An implicitly coupled hydro-geomechanical model for hydraulic fracture simulation with the discontinuous deformation analysis

作者：Morgan William E^*; Aral Mustafa M

来源：International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 2015, 73: 82-94.

DOI：10.1016/i.ijrmms.2014.09.021

• Hydraulic fracturing
• Fracture network
• Discontinuous deformation analysis
• Implicit coupling
• Hydro-geomechanical model

In this article we present and verify an algorithm for modeling hydraulic fracturing in complex fracture geometries. The method is built upon an existing model which uses the discontinuous deformation analysis for simulation of rock mechanics and upon a finite volume fracture network model for simulation of compressible fluid flow in fractures. Improvements are made to the fluid, contact and coupling components of the existing algorithm to increase its accuracy and stability. The model is successfully benchmarked against the analytical solution for the opening profile of an internally pressurized Griffith fracture, and against the semi-analytical solution for the pressure and opening profile of a bi-wing hydraulic fracture propagating under conditions of no leako[f and no toughness. Additionally, the model is verified through comparison with the results of a hydraulic fracturing experiment that examined propagation of a high-viscosity fracturing fluid in an impermeable medium.

• 出版日期2015-1