensity ◽  
Hydraulic Properties ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Local Stress ◽  
Fracture Networks ◽  
Intensity Factors ◽  
Dense Networks ◽  
Fracture Patterns ◽  
Discrete Fracture Networks ◽  
Discrete Fracture

<p>The mechanics of fracture propagation and interaction influence the growth and permeability of developing fracture networks. A set of initial flaws grows quasi-statically in response to a remote tensile stress. A finite element, stress intensity factor-based approach grows these flaws into non-planar three-dimensional discrete fracture networks (GDFNs). Their extension and growth angle is a function of local stress intensity factors along a fracture tip. Stress concentration increase when proximal fractures are aligned, and decreases when they are sub-coplanar. These interactions can result in the reactivation of fractures that were initially inactive, and the arrest of fractures that become entrapped by proximal growing fractures. Interaction can cause growth away from an intersection front between two fractures, resulting in evolving fracture patterns that become non-uniform and non-planar, forming dense networks. These GDFNs provide representations of subsurface networks that numerically model the physical process of concurrent fracture growth. Permeability tensors of the geomechanical 3D networks are computed, assuming Darcy flow. Growth influences apertures, and in turn, the hydraulic properties of the network. GDFNs provide a promising way to model subsurface fracture networks, and their related hydro-mechanical processes, where fracture mechanics is the primary influence on the geometric and hydraulic properties of the networks.</p>

scholarly journals Characterizing the impact of particle behavior at fracture intersections in three-dimensional discrete fracture networks

2019 ◽  
Vol 99 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Sherman ◽  
Jeffrey D. Hyman ◽  
Diogo Bolster ◽  
Nataliia Makedonska ◽  
Gowri Srinivasan
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Fracture Networks ◽  
Particle Behavior ◽  
Discrete Fracture Networks ◽  
Discrete Fracture ◽  
The Impact

Flow Simulation in Three-Dimensional Discrete Fracture Networks

2009 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 2688-2705 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jocelyne Erhel ◽  
Jean-Raynald de Dreuzy ◽  
Baptiste Poirriez
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Flow Simulation ◽  
Fracture Networks ◽  
Discrete Fracture Networks ◽  
Discrete Fracture

scholarly journals On the Density Variability of Poissonian Discrete Fracture Networks, with application to power-law fracture size distributions

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
pp. 77-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Etienne Lavoine ◽  
Philippe Davy ◽  
Caroline Darcel ◽  
Romain Le Goc
Keyword(s):  
Size Distribution ◽  
Power Law ◽  
Analytical Solutions ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Fracture Density ◽  
Fracture Networks ◽  
Discrete Fracture Networks ◽  
Discrete Fracture ◽  
Fracture Size

Abstract. This paper presents analytical solutions to estimate at any scale the fracture density variability associated to stochastic Discrete Fracture Networks. These analytical solutions are based upon the assumption that each fracture in the network is an independent event. Analytical solutions are developed for any kind of fracture density indicators. Those analytical solutions are verified by numerical computing of the fracture density variability in three-dimensional stochastic Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) models following various orientation and size distributions, including the heavy-tailed power-law fracture size distribution. We show that this variability is dependent on the fracture size distribution and the measurement scale, but not on the orientation distribution. We also show that for networks following power-law size distribution, the scaling of the three-dimensional fracture density variability clearly depends on the power-law exponent.

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