Simultaneous initiation and growth of multiple radial hydraulic fractures from a horizontal wellbore

Multi-stage fracturing is the current preferred method of completion of horizontal wells in unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs. Its core component consists in simultaneously initiating and propagating an array of hydraulic fractures. We develop a numerical model for the initiation and growth of an array of parallel radial hydraulic fractures. The solution accounts for fracture growth, coupling between elastic deformation and fluid flow in the fractures, elastic stress interactions between fractures and fluid flow in the wellbore. We also take into account the presence of a local pressure drop (function of the entering flow rate) at the connection between the well and the fracture, i.e., a choke-like effect due to current well completion practices, also referred to as entry friction. The partitioning of the fluid into the different fractures at any given time is part of the solution and is a critical indicator of simultaneous (balanced fluid partitioning) versus preferential growth. We validate our numerical model against reference solutions and a laboratory experiment for the initiation and growth of a single radial hydraulic fracture. We then investigate the impact of stress interaction on preferential growth of a subset of fractures in the array. Our results show that a sufficiently large local entry friction provides a strong feedback in the system and thus can counteract elastic stress interaction between fractures, thereby ensuring simultaneous growth. We propose a dimensionless number capturing the competition between stress interaction and local entry friction. This dimensionless number is a function of rock properties, fracture spacing and injection parameters. We verify that it captures the transition from the case of simultaneous growth (entry friction larger than interaction stress) to the case of preferential growth of some fractures (interaction stress larger than entry friction). We also discuss the implication of these results for multi-stage fracturing engineering practices.     

页岩气储层压裂数值模拟技术研究进展

页岩气储层水力压裂数值模拟既要考虑页岩储层岩石的特性,又要兼顾水平外分段压裂施工工艺,是一个非常棘手的力学难题.本文简述了页岩气储层岩石具有的地质力学特征和页岩气储层开发常用的水平井分段压裂技术;详述了扩展有限元、边界元、离散元在水力压裂裂缝模拟上的应用现状,指出了它们在处理裂缝问题的局限性和优越性,总结出边界元三维位移不连续法是模拟多裂缝扩展的有效方法.     

页岩气藏压裂缝网扩展数值模拟

为探究页岩气藏水力压裂复杂裂缝网络的形成机理,开展了缝网扩展的数值模拟研究.考虑应力阴影和天然裂缝作用,建立了井筒和裂缝中流体流动模型,利用位移不连续方法求解应力与位移不连续量,然后构建了压力与裂缝宽度的迭代方程,并采用牛顿迭代法求解.通过比较数值解经典模型解析解,验证了模型和迭代解法的正确性.多簇裂缝同步扩展时裂缝间距越小,压裂液分配到各条裂缝越不均匀,靠近井筒跟部的裂缝的分流量越大,从而裂缝宽度越大;考虑天然裂缝作用时,逼近角越小或者应力各向异性越弱,水力裂缝越容易发生转向扩展,裂缝网络越复杂.      

页岩储层体积压裂的地应力变化研究

页岩储层属于致密超低渗透储层,需改造形成复杂缝网才有经济产能.体积压裂是页岩储层增产改造的主要措施,而地应力场特别是水平主应力差值是体积压裂的关键控制因素. 理论研究表明:(1)当初始两向水平主应力差较小时,容易形成缝网,反之不易产生缝网;(2)人工裂缝的形成能够改变地层初始应力场. 因此应在前人研究的基础上优化设计压裂方式,以克服和翻转初始水平主应力差值,产生体积缝网.基于此,建立了页岩气藏水平井体积压裂数值模型,模型中采用多孔介质流固耦合单元模拟页岩基质的行为,采用带有孔压的"cohesive"单元描述水力裂缝的性质,模型对"Texas Two-Step" 压裂方法进行了数值模拟,模拟结果得到了压裂过程中地层应力场的分布及其变化,模拟结果和解析公式计算结果吻合良好.模拟结果表明:(1)裂缝的产生减弱了地层应力场的各向异性;(2 对于低水平应力差页岩储层,采用"Texas Two-Step"压裂方法可以产生缝网. 对于采用"Texas Two-Step"压裂方法无法产生缝网的高应力差页岩储层,提出了三次应力"共振" 和四次应力"共振" 压裂方法并进行了数值模拟,模拟结果得到了压裂过程中页岩储层应力场的分布及其变化,得到了缝网形成的区域,模拟结果表明:(1)对于高应力差页岩储层,采用"Texas Two-Step" 压裂方法无法产生缝网;(2)对于高应力差页岩储层,三次应力"共振" 和四次应力"共振"压裂方法是有效的体积压裂缝网形成的方法.      

页岩水力压裂中多簇裂缝扩展的全耦合模拟

水平井和水力压裂是页岩气开发中的关键技术。对水力压裂中多簇裂缝同时扩展的物理过程进行了数值模拟。采用扩展有限元法(XFEM)模拟岩石中裂缝沿着任意路径扩展,采用有限体积法(FVM)模拟裂缝中流体的流动,并且考虑井筒中流体流动以及在各簇裂缝间的流量动态分配。通过牛顿迭代对全耦合物理过程进行数值求解,重点研究了初始长度不同的两条裂缝的扩展过程,证明较大的射孔摩阻能促进两条裂缝的同时扩展。并通过算例证明了本方法的精度和有效性。     

Finite Element study of fracture initiation in flaws subject to internal fluid pressure and vertical stress

Hydraulic fracturing is a method used routinely in oil and gas exploitation and in engineered geothermal systems. While used frequently, there are many aspects of hydraulic fracturing, such as the direction of propagation of the newly-created fractures, which are not very well understood. Even though it is known that the local stress field plays a fundamental role in the orientation of the new fractures, there may be other factors, such as the geometry of the existing fractures and the magnitude of the hydraulic pressure applied, that may play a major role in the path that a new fracture follows when pressurized.The main goal of this study is to numerically analyze the effect of the ratio between a vertical load, or stress, and the hydraulic pressure applied in existing flaws on the stress field in the vicinity of the flaw tips. For that purpose, a double flaw geometry 2a-30-30 was modeled in the Finite Element code ABAQUS, and different vertical loads and internal flaw pressures were applied to the model. The variation of the maximum principal stresses and maximum shear stresses around the flaw tips were analyzed and related to fracture initiation.The study showed that the ratio between the water pressure applied in the flaws and the vertical load/stress (WP/VL) plays a crucial role in the magnitude and shape of the stress field around a flaw tip, and therefore in the location of tensile and shear fracture initiation. As WP/VL increases, the location of initiation of new tensile fractures shifts from the upper face of the studied flaw towards the region right ahead of the flaw tip; simultaneously, the location of initiation of new shear fractures shifts from the region ahead of the flaw tip to the upper face of the analyzed tip.     

考虑单元劈裂的流-固耦合连续-非连续方法及定向水力压裂模拟

为了更真实地模拟水力压裂过程中的岩石变形、裂缝扩展及流体流动,在自主开发的拉格朗日元与离散元耦合的连续-非连续方法的基础上,发展了一种流-固耦合方法。在该方法中,裂缝可沿四边形单元对角线和单元边界扩展,流体流动满足立方定律。通过与单一裂缝非稳态渗流模型及KGD模型的理论解进行对比,验证了该方法的正确性。由定向射孔水力压裂的模拟结果可以发现,(1)距离射孔越远,流体压力越小;随着时间的增加,裂缝中流体压力降低。(2)随着射孔角度的增加,裂缝起裂和扩展过程中的流体压力及转向距离增加;随着x方向水平应力的增加,裂缝起裂和扩展过程中的流体压力增加;两个方向水平应力之差越大,裂缝转向距离越小。(3)随着时间的增加,裂缝区段数目的增速变慢,这与裂缝体积增加变快有关。     

页岩气高效开采中钻井完井和水力压裂的关键力学问题

本文研究了在页岩气高效开采中钻井完井和水力压裂缝网改造的关键力学问题. 提出了页岩多孔弹性介质的本构、强度和断裂韧性的各向异性模型, 指出了微观均匀假设与微观各向同性假设在页岩多孔弹性本构中的简化应用, 给出了横观各向同性多孔弹性岩石材料常数的简化测量方案, 讨论了基于修正的能量最大释放率下裂纹扩展的弱面模型, 提出了裂纹扩展禁止区现象. 阐述了钻井完井过程中的多孔弹性介质井壁稳定性和剪切破坏的时间效应, 提供了多种破坏模式下井壁许可压力范围的显式表达式, 并与传统广义胡克定律得到结果对比. 给出了水平井水力压裂缝网改造技术, 包含水力压裂的大物模实验技术、水力压裂过程中基于扩展有限元与有限体积法的耦合流体/固体/裂缝扩展的数值模拟方法, 并与黏性主导的水力压裂解析解结果对比, 针对性分析了川渝地区的水力压裂施工现场实践应用问题. 建立了基于数据驱动的页岩气采收率预测方法, 指出了机器学习中极限梯度爬升法在小数据集情况下的有效性.      

水力压裂中裂纹扩展的数值模拟

水力压裂是在高压粘滞流体或清水作用下地层内裂缝起裂与扩展的过程。由于包含岩石断裂和流-固耦合等复杂问题,对该过程的数值模拟具有相当大的挑战性。本文建立基于有限元与离散元混合方法的裂纹模型,模拟岩石裂纹扩展,实现了连续向非连续的转化;建立双重介质流动模型,裂隙流作为孔隙渗流的压力边界,孔隙渗流反作用裂隙的压力求解,处理了流体在基岩与人工裂缝中的协调流动;将裂纹模型与流体流动模式进行结合,建立断裂-应力-渗流耦合形式的力学模型,进一步分析了水力压裂的基本过程,综合多种数值计算方法,编写程序,在验证岩体裂纹模型与双重介质流动模型有效性的基础上,对压裂过程进行复现,将模拟结果与文献结果进行了对比,并讨论了所构建模型的优缺点。     

3-D Fracture Propagation Simulation and Production Prediction in Coalbed

NｏｍｅｎｃｌａｔｕｒｅＡ(ｘ,ｔ)—Ｃｒｏｓｓ＿ｓｅｃｔｉｏｎａｒｅａｏｆｆｒａｃｔｕｒｅａｔｔｉｍｅｔａｎｄｓｉｔｅｘ,ｍ2 ;Ｂｇ,Ｂｗ —Ｃｏａｌｂｅｄｇａｓａｎｄｗａｔｅｒｖｏｌｕｍｅｆａｃｔｏｒ,ｄｉ ｍｅｎｓｉｏｎｌｅｓｓ;ｂ—Ｌａｎｇｍｕｉｒｆａｃｔｏｒ,(ＭＰａ) - 1 ;Ｃｇ,ＣＲ,Ｃｗ —Ｃｏａｌｂｅｄｇａｓ,ｒｏｃｋａｎｄｗａｔｅｒｃｏｍ ｐｒｅｓｓｉｂｉｌｉｔｙｃｏｅｆｆｉｃｉｅｎｔ,(ＭＰａ) - 1 ;Ｃｐ —Ｓａｎｄｒａｔｉｏ ,ｄｉｍｅｎｓｉｏｎｌｅｓｓ;Ｃｔ(ｘ ,ｔ)—Ｔｏｔａｌｆｒａｃｔｕｒｉｎ…     

井筒气液两相流对致密气压裂水平井试井的影响

多段压裂水平井技术是目前开采致密气最常用的方法之一,在致密气压裂水平井试井测试中常常伴随着一定的产水量,井筒气液两相流会增加井筒流体的流动阻力,加大井筒流体流动对试井解释的影响.为了明确井筒气液两相流对致密气藏压裂水平井试井的影响,提高产水致密气压裂水平井的试井解释精度,建立了一种井筒气液两相流与地层渗流耦合的试井模型,采用数值方法对模型进行求解,获得了考虑井筒气液两相流的压裂水平井试井理论曲线、压力场分布及裂缝产量分布.研究结果表明:井筒气液两相流会增加试井理论曲线中压力和压力导数值,造成靠近入窗点的压力扩散要快于远离入窗点的压力扩散,引起靠近入窗点的裂缝产量要高于远离入窗点的裂缝产量.现场实例分析进一步说明,不考虑井筒两相流可能会对产水压裂水平井的试井解释结果产生很大误差,主要表现为水平井筒假设为无限大导流能力会使得拟合得到的表皮系数偏大,将测试点视为入窗点会使得拟合得到的原始地层压力偏小.所建立的考虑井筒两相流的压裂水平井试井模型为产水致密气井试井资料的正确解释提供了重要技术保障.      

基于离散裂缝的多段压裂水平井数值试井模型及应用

水平井压裂技术已经成为开发低渗透油气藏、页岩气藏和致密气场等非常规油气藏的关键技术。基于离散裂缝模型,对裂缝进行简化,建立了二维多段压裂水平井有限导流数值试井模型,利用有限元方法求解模型,获得多段压裂水平井试井理论曲线和压力场特征。分析表明:多段压裂水平井的试井理论曲线一共分为七个阶段:井筒储存段、裂缝线性流段、裂缝-地层双线性流段、裂缝干扰段、地层线性流段、系统径向流段和边界作用段,其中裂缝-地层双线性流段和裂缝干扰是其典型特征。分析了裂缝数量、裂缝间距、裂缝不对称、裂缝不等长和裂缝部分缺失等因素对试井理论曲线的影响,结果表明:裂缝数量和裂缝间距对试井理论曲线的影响最大。较多的裂缝、较大裂缝间距、对称的裂缝和等长的裂缝有利于降低压裂水平井井底的流动阻力,提高产能。将建立的数值试井模型应用于四川盆地一口多段压裂水平井的压力恢复测试的数值试井解释,结果表明:本文建立的模型可以较好的拟合压力恢复测试数据,可以获得裂缝的导流能力和裂缝长度,为压裂效果评价和压裂设计提供指导。      

RESEARCH OF STEPPING PRESSURE AND CONTROL OF NEAR FIELD ROOF OF TASHAN COAL MINE BASED ON NUMERICAL SIMULATION1)

煤层坚硬顶板采用水力压裂技术进行定向弱化可有效控制来压步距,降低事故风险。基于黏聚力模型,利用有限元二次开发建立了压裂前后煤层开采数值计算模型,模拟分析了顶板垮落规律及影响因素,优化裂缝间距设计。结果表明：来压跨距与顶板厚度、强度呈正相关性,与埋深呈负相关性。预制裂缝在拉应力集中区可促进起裂扩展,应全面勘测各岩层位地质参数,利用计算出的应力集中区位置设计裂缝间距,实现经济有效地控制来压步距。     

不同围压作用下非均匀岩石水压致裂过程的数值模拟

从岩石细观非均匀性的特点出发，提出一个描述非均匀材料渗流和破裂相互作用的数值模型。在这个数值模型中，单元的力学、水力学性质根据统计分布而变化，以体现材料的随机不均质性，材料在开裂破坏过程中流体压力传递通过单元渗流，损伤耦合迭代来实现。算例表明，该模型能较好地模拟出岩石类材料在水力压裂作用下，微结构非均匀分布和不同围压比对破裂模式、失稳压力的影响，非均匀性导致试件的开裂压力、失稳压力明显不同，裂纹扩展路径不规则发展，模拟结果和实验结果较为一致。     

横观各向同性油气藏水力压裂裂纹扩展规律研究

针对横观各向同性与各向同性油气藏水力压裂裂纹扩展的差异性,基于扩展有限元法建立水力压裂力学模型,通过ABAQUS子程序开发了各向同性和横观各向同性岩体的起裂判据。在各向同性岩体数值模拟结果与解析解以及现场压裂典型曲线对比吻合的基础上,得到了包含层理构造的横观各向同性岩体水力压裂过程中裂纹扩展规律。层理类岩体水力压裂的裂缝扩展方向由地应力状态、层理方向以及岩体与层理界面抗拉强度共同决定;水力压裂过程中,注水压力在裂纹尖端产生应力集中,层理面法向分量先达到界面抗拉强度时,裂纹沿层理方向开裂,反之裂纹沿垂直最小地应力的方向扩展;裂纹扩展速度随层理抗拉强度的增加而降低;由于地层的滤失,随压裂液的注入,裂纹长宽尺度增长速率降低。     

Acid Leakoff Mechanism in Acid Fracturing of Naturally Fractured Carbonate Oil Reservoirs

In acid fracturing, excessive acid leakoff is thought to be the main reason that limits fracture propagation and live acid penetration distance. Since most carbonates are naturally fractured, we developed a new model in this paper to simulate acid leakoff into a naturally fractured carbonate oil reservoir during acid fracturing. Our model incorporates the acid-rock reaction, fracture width variation due to rock dissolution on the fractured surfaces, and fluid flow in naturally fractured carbonate oil reservoirs. Given the information of the reservoir, injected acid, and pressure in the hydraulic facture and the reservoir, the model predicts acid leakoff with time. In this study, we found that acid leakoff mechanism in naturally fractured carbonates is much different from that in reservoirs without natural fractures. Widened natural fractures by acid-rock reaction act as high-conductivity conduits allowing leakoff acid to penetrate deeper into the formation, resulting in serious leakoff. Wide natural fractures have a dominant effect on acid leakoff compared to micro-fractures and matrix.     

岩石偏心圆孔单裂纹平台圆盘的动态裂纹扩展与止裂

针对平台圆环构型的优点, 提出偏心圆孔单裂纹平台圆盘(cracked eccentrically holed flattened disc, CEHFD), 该试样具有更长的断裂路径。利用霍普金森压杆加载系统, 径向冲击CEHFD试样, 完成Ⅰ型动态断裂实验。砂岩试样表面粘贴应变片和裂纹扩展计, 用于监测裂纹动态起裂、扩展和止裂的全过程。实验表明, 在整个断裂过程中, 裂纹非匀速扩展, 裂纹扩展速度在裂纹起裂后加速上升, 在裂纹止裂前有明显的减速, 与地震时断层的动态破裂全过程完全吻合。采用实验-数值-解析法得到动态应力强度因子, 其时间历程呈现先增大后减小的趋势。根据断裂过程不同时刻, 得到相应的动态起裂韧度、扩展韧度及止裂韧度。在动态断裂全过程中, 动态扩展韧度为速度的函数, 变化趋势与速度一致, 随着时间先增大后减小; 动态起裂韧度大于动态止裂韧度, 止裂韧度随着裂纹最大扩展速度的增大而降低, 并且有较大的离散性。     

含层理页岩气藏水力压裂裂纹扩展规律解析分析

页岩气蕴藏在页岩层中,页岩层的层理性构造使其水力压裂裂纹扩展与常规均质储层不同.为研究页岩储层水力压裂的裂纹扩展规律,基于复变函数保角变换,得出裂纹尖端应力集中解,考虑页岩非均质、强度各向异性特点,通过比较裂纹沿各方向扩展所需的裂缝尖端水压力,推导出水力压裂裂纹垂直于最小地应力方向稳定扩展过程中在斜交层理后的扩展判据.分别定义了水力压裂裂纹在层理处起裂和沿层理扩展的弱层和岩石基体临界强度比,根据两个临界强度比确定水力压裂裂纹遇层理时在层理处起裂和沿层理扩展的层理弱面强度范围,以此表示水力压裂裂纹转向层理扩展的难易程度.通过对裂纹扩展判据的分析得出:层理起裂弱层和岩石基体临界强度比随层理走向线与第一主应力夹角和层理倾角的减小以及第三主应力和岩石基体强度的增大而增大;层理走向角小于35.26°时,层理起裂弱层和岩石基体临界强度比随第一主应力的减小以及第二主应力的增大而增大;反之,层理起裂弱层和岩石基体临界强度比随第一主应力的减小以及第二主应力的增大而减小;层理扩展弱层和岩石基体临界强度比随层理走向线与第一主应力夹角、层理倾角和地应力差的减小以及岩石基体抗拉强度的增大而增大.层理起裂条件与层理扩展条件同时满足时,水力压裂裂纹转向层理方向扩展.      

含水合物粉质黏土压裂成缝特征实验研究

水力压裂技术是一种重要的油气井增产、增注措施,已经广泛应用于页岩油气等非常规资源的商业开采中.目前对于粉质黏土水合物沉积物的水力压裂成缝能力尚不清楚.本文采用南海水合物沉积层的粉质黏土制备沉积物试样,并与实验室配制的粉细砂土沉积物对比,分析粉质黏土沉积物的水力成缝能力及主控因素.实验结果表明含水合物和冰的沉积物破裂压力较高,这与粉质黏土沉积物特殊的应力-应变特征和渗透性有关.当沉积物应变高于6%时, 试样强度迅速上升, 呈现应变强化的特征,对水力拉伸裂缝的扩展具有一定的阻碍作用. 粉质黏土沉积物粒径细小, 渗透性差,难以通过渗透作用传递压力, 提高了沉积层的破裂压力. 此外,粉质黏土水合物沉积层裂缝扩展存在明显延迟效应,说明裂缝扩展受到流体压力和热应力的共同影响. 适当延长注入时间,保持流体与沉积层充分接触, 会起到分解水合物、降低破裂压力的作用.该研究成果有利于深入理解水力裂缝在水合物沉积层中的扩展规律,对探索压裂技术在水合物沉积层开发中的应用具有重要意义.      

Experimental Study of Fracture Permeability for Stimulated Reservoir Volume (SRV) in Shale Formation

“Stimulated reservoir volume”(SRV) makes shale gas production economic through new completion techniques including horizontal wells and multiple hydraulic fractures. However, the mechanism behind these treatments that provide sufficient permeability is not well understood. The effects of different stimulation treatments need to be further explored. To understand the effects of fracture surface roughness, fracture registration, confining pressure, proppant type and distribution mode, fiber and acidizing treatment on fracture permeability, a series of laboratory permeability experiments were performed on fractured cores from shale formation of Shengli Oilfield. The results of this study demonstrate that sedimentary bedding of shale has important influence on matrix permeability. At 35 MPa confining pressure, the permeability of aligned fracture (unpropped and without fracture offset) can increase about 1–3 orders of magnitude over shale matrix. The permeability of displaced fracture can increase about 1–2 orders of magnitude over the aligned fracture. The permeability of fracture propped with proppant can increase about 2–4 orders of magnitude over unpropped fracture. The greater the fracture surface roughness, the higher the permeability. The increasing degree of displaced fracture permeability is not proportional to the amount of fracture offset. In the microfracture of shale, the effect of ceramic proppant is still better than that of quartz sand, and the permeability of a centralized fairway distribution of proppant is about 1.2 times better than an even monolayer distribution of proppant. Under high pressure, proppant is easy to cause the break of fracture faces of brittle shale, and increase local fracture permeability to some extent. However, quartz sand are more easily broken to embed and block microcracks just made, which results in fracture permeability lower than that of ceramic proppant. At the same time, the argillation phenomenon is easy to happen on propped fracture faces of shale, which is one of the main factors that leads to a substantial decline in fracture permeability. The permeability of displaced fracture propped with proppant is greater than that of aligned fracture propped with proppant. Because of added fiber presence, the permeability of microfractures presented in SRV is greatly reduced. The pressure dependence of aligned fractures in shale obeys Walsh’s theory, but the pressure dependence of propped and displaced fractures in shale obeys Walsh’s law over a limited range of pressures. Deviations reflect proppant seating, proppant embedding and breaking. For shale formation with the high carbonate content, acidizing treatment should be carefully implemented. Experimental results may provide more valuable information for effective design of hydraulic fracturing in shale reservoir.