Drained rock volume around hydraulic fractures in porous media: planar fractures versus fractal networks

Abstract This study applies the Lindenmayer system based on fractal theory to generate synthetic fracture networks in hydraulically fractured wells. The applied flow model is based on complex analysis methods, which can quantify the flow near the fractures, and being gridless, is computationally fas...

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Autores principales: Kiran Nandlal, Ruud Weijermars
Formato: article
Lenguaje:EN
Publicado: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2019
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Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/e33503df223f42f48220f12f21c5e942
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spelling oai:doaj.org-article:e33503df223f42f48220f12f21c5e9422021-12-02T13:01:15ZDrained rock volume around hydraulic fractures in porous media: planar fractures versus fractal networks10.1007/s12182-019-0333-71672-51071995-8226https://doaj.org/article/e33503df223f42f48220f12f21c5e9422019-06-01T00:00:00Zhttp://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12182-019-0333-7https://doaj.org/toc/1672-5107https://doaj.org/toc/1995-8226Abstract This study applies the Lindenmayer system based on fractal theory to generate synthetic fracture networks in hydraulically fractured wells. The applied flow model is based on complex analysis methods, which can quantify the flow near the fractures, and being gridless, is computationally faster than traditional discrete volume simulations. The representation of hydraulic fractures as fractals is a more realistic representation than planar bi-wing fractures used in most reservoir models. Fluid withdrawal from the reservoir with evenly spaced hydraulic fractures may leave dead zones between planar fractures. Complex fractal networks will drain the reservoir matrix more effectively, due to the mitigation of stagnation flow zones. The flow velocities, pressure response, and drained rock volume (DRV) are visualized for a variety of fractal fracture networks in a single-fracture treatment stage. The major advancement of this study is the improved representation of hydraulic fractures as complex fractals rather than restricting to planar fracture geometries. Our models indicate that when the complexity of hydraulic fracture networks increases, this will suppress the occurrence of dead flow zones. In order to increase the DRV and improve ultimate recovery, our flow models suggest that fracture treatment programs must find ways to create more complex fracture networks.Kiran NandlalRuud WeijermarsKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.articleHydraulic fracturesDrained rock volumeDead zonesFractalsBranched fracturesScienceQPetrologyQE420-499ENPetroleum Science, Vol 16, Iss 5, Pp 1064-1085 (2019)
institution DOAJ
collection DOAJ
language EN
topic Hydraulic fractures
Drained rock volume
Dead zones
Fractals
Branched fractures
Science
Q
Petrology
QE420-499
spellingShingle Hydraulic fractures
Drained rock volume
Dead zones
Fractals
Branched fractures
Science
Q
Petrology
QE420-499
Kiran Nandlal
Ruud Weijermars
Drained rock volume around hydraulic fractures in porous media: planar fractures versus fractal networks
description Abstract This study applies the Lindenmayer system based on fractal theory to generate synthetic fracture networks in hydraulically fractured wells. The applied flow model is based on complex analysis methods, which can quantify the flow near the fractures, and being gridless, is computationally faster than traditional discrete volume simulations. The representation of hydraulic fractures as fractals is a more realistic representation than planar bi-wing fractures used in most reservoir models. Fluid withdrawal from the reservoir with evenly spaced hydraulic fractures may leave dead zones between planar fractures. Complex fractal networks will drain the reservoir matrix more effectively, due to the mitigation of stagnation flow zones. The flow velocities, pressure response, and drained rock volume (DRV) are visualized for a variety of fractal fracture networks in a single-fracture treatment stage. The major advancement of this study is the improved representation of hydraulic fractures as complex fractals rather than restricting to planar fracture geometries. Our models indicate that when the complexity of hydraulic fracture networks increases, this will suppress the occurrence of dead flow zones. In order to increase the DRV and improve ultimate recovery, our flow models suggest that fracture treatment programs must find ways to create more complex fracture networks.
format article
author Kiran Nandlal
Ruud Weijermars
author_facet Kiran Nandlal
Ruud Weijermars
author_sort Kiran Nandlal
title Drained rock volume around hydraulic fractures in porous media: planar fractures versus fractal networks
title_short Drained rock volume around hydraulic fractures in porous media: planar fractures versus fractal networks
title_full Drained rock volume around hydraulic fractures in porous media: planar fractures versus fractal networks
title_fullStr Drained rock volume around hydraulic fractures in porous media: planar fractures versus fractal networks
title_full_unstemmed Drained rock volume around hydraulic fractures in porous media: planar fractures versus fractal networks
title_sort drained rock volume around hydraulic fractures in porous media: planar fractures versus fractal networks
publisher KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
publishDate 2019
url https://doaj.org/article/e33503df223f42f48220f12f21c5e942
work_keys_str_mv AT kirannandlal drainedrockvolumearoundhydraulicfracturesinporousmediaplanarfracturesversusfractalnetworks
AT ruudweijermars drainedrockvolumearoundhydraulicfracturesinporousmediaplanarfracturesversusfractalnetworks
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