Modeling flow in naturally fractured reservoirs： effect of fracture aperture distribution on dominant sub-network for flow

Fracture network connectivity and aperture （or conductivity） distribution are two crucial features controlling flow behavior of naturally fractured reservoirs. The effect of connectivity on flow properties is well documented. In this paper, however, we focus here on the influence of fracture aperture distribution. We model a two dimensional fractured reservoir in which the matrix is impermeable and the fractures are well connected. The fractures obey a power-law length distribution, as observed in natural fracture networks. For the aperture distribution, since the information from subsurface fracture networks is limited, we test a number of cases： log-normal distributions （from narrow to broad）, power-law distributions （from narrow to broad）, and one case where the aperture is pro- portional to the fracture length. We find that even a well- connected fracture network can behave like a much sparser network when the aperture distribution is broad enough （c~ 〈 2 for power-law aperture distributions and σ ≥ 0.4 for log-normal aperture distributions）. Specifically, most fractures can be eliminated leaving the remaining dominant sub-network with 90% of the permeability of the original fracture network. We determine how broad the aperture distribution must be to approach this behavior and the dependence of the dominant sub-network on the parameters of the aperture distribution. We also explore whether one can identify the dominant sub-network without doing flow calculations.

三峡水库库区上段水流特性分析

三峡水库的蓄水运用,使其河道型库区内水流有了明显的壅水型非均匀流特征,其流态的改变显著影响着泥沙输移和洪水传播特性。采取专门实测资料,分析库区上段的三维流速及紊动强度沿垂线的分布特征。结果表明:三峡水库上段纵向流速沿垂线分布基本符合对数流速分布公式,横向流速分布受地形影响较大,垂向流速明显,且方向一般向下;沿程各断面纵向、横向及垂向水流相对紊动强度分布比较均匀,尤其是垂向水流紊动强度沿程随着壅水程度的增大有增大的趋势。壅水型非均匀流在垂向流速及垂向紊动强度的分布特点,将给库区泥沙运动、尤其是悬移质含沙量沿垂线分布带来明显影响。