Modeling of dynamic cohesive fracture propagation in porous saturated media

In this paper, a mathematical model is presented for the analysis of dynamic fracture propagation in the saturated porous media. The solid behavior incorporates a discrete cohesive fracture model, coupled with the flow in porous media through the fracture network. The double‐nodded zero‐thickness cohesive interface element is employed for the mixed mode fracture behavior in tension and contact behavior in compression. The crack is automatically detected and propagated perpendicular to the maximum effective stress. The spatial discretization is continuously updated during the crack propagation. Numerical examples from the hydraulic fracturing test and the concrete gravity dam show the capability of the model to simulate dynamic fracture propagation. The comparison is performed between the quasi‐static and fully dynamic solutions, and the performance of two analyses is investigated on the values of crack length and crack mouth opening. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of a deformable fracture in permeable material

The response of deformable fractures to changes in fluid pressure controls phenomena ranging from the flow of fluids near wells to the propagation of hydraulic fractures. We developed an analysis designed to simulate fluid flows in the vicinity of asperity‐supported fractures at rest, or fully open fractures that might be propagating. Transitions between at‐rest and propagating fractures can also be simulated. This is accomplished by defining contact aperture as the aperture when asperities on a closing fracture first make contact. Locations on a fracture where the aperture is less than the contact aperture are loaded by both fluid pressure and effective stress, whereas locations where the aperture exceeds the contact aperture are loaded only by fluid pressure. Fluid pressure and effective stress on the fracture are determined as functions of time by solving equations of continuity in the fracture and matrix, and by matching the global displacements of the fracture walls to the local deformation of asperities. The resulting analysis is implemented in a numerical code that can simulate well tests or hydraulic fracturing operations. Aperture changes during hydraulic well tests can be measured in the field, and the results predicted using this analysis are similar to field observations. The hydraulic fracturing process can be simulated from the inflation of a pre‐existing crack, to the propagation of a fracture, and the closure of the fracture to rest on asperities or proppant. Two‐dimensional, multi‐phase fluid flow in the matrix is included to provide details that are obscured by simplifications of the leakoff process (Carter‐type assumptions) used in many hydraulic fracture models. Execution times are relatively short, so it is practical to implement this code with parameter estimation algorithms to facilitate interpretation of field data. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

页岩水力压裂过程的态型近场动力学模拟研究

水力压裂技术广泛使用于页岩气开采工程中。为了分析压裂过程中多裂缝扩展形成复杂裂缝网的机制,尝试将态型近场动力学理论引入页岩水平井水力压裂过程的力学建模与数值仿真,在物质点间相互作用力模型中加入等效水压力项以实现在新生裂缝面上跟踪施加水压力,建立了水力压裂过程的近场动力学分析模型。通过模拟页岩储层的水力压裂过程,可得到复杂的裂缝扩展路径、裂缝网络的形成过程以及裂缝扩展受射孔间距及页岩天然裂缝和层理的影响。研究结果表明:射孔间距过小会造成起裂干扰,使中心射孔的裂缝扩展受到抑制;在压裂压力一定的情况下适当增大射孔间距,可以显著增强页岩压裂形成裂缝网的能力;压裂过程中水平层理面可能张开形成水平裂缝,且天然裂缝会诱导形成更复杂的垂直裂缝。模型和方法可为页岩水力压裂过程和机制研究及工程实践提供参考。     

Hydro‐mechanical modeling of cohesive crack propagation in multiphase porous media using the extended finite element method

In this paper, a numerical model is developed for the fully coupled hydro‐mechanical analysis of deformable, progressively fracturing porous media interacting with the flow of two immiscible, compressible wetting and non‐wetting pore fluids, in which the coupling between various processes is taken into account. The governing equations involving the coupled solid skeleton deformation and two‐phase fluid flow in partially saturated porous media including cohesive cracks are derived within the framework of the generalized Biot theory. The fluid flow within the crack is simulated using the Darcy law in which the permeability variation with porosity because of the cracking of the solid skeleton is accounted. The cohesive crack model is integrated into the numerical modeling by means of which the nonlinear fracture processes occurring along the fracture process zone are simulated. The solid phase displacement, the wetting phase pressure and the capillary pressure are taken as the primary variables of the three‐phase formulation. The other variables are incorporated into the model via the experimentally determined functions, which specify the relationship between the hydraulic properties of the fracturing porous medium, that is saturation, permeability and capillary pressure. The spatial discretization is implemented by employing the extended finite element method, and the time domain discretization is performed using the generalized Newmark scheme to derive the final system of fully coupled nonlinear equations of the hydro‐mechanical problem. It is illustrated that by allowing for the interaction between various processes, that is the solid skeleton deformation, the wetting and the non‐wetting pore fluid flow and the cohesive crack propagation, the effect of the presence of the geomechanical discontinuity can be completely captured. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A stabilized extended finite element framework for hydraulic fracturing simulations

We present a stabilized extended finite element formulation to simulate the hydraulic fracturing process in an elasto‐plastic medium. The fracture propagation process is governed by a cohesive fracture model, where a trilinear traction‐separation law is used to describe normal contact, cohesion and strength softening on the fracture face. Fluid flow inside the fracture channel is governed by the lubrication equation, and the flow rate is related to the fluid pressure gradient by the ‘cubic’ law. Fluid leak off happens only in the normal direction and is assumed to be governed by the Carter's leak‐off model. We propose a ‘local’ U‐P (displacement‐pressure) formulation to discretize the fluid‐solid coupled system, where volume shape functions are used to interpolate the fluid pressure field on the fracture face. The ‘local’ U‐P approach is compatible with the extended finite element framework, and a separate mesh is not required to describe the fluid flow. The coupled system of equations is solved iteratively by the standard Newton‐Raphson method. We identify instability issues associated with the fluid flow inside the fracture channel, and use the polynomial pressure projection method to reduce the pressure oscillations resulting from the instability. Numerical examples demonstrate that the proposed framework is effective in modeling 3D hydraulic fracture propagation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

水力压裂扩展的流固耦合数值模拟研究

以临界应力作为裂纹扩展准则并采用流固耦合模型模拟了水力压裂扩展问题,推导出裂缝面内的压降方程表达式,并编写出用户子程序嵌入到ABAQUS中。建立的计算模型能够模拟地应力、岩石力学特性、压裂液流体特性等各种复杂因素对水力压裂扩展的影响。通过计算分析得到一些有益结论,采用有限元软件ABAQUS求解可渗透油藏水力压裂扩展过程问题是可行的;提出了临界宽度的概念,它可以作为判断裂缝是作为起渗透作用的孔隙通道还是作为起导流作用的裂缝的依据;其结论对于压裂作业优化具有参考价值。     

含有硬包裹体分布的非均质岩石水力压裂特性研究

基于完全流-固耦合的弹塑性理论给出了水力压裂数值计算的弥散裂缝模型,其中材料的弹性部分采用线弹性本构关系,塑性部分采用摩尔-库仑破坏准则及强化准则。依据当前的有效应力状态修正渗透系数来模拟压裂液在裂缝中的流动。渗透系数的修改使用双曲正切函数,并采用平均有效应力作为水力裂缝的起裂判据。在ABAQUS软件中通过用户自定义程序添加了该模型。根据岩石的切面照片建立了含有硬包裹体分布的非均质岩石的有限元计算模型,模拟了中心点注水条件下的水力压裂传播过程,讨论了在常应力状态下非均质岩石中开裂区域、典型位置的应力路径变化和裂缝传播范围随时间变化的特点。进行了多种条件下含有硬包裹体分布的岩石材料的数值试验,得出了基岩材料的弹性模量、凝聚力和渗透系数以及注水速率对峰值注水压力、平均注水压力和裂缝开度的影响规律。     

Numerical simulation of fracture path and nonlinear closure for simultaneous and sequential fracturing in a horizontal well

Reservoir stimulation requires a model to evaluate the fracture path and closure for the simultaneous or sequential propagation of the hydraulic fracture (HF). This paper presents a fluid-solid coupled model to simulate multi-stage HF propagation. A non-linear joint model is proposed to evaluate the fracture closure when the created fractures are elastically propped. HF closure continues until the balance of external stress matches the proppant's resistance. The reservoir along the horizontal wellbore is not stimulated equally by the multi-stage fracturing. The HFs in the subsequent stage are ‘repelled’ and restrained by the HFs in the previous stage.     

On the risk of hydraulic fracturing in CO2 geological storage

We present a contribution on the risk of hydraulic fracturing in CO₂ geological storage using an analytical model of hydraulic fracturing in weak formations. The work is based on a Mohr–Coulomb dislocation model that is extended to account for material with fracture toughness. The complete slip process that is distributed around the crack tip is replaced by superdislocations that are placed in the effective centers. The analytical model enables the identification of a dominant parameter, which defines the regimes of brittle to ductile propagation and the limit at which a mode‐1 fracture cannot advance. We examine also how the corrosive effect of CO₂ on rock strength may affect hydraulic fracture propagation. We found that a hydraulically induced vertical fracture from CO₂ injection is more likely to propagate horizontally than vertically, remaining contained in the storage zone. The horizontal fracture propagation will have a positive effect on the injectivity and storage capacity of the formation. The containment in the vertical direction will mitigate the risk of fracturing and migration of CO₂ to upper layers and back to the atmosphere. Although the corrosive effect of CO₂ is expected to decrease the rock toughness and the resistance to fracturing, the overall decrease of rock strength promotes ductile behavior with the energy dissipated in plastic deformation and hence mitigates the mode‐1 fracture propagation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

水力劈裂对岩体中自然裂纹的影响研究

建立了求解自然裂纹和水力裂纹扩展的扩展有限元法,对裂纹附近区域的节点采用广义形函数,并采用线增函数消除混合单元,以提高裂纹附近的精度。引入水力劈裂的非耦合模型,即假设裂纹中的水压力为均布力;用砂浆法（线段-线段接触法）结合增广型拉格朗日乘子法处理受压裂纹段的接触条件。并通过算例分析了以下内容：计算了受压裂纹和裂纹面分布均布水压力的水力裂纹的应力强度因子,并与解析解进行了比较,结果表明,提出的方法具有很高的精度;模拟了水力裂纹对自然裂纹面的影响,并分析了自然裂纹面上的接触力和接触状态。     

A two‐dimensional coupled hydromechanical discontinuum model for simulating rock hydraulic fracturing

Within the framework of our discontinuous deformation analysis for rock failure algorithm, this paper presents a two‐dimensional coupled hydromechanical discontinuum model for simulating the rock hydraulic fracturing process. In the proposed approach, based on the generated joint network, the calculation of fluid mechanics is performed first to obtain the seepage pressure near the tips of existing cracks, and then the fluid pressure is treated as linearly distributed loads on corresponding block boundaries. The contribution of the hydraulic pressure to the initiation/propagation of the cracks is considered by adding the components of these blocks into the force matrix of the global equilibrium equation. Finally, failure criteria are applied at the crack tips to determine the occurrence of cracking events. Several verification examples are simulated, and the results show that this newly proposed numerical model can simulate the hydraulic fracturing process correctly and effectively. Although the numerical and experimental verifications focus on one unique preexisting crack, because of the capability of discontinuous deformation analysis in simulating block‐like structures, the proposed approach is capable of modeling rock hydraulic fracturing processes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Finite element simulations of 3D planar hydraulic fracture propagation using a coupled hydro-mechanical interface element

Two-dimensional hydraulic fracturing simulations using the cohesive zone model (CZM) can be readily found in the literature; however, to our knowledge, verified 3D cohesive zone modeling is not available. We present the development of a 3D fully coupled hydro-mechanical finite element method (FEM) model (with parallel computation framework) and its application to hydraulic fracturing. A special zero-thickness interface element based on the CZM is developed for modeling fracture propagation and fluid flow. A local traction-separation law with strain softening is used to capture tensile cracking. The model is verified by considering penny-shaped hydraulic fracture and plain strain Kristianovich‑Geertsma‑de Klerk hydraulic fracture (in 3D) in the viscosity- and toughness-dominated regimes. Good agreement between numerical results and analytical solutions has been achieved. The model is used to investigate the influence of rock and fluid properties on hydraulic fracturing. Lower stiffness tip cohesive elements tend to yield a larger elastic deformation around the fracture tips before the tensile strength is reached, generating a larger fracture length and lower fracture pressure compared with higher stiffness elements. It is found that the energy release rate has almost no influence on hydraulic fracturing in the viscosity-dominated regime because the energy spent in creating new fractures is too small when compared with the total input energy. For the toughness-dominated regime, the released energy during fracturing should be accurately captured; relatively large tensile strength should be used in order to match numerical results to the asymptotic analytical solutions. It requires smaller elements when compared with those used in the viscosity-dominated regime.     

A fully coupled element‐free Galerkin model for hydro‐mechanical analysis of advancement of fluid‐driven fractures in porous media

Hydraulic fracturing (HF) of underground formations has widely been used in different fields of engineering. Despite the technological advances in techniques of in situ HF, the industry uses semi‐analytical tools to design HF treatment. This is due to the complex interaction among various mechanisms involved in this process, so that for thorough simulations of HF operations a fully coupled numerical model is required. In this study, using element‐free Galerkin (EFG) mesh‐less method, a new formulation for numerical modeling of hydraulic fracture propagation in porous media is developed. This numerical approach, which is based on the simultaneous solution of equilibrium and continuity equations, considers the hydro‐mechanical coupling between the crack and its surrounding porous medium. Therefore, the developed EFG model is capable of simulating fluid leak‐off and fluid lag phenomena. To create the discrete equation system, the Galerkin technique is applied, and the essential boundary conditions are imposed via penalty method. Then, the resultant constrained integral equations are discretized in space using EFG shape functions. For temporal discretization, a fully implicit scheme is employed. The final set of algebraic equations that forms a non‐linear equation system is solved using the direct iterative procedure. Modeling of cracks is performed on the basis of linear elastic fracture mechanics, and for this purpose, the so‐called diffraction method is employed. For verification of the model, a number of problems are solved. According to the obtained results, the developed EFG computer program can successfully be applied for simulating the complex process of hydraulic fracture propagation in porous media. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydraulic fracturing modeling using the discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) method

Recent attempts to couple discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) blocks with finite element meshes have been regarded as fruitful. The hybrid model has been proven to be reliable in modeling continuum–discontinuum problems. In this paper, a hydraulic crack initiation–propagation extension complete with a coupled hydro-mechanical analysis algorithm is introduced to the hybrid model for the simulation of fracturing problems initiated by hydraulic pressure. Several simulation cases, of which the results appear to be consistent with existing theories of hydraulic fracturing mechanisms, are presented to demonstrate the capability of the proposed algorithm in modeling hydraulic fracturing processes.     

FDEM-flow3D: A 3D hydro-mechanical coupled model considering the pore seepage of rock matrix for simulating three-dimensional hydraulic fracturing

A hydro-mechanical coupled model that can simultaneously consider the pore seepage of a rock matrix and the fracture seepage is proposed to simulate three-dimensional hydraulic fracturing. This model appropriately takes into account the fluid leak-off into the surrounding rock matrix from the fracture. Several examples are given to validate the seepage algorithms and the coupled model. The results suggest that this model can solve problems involving pore seepage and fracture seepage through simple pure fracture seepage. Moreover, it can reproduce the fluid pressure distribution and the crack initiation and propagation and consider the fluid loss during hydraulic fracturing.     

Thermo-hydro-mechanical modeling of fracturing porous media with two-phase fluid flow using X-FEM technique

In this paper, a fully coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical model is presented for two-phase fluid flow and heat transfer in fractured/fracturing porous media using the extended finite element method. In the fractured porous medium, the traction, heat, and mass transfer between the fracture space and the surrounding media are coupled. The wetting and nonwetting fluid phases are water and gas, which are assumed to be immiscible, and no phase-change is considered. The system of coupled equations consists of the linear momentum balance of solid phase, wetting and nonwetting fluid continuities, and thermal energy conservation. The main variables used to solve the system of equations are solid phase displacement, wetting fluid pressure, capillary pressure, and temperature. The fracture is assumed to impose the strong discontinuity in the displacement field and weak discontinuities in the fluid pressure, capillary pressure, and temperature fields. The mode I fracture propagation is employed using a cohesive fracture model. Finally, several numerical examples are solved to illustrate the capability of the proposed computational algorithm. It is shown that the effect of thermal expansion on the effective stress can influence the rate of fracture propagation and the injection pressure in hydraulic fracturing process. Moreover, the effect of thermal loading is investigated properly on fracture opening and fluids flow in unsaturated porous media, and the convective heat transfer within the fracture is captured successfully. It is shown how the proposed computational model is capable of modeling the fully coupled thermal fracture propagation in unsaturated porous media.     

Fracture closure modes during flowback from hydraulic fractures

Flowback analysis recently has been considered as a potential tool for assessing induced fractures through corresponding pressure analyses and rate transient analysis. In this paper, we study fracture closure mechanisms during the flowback of fracturing fluid after hydraulic fracturing treatments. Although it is known that flowback can be significantly affected by the geometry of the fractures and closure stress, there has not been any effort to understand the problem from the geomechanical point of view; rather, available studies assume that a fracture closes uniformly with constant fracture compressibility. The coupled geomechanics and fluid flow model presented in this paper help to elucidate how geostresses may affect fracturing fluid recovery under different conditions. We perform a scaling analysis to formulate the occurrence of different fracture closure modes and then use numerical analyses to verify our scaling parameters. The factors governing the flowback process include the mechanical and petrophysical properties of the rock as well as preexisting discontinuities such as natural fractures. Three different closure modes for fracture networks are described and numerically verified. The occurrence of each mode can dramatically affect fracturing fluid recovery. The role of fluid leakoff into the formation, fractures conductivity, and drawdown strategy are examined for each fracture closure scenario.     

Effect of plastic deformation on hydraulic fracturing with extended element method

The propagation of hydraulic fracture in elastic rocks has widely been investigated. In the paper, we shall focus on numerical modeling of hydraulic fracturing in a class of porous rocks exhibiting plastic deformation. The plastic strain of porous rocks is described by a non-associated plastic model based on Drucker–Prager criterion. The plastic deformation is coupled with fluid pressure evolution described by the lubrication theory. An extended finite element method is used for modeling the propagation of fracture. The fracture propagation criterion is based on the J-integral. The proposed numerical model is validated by comparisons with numerical and analytical results. The influence of plastic deformation on fracture propagation process is investigated.

     

Modeling hydraulic fracture propagation using cohesive zone model equipped with frictional contact capability

We present a new pore pressure cohesive element for modeling the propagation of hydraulically induced fracture. The Park-Paulino-Roesler cohesive zone model has been employed to characterize the fracturing behavior. Coulomb’s frictional contact model has been incorporated into the element to model the possible shear reactivation of pre-existing natural fractures. The developed element has been validated through a series of single-element tests and an available analytical solution. Furthermore, intersection behaviors between the hydraulic fracture and the natural fracture under various conditions have been predicted using the present element, which shows good agreement with experimental results.     

水平井中多条裂缝同步扩展时裂缝竞争机制

水平井中多条水力裂缝间的应力干扰行为,造成了压裂液排量的非均匀分配,影响了水力裂缝的几何形态。采用边界元法研究岩体在压裂液作用下的变形程度,以幂律流体泊肃叶平板流动方程来研究水力裂缝内部的压裂液流场,考虑了多条裂缝间应力干扰和压裂液流量分配,建立了流-固耦合的水平井多条水力裂缝同步扩展模型。模型可模拟水平井多条水力裂缝几何形态、应力干扰情况和压裂液排量的分配情况,可解释水力裂缝之间的竞争机制。多条裂缝同步扩展时,压裂液排量并非均等地分配到各个裂缝之中,进入到内部裂缝的压裂液流量最小,内部裂缝宽度最小;内部的水力裂缝增长一定长度后,停止增长,并且在应力干扰下逐渐闭合。