Numerical Simulation of Heat Transfer from Hot Dry Rock to Water Flowing through a Circulation Fracture

2014 ◽  
Vol 852 ◽  
pp. 831-834
Author(s):  
Bin Dou ◽  
Hui Gao ◽  
Gang Zhou ◽  
Lei Ren
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Fracture Network ◽  
Natural Fracture ◽  
Heat Extraction ◽  
Natural Fractures ◽  
Fracture Networks ◽  
Pumping Rate ◽  
Hydraulic Stimulation ◽  
Hot Dry Rock ◽  
Well Spacing

This paper presents an advanced computational modeling of natural fracture networks in hot dry rock (HDR) reservoirs. A mathematical model is developed for describing the heat energy extracted from a HDR in a multi-well system. The model stochastically simulates discrete properties of natural fractures, utilizing multi-set orientation and fractal mathematics. The simulated fracture networks are essential for further stimulation and fluid flow studies. The results show that the heat extraction effectiveness is affected significantly by the well spacing, well radius, reservoir thickness, and pumped flow rate in a multi-well system. The water temperature decreases with increasing pumping rate and increases with the well spacing, well radius, and reservoir thickness. This paper also examines the detrimental effects of the simulated natural fracture network on the stimulated fluid flow capacity. The effective permeability enhancement (due to hydraulic stimulation) is found almost proportional to the density of the reservoir natural fractures.

Modelling large-scale fractured reservoirs efficiently for geothermal energy and groundwater flow

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Oldfield ◽  
Mikael Lüthje ◽  
Michael Welch ◽  
Florian Smit
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Geothermal Energy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Fractured Reservoirs ◽  
Fracture Network ◽  
Natural Fracture ◽  
Fracture Networks ◽  
Persistent Problem ◽  
Fracture Evolution ◽  
Rapid Generation

<p>Large scale modelling of fractured reservoirs is a persistent problem in representing fluid flow in the subsurface. Considering a geothermal energy prospect beneath the Drenthe Aa area, we demonstrate application of a recently developed approach to efficiently predict fracture network geometry across an area of several square kilometres.</p><p>Using a strain based method to mechanically model fracture nucleation and propagation, we generate a discretely modelled fracture network consisting of individual failure planes, opening parallel and perpendicular to the orientation of maximum and minimum strain. Fracture orientation, length and interactions vary following expected trends, forming a connected fracture network featuring population statistics and size distributions comparable to outcrop examples.</p><p>Modelled fracture networks appear visually similar to natural fracture networks with spatial variation in fracture clustering and the dominance of major and minor fracture trends.</p><p>Using a network topology approach, we demonstrate that the predicted fracture network shares greater geometric similarity with natural networks. Considering fluid flow through the model, we demonstrate that hydraulic conductivity and flow anisotropy are strongly dependent on the geometric connection of fracture sets.</p><p>Modelling fracture evolution mechanically allows improved representation of geometric aspects of fracture networks to which fluid flow is particularly sensitive. This method enables rapid generation of discretely modelled fractures over large areas and extraction of suitable summary statistics for reservoir simulation. Visual similarity of the output models improves our ability to compare between our model and natural analogues to consider model validation.</p>

scholarly journals Numerical Simulation of Hydraulic Fracture Propagation in Coal Seams with Discontinuous Natural Fracture Networks

Processes ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (8) ◽  
pp. 113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shen Wang ◽  
Huamin Li ◽  
Dongyin Li
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracture ◽  
Fracture Propagation ◽  
Fracture Network ◽  
Natural Fracture ◽  
Cohesive Element ◽  
Natural Fractures ◽  
Fracture Networks ◽  
Coal Seams ◽  
Hydraulic Fracture Network ◽  
Hydraulic Fracture Propagation

To investigate the mechanism of hydraulic fracture propagation in coal seams with discontinuous natural fractures, an innovative finite element meshing scheme for modeling hydraulic fracturing was proposed. Hydraulic fracture propagation and interaction with discontinuous natural fracture networks in coal seams were modeled based on the cohesive element method. The hydraulic fracture network characteristics, the growth process of the secondary hydraulic fractures, the pore pressure distribution and the variation of bottomhole pressure were analyzed. The improved cohesive element method, which considers the leak-off and seepage behaviors of fracturing liquid, is capable of modeling hydraulic fracturing in naturally fractured formations. The results indicate that under high stress difference conditions, the hydraulic fracture network is spindle-shaped, and shows a multi-level branch structure. The ratio of secondary fracture total length to main fracture total length was 2.11~3.62, suggesting that the secondary fractures are an important part of the hydraulic fracture network in coal seams. In deep coal seams, the break pressure of discontinuous natural fractures mainly depends on the in-situ stress field and the direction of natural fractures. The mechanism of hydraulic fracture propagation in deep coal seams is significantly different from that in hard and tight rock layers.

Predicting Well Performance in Naturally Fractured Reservoir

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunsuk Hwang ◽  
Jiajing Lin ◽  
David Schechter ◽  
Ding Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracture ◽  
Fracture Network ◽  
Darcy Flow ◽  
Natural Fracture ◽  
Hydraulic Fractures ◽  
Natural Fractures ◽  
Well Performance ◽  
Fracture Networks ◽  
Complex Fracture ◽  
Complex Fracture Network

Multiple hydraulic fracture treatments in reservoirs with natural fractures create complex fracture networks. Predicting well performance in such a complex fracture network system is an extreme challenge. The statistical nature of natural fracture networks changes the flow characteristics from that of a single linear fracture. Simply using single linear fracture models for individual fractures, and then summing the flow from each fracture as the total flow rate for the network could introduce significant error. In this paper we present a semi-analytical model by a source method to estimate well performance in a complex fracture network system. The method simulates complex fracture systems in a more reasonable approach. The natural fracture system we used is fractal discrete fracture network model. We then added multiple dominating hydraulic fractures to the natural fracture system. Each of the hydraulic fractures is connected to the horizontal wellbore, and some of the natural fractures are connected to the hydraulic fractures through the network description. Each fracture, natural or hydraulically induced, is treated as a series of slab sources. The analytical solution of superposed slab sources provides the base of the approach, and the overall flow from each fracture and the effect between the fractures are modeled by applying the superposition principle to all of the fractures. The fluid inside the natural fractures flows into the hydraulic fractures, and the fluid of the hydraulic fracture from both the reservoir and the natural fractures flows to the wellbore. This paper also shows that non-Darcy flow effects have an impact on the performance of fractured horizontal wells. In hydraulic fracture calculation, non-Darcy flow can be treated as the reduction of permeability in the fracture to a considerably smaller effective permeability. The reduction is about 2% to 20%, due to non-Darcy flow that can result in a low rate. The semi-analytical solution presented can be used to efficiently calculate the flow rate of multistage-fractured wells. Examples are used to illustrate the application of the model to evaluate well performance in reservoirs that contain complex fracture networks.

Coupling Production Data with the DFN to Unravel Natural Fracture Networks in a Tight Naturally Fractured Jurassic Reservoir, Kuwait

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raphael Altman ◽  
Mariela Pichardi ◽  
Pratik Sangani ◽  
Tahani Al Rashidi ◽  
Girija Shankar Padhy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reservoir Simulation ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Fracture Network ◽  
Natural Fracture ◽  
Depth Interval ◽  
Production Data ◽  
Natural Fractures ◽  
Fracture Networks ◽  
Matrix Permeability ◽  
Lessons Learnt

Abstract The Jurassic Najmah-Sargelu of west Kuwait can be thought of as a "hybrid" between a conventional and an unconventional reservoir. These systems form an increasingly important resource for operators, but their performance is unpredictable because matrix permeability is in the micro-Darcy range and production depends on natural fractures. Success depends on how well the static models are aligned to the dynamic production, and the effectiveness of a fit-for-purpose multistage completion on project economics. In this work we present our lessons learnt in production modelling these reservoirs and the coupling between reservoir simulation and the discrete fracture network (DFN). Our reservoir models were constructed using a highly integrated approach incorporating data from all scales and disciplines (drilling, geophysical, geological, reservoir and production) and the production simulations were run using dual porosity and black oil models. As expected, the DFN played a key part of this effort. An iterative approach was used to adjust the DFN so that it was consistent with production observations. However, in all cases care was made to ensure the new DFN honoured the seismic, geological, well log and drilling data from which it was generated. Final, smaller adjustments were made to the simulation model at the log scale to match PLT data. We used uncertainty analysis to run hundreds of simulation cases and found that the character of the natural fractures is quite well imprinted in the observed production data, particularly pressure buildup data. This gave us a better understanding of whether the natural fractures are diffuse and laterally extensive away from the wellbore or if they are localized close to the wellbore. Where reservoir simulation history matches inferred laterally extensive natural fractures, an good correlation was obtained with the natural fracturing from the DFN. This correlation was poor where natural fracturing was confined to a smaller depth interval (as observed from PLT), and is a result of the limitation in seismic resolution to resolve these natural fractures. The lessons learnt from our work helps towards improved understanding of production mechanisms of these reservoirs and their natural fracture networks. This, together with higher resolution azimuthal seismic, advanced wellbore characterization data and multistage completions are the desired key ingredients for technically enhancing production in these reservoirs.

scholarly journals A new methodology to train fracture network simulation using Multiple Point Statistic

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre-Olivier Bruna ◽  
Julien Straubhaar ◽  
Rahul Pranhakaran ◽  
Giovanni Bertotti ◽  
Kevin Bisdom ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Fracture Network ◽  
Natural Fracture ◽  
Multiple Point ◽  
Fracture Aperture ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Data Sampling ◽  
Natural Fractures ◽  
Training Images ◽  
Network Geometry

Abstract. Natural fractures have a strong impact on flow and storage properties of reservoirs. Their distribution in the subsurface is largely unknown mainly due to their sub-seismic scale and to the scarcity of available data sampling them (borehole). Outcrop can be considered as analogues where natural fracture characteristics can be extracted. However, acquiring fracture data on outcrops may produce a large amount of information that needs to be processed and efficiently interpreted to capture the key parameters defining fracture network geometry. Outcrops thus become a natural laboratory where the interpreted fracture network can be tested mechanically (fracture aperture, distribution of strain/stress) and dynamically (fluid flow simulations (Bisdom et al., 2017). The goal of this paper is to propose the multiple point statistics (MPS) method as a new tool to quickly predict the geometry of a fracture network in both surface and subsurface conditions. This sequential simulation method is based on the creation of small and synthetic training images representing fracture distribution parameters observe in the field. These training images represent the complexity of the geological object or processes to be simulated and can be simply designed by the user. In this paper we chose to use multiple training images and a probability map to represent the fracture network geometry and its potential variability in a non-stationary manner. The method was tested on a fracture pavement (2D flat surface) acquired using a drone in the Apodi area in Brazil. Fractures were traced manually on images of the outcrop and constitute the reference on which the fracture network simulations will be based. A sensitivity analysis emphasizing the influence of the conditioning data, the simulation parameters and the used training images was conducted on the obtained simulations. Stress-induced fracture aperture calculations were performed on the best realisations and on the original outcrop fracture interpretation to qualitatively evaluate the accuracy of our simulations. The method proposed here is innovative and adaptable. It can be used on any type of rocks containing natural fractures in any kind of tectonic context. This workflow can also be applied to the subsurface to predict the fracture arrangement and its fluid flow efficiency in water, heat or hydrocarbon reservoirs.

scholarly journals The impact of natural fractures on heat extraction from tight Triassic sandstones in the West Netherlands Basin: a case study combining well, seismic and numerical data

2021 ◽  
Vol 100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quinten D. Boersma ◽  
Pierre Olivier Bruna ◽  
Stephan de Hoop ◽  
Francesco Vinci ◽  
Ali Moradi Tehrani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Heat Production ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Heat Extraction ◽  
Natural Fractures ◽  
Negative Power ◽  
Petrophysical Analysis ◽  
Production Values ◽  
Geostatistical Inversion ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The positive impact that natural fractures can have on geothermal heat production from low-permeability reservoirs has become increasingly recognised and proven by subsurface case studies. In this study, we assess the potential impact of natural fractures on heat extraction from the tight Lower Buntsandstein Subgroup targeted by the recently drilled NLW-GT-01 well (West Netherlands Basin (WNB)). We integrate: (1) reservoir property characterisation using petrophysical analysis and geostatistical inversion, (2) image-log and core interpretation, (3) large-scale seismic fault extraction and characterisation, (4) Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) modelling and permeability upscaling, and (5) fluid-flow and temperature modelling. First, the results of the petrophysical analysis and geostatistical inversion indicate that the Volpriehausen has almost no intrinsic porosity or permeability in the rock volume surrounding the NLW-GT-01 well. The Detfurth and Hardegsen sandstones show better reservoir properties. Second, the image-log interpretation shows predominately NW–SE-orientated fractures, which are hydraulically conductive and show log-normal and negative-power-law behaviour for their length and aperture, respectively. Third, the faults extracted from the seismic data have four different orientations: NW–SE, N–S, NE–SW and E–W, with faults in proximity to the NLW-GT-01 having a similar strike to the observed fractures. Fourth, inspection of the reservoir-scale 2D DFNs, upscaled permeability models and fluid-flow/temperature simulations indicates that these potentially open natural fractures significantly enhance the effective permeability and heat production of the normally tight reservoir volume. However, our modelling results also show that when the natural fractures are closed, production values are negligible. Furthermore, because active well tests were not performed prior to the abandonment of the Triassic formations targeted by the NLW-GT-01, no conclusive data exist on whether the observed natural fractures are connected and hydraulically conductive under subsurface conditions. Therefore, based on the presented findings and remaining uncertainties, we propose that measures which can test the potential of fracture-enhanced permeability under subsurface conditions should become standard procedure in projects targeting deep and potentially fractured geothermal reservoirs.

Numerical Simulation of Complex Fracture Network Development by Hydraulic Fracturing in Naturally Fractured Ultratight Formations

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannes Hofmann ◽  
Tayfun Babadagli ◽  
Günter Zimmermann
Keyword(s):  
Fracture Network ◽  
Natural Fracture ◽  
Fracture Networks ◽  
Network Development ◽  
Complex Fracture ◽  
Fracture Patterns ◽  
Fracture Systems ◽  
Fracture Development ◽  
Complex Fracture Network ◽  
Treatment Designs

The creation of large complex fracture networks by hydraulic fracturing is imperative for enhanced oil recovery from tight sand or shale reservoirs, tight gas extraction, and Hot-Dry-Rock (HDR) geothermal systems to improve the contact area to the rock matrix. Although conventional fracturing treatments may result in bi-wing fractures, there is evidence by microseismic mapping that fracture networks can develop in many unconventional reservoirs, especially when natural fracture systems are present and the differences between the principle stresses are low. However, not much insight is gained about fracture development as well as fluid and proppant transport in naturally fractured tight formations. In order to clarify the relationship between rock and treatment parameters, and resulting fracture properties, numerical simulations were performed using a commercial Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) simulator. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis is presented to identify typical fracture network patterns resulting from massive water fracturing treatments in different geological conditions. It is shown how the treatment parameters influence the fracture development and what type of fracture patterns may result from different treatment designs. The focus of this study is on complex fracture network development in different natural fracture systems. Additionally, the applicability of the DFN simulator for modeling shale gas stimulation and HDR stimulation is critically discussed. The approach stated above gives an insight into the relationships between rock properties (specifically matrix properties and characteristics of natural fracture systems) and the properties of developed fracture networks. Various simulated scenarios show typical conditions under which different complex fracture patterns can develop and prescribe efficient treatment designs to generate these fracture systems. Hydraulic stimulation is essential for the production of oil, gas, or heat from ultratight formations like shales and basement rocks (mainly granite). If natural fracture systems are present, the fracturing process becomes more complex to simulate. Our simulation results reveal valuable information about main parameters influencing fracture network properties, major factors leading to complex fracture network development, and differences between HDR and shale gas/oil shale stimulations.

scholarly journals Hybrid Analytical and Numerical Approach for Modeling Fluid Flow in Simplified Three-Dimensional Fracture Networks

Geofluids ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
D. Roubinet ◽  
S. Demirel ◽  
E. B. Voytek ◽  
X. Wang ◽  
J. Irving
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Fracture Network ◽  
Numerical Approach ◽  
Fracture Networks ◽  
Surrounding Matrix ◽  
Mesh Free ◽  
Fracture Scale ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Numerical Approaches

Modeling fluid flow in three-dimensional fracture networks is required in a wide variety of applications related to fractured rocks. Numerical approaches developed for this purpose rely on either simplified representations of the physics of the considered problem using mesh-free methods at the fracture scale or complex meshing of the studied systems resulting in considerable computational costs. Here, we derive an alternative approach that does not rely on a full meshing of the fracture network yet maintains an accurate representation of the modeled physical processes. This is done by considering simplified fracture networks in which the fractures are represented as rectangles that are divided into rectangular subfractures such that the fracture intersections are defined on the borders of these subfractures. Two-dimensional analytical solutions for the Darcy-scale flow problem are utilized at the subfracture scale and coupled at the fracture-network scale through discretization nodes located on the subfracture borders. We investigate the impact of parameters related to the location and number of the discretization nodes on the results obtained, and we compare our results with those calculated using reference solutions, which are an analytical solution for simple configurations and a standard finite-element modeling approach for complex configurations. This work represents a first step towards the development of 3D hybrid analytical and numerical approaches where the impact of the surrounding matrix will be eventually considered.

scholarly journals The Role of In Situ Stress in Organizing Flow Pathways in Natural Fracture Networks at the Percolation Threshold

Geofluids ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuanyin Jiang ◽  
Xiaoguang Wang ◽  
Zhixue Sun ◽  
Qinghua Lei
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Percolation Threshold ◽  
Fractured Reservoirs ◽  
Fracture Network ◽  
In Situ Stress ◽  
Natural Fracture ◽  
Fracture Aperture ◽  
Dilation Effect ◽  
Stress Dependent

We investigated the effect of in situ stresses on fluid flow in a natural fracture network. The fracture network model is based on an actual critically connected (i.e., close to the percolation threshold) fracture pattern mapped from a field outcrop. We derive stress-dependent fracture aperture fields using a hybrid finite-discrete element method. We analyze the changes of aperture distribution and fluid flow field with variations of in situ stress orientation and magnitude. Our simulations show that an isotropic stress loading tends to reduce fracture apertures and suppress fluid flow, resulting in a decrease of equivalent permeability of the fractured rock. Anisotropic stresses may cause a significant amount of sliding of fracture walls accompanied with shear-induced dilation along some preferentially oriented fractures, resulting in enhanced flow heterogeneity and channelization. When the differential stress is further elevated, fracture propagation becomes prevailing and creates some new flow paths via linking preexisting natural fractures, which attempts to increase the bulk permeability but attenuates the flow channelization. Comparing to the shear-induced dilation effect, it appears that the propagation of new cracks leads to a more prominent permeability enhancement for the natural fracture system. The results have particularly important implications for predicting the hydraulic responses of fractured rocks to in situ stress fields and may provide useful guidance for the strategy design of geofluid production from naturally fractured reservoirs.

scholarly journals Analysis of hydraulic fracture behavior and well pattern optimization in anisotropic coal reservoirs

2020 ◽  
pp. 014459872096083
Author(s):  
Yulong Liu ◽  
Dazhen Tang ◽  
Hao Xu ◽  
Wei Hou ◽  
Xia Yan
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracture ◽  
Coalbed Methane ◽  
Fracture Network ◽  
Simulation Software ◽  
Natural Fracture ◽  
Hydraulic Fractures ◽  
Natural Fractures ◽  
Well Pattern ◽  
Well Pattern Optimization ◽  
The Impact

Macrolithotypes control the pore-fracture distribution heterogeneity in coal, which impacts stimulation via hydrofracturing and coalbed methane (CBM) production in the reservoir. Here, the hydraulic fracture was evaluated using the microseismic signal behavior for each macrolithotype with microfracture imaging technology, and the impact of the macrolithotype on hydraulic fracture initiation and propagation was investigated systematically. The result showed that the propagation types of hydraulic fractures are controlled by the macrolithotype. Due to the well-developed natural fracture network, the fracture in the bright coal is more likely to form the “complex fracture network”, and the “simple” case often happens in the dull coal. The hydraulic fracture differences are likely to impact the permeability pathways and the well productivity appears to vary when developing different coal macrolithtypes. Thus, considering the difference of hydraulic fracture and permeability, the CBM productivity characteristics controlled by coal petrology were simulated by numerical simulation software, and the rationality of well pattern optimization factors for each coal macrolithotype was demonstrated. The results showed the square well pattern is more suitable for dull coal and semi-dull coal with undeveloped natural fractures, while diamond and rectangular well pattern is more suitable for semi-bright coal and bright coal with more developed natural fractures and more complex fracturing fracture network; the optimum wells spacing of bright coal and semi-bright coal is 300 m and 250 m, while that of semi-dull coal and dull coal is just 200 m.

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