Effect of fracture fluid flowback on shale microfractures using CT scanning

The field data of shale fracturing demonstrate that the flowback performance of fracturing fluid is different from that of conventional reservoirs,where the flowback rate of shale fracturing fluid is lower than that of conventional reservoirs.At the early stage of flowback,there is no single-phase flow of the liquid phase in shale,but rather a gas-water two-phase flow,such that the single-phase flow model for tight oil and gas reservoirs is not applicable.In this study,pores and microfractures are extracted based on the experimental results of computed tomography(CT)scanning,and a spatial model of microfractures is established.Then,the influence of rough microfracture surfaces on the flow is corrected using the modified cubic law,which was modified by introducing the average deviation of the microfracture height as a roughness factor to consider the influence of microfracture surface roughness.The flow in the fracture network is simulated using the modified cubic law and the lattice Boltzmann method(LBM).The results obtained demonstrate that most of the fracturing fluid is retained in the shale microfractures,which explains the low fracturing fluid flowback rate in shale hydraulic fracturing.

Extended finite element-based cohesive zone method for modeling simultaneous hydraulic fracture height growth in layered reservoirs

In this study,a fully coupled hydromechanical model within the extended finite element method(XFEM)-based cohesive zone method(CZM)is employed to investigate the simultaneous height growth behavior of multi-cluster hydraulic fractures in layered porous reservoirs with modulus contrast.The coupled hydromechanical model is first verified against an analytical solution and a laboratory experiment.Then,the fracture geometry(e.g.height,aperture,and area)and fluid pressure evolutions of multiple hydraulic fractures placed in a porous reservoir interbedded with alternating stiff and soft layers are investigated using the model.The stress and pore pressure distributions within the layered reservoir during fluid injection are also presented.The simulation results reveal that stress umbrellas are easily to form among multiple hydraulic fractures’tips when propagating in soft layers,which impedes the simultaneous height growth.It is also observed that the impediment effect of soft layer is much more significant in the fractures suppressed by the preferential growth of adjoining fractures.After that,the combined effect of in situ stress ratio and fracturing spacing on the multi-fracture height growth is presented,and the results elucidate the influence of in situ stress ratio on the height growth behavior depending on the fracture spacing.Finally,it is found that the inclusion of soft layers changes the aperture distribution of outmost and interior hydraulic fractures.The results obtained from this study may provide some insights on the understanding of hydraulic fracture height containment observed in filed.

Numerical manifold method for thermo-mechanical coupling simulation of fractured rock mass

As a calculation method based on the Galerkin variation,the numerical manifold method(NMM)adopts a double covering system,which can easily deal with discontinuous deformation problems and has a high calculation accuracy.Aiming at the thermo-mechanical(TM)coupling problem of fractured rock masses,this study uses the NMM to simulate the processes of crack initiation and propagation in a rock mass under the influence of temperature field,deduces related system equations,and proposes a penalty function method to deal with boundary conditions.Numerical examples are employed to confirm the effectiveness and high accuracy of this method.By the thermal stress analysis of a thick-walled cylinder(TWC),the simulation of cracking in the TWC under heating and cooling conditions,and the simulation of thermal cracking of the SwedishÄspöPillar Stability Experiment(APSE)rock column,the thermal stress,and TM coupling are obtained.The numerical simulation results are in good agreement with the test data and other numerical results,thus verifying the effectiveness of the NMM in dealing with thermal stress and crack propagation problems of fractured rock masses.

Effect mechanism of seepage force on the hydraulic fracture propagation

The flow of fluid through the porous matrix of a reservoir rock applies a seepage force to the solid rock matrix.Although the seepage force exerted by fluid flow through the porous matrix of a reservoir rock has a notable influence on rock deformation and failure,its effect on hydraulic fracture(HF)propagation remains ambiguous.Therefore,in this study,we improved a traditional fluid–solid coupling method by incorporating the role of seepage force during the fracturing fluid seepage,using the discrete element method.First,we validated the simulation results of the improved method by comparing them with an analytical solution of the seepage force and published experimental results.Next,we conducted numerical simulations in both homogeneous and heterogeneous sandstone formations to investigate the influence of seepage force on HF propagation.Our results indicate that fluid viscosity has a greater impact on the magnitude and extent of seepage force compared to injection rate,and that lower viscosity and injection rate correspond to shorter hydraulic fracture lengths.Furthermore,seepage force influences the direction of HF propagation,causing HFs to deflect towards the side of the reservoir with weaker cementation and higher permeability.

Micromechanical modeling of asphalt concrete fracture using a user-defined three-dimensional discrete element method

A user-defined micromechanical model was developed to investigate the fracture mechanism of asphalt concrete （AC） using the discrete element method （DEM）. A three-dimensional （3D） AC beam was built using the ＂Fish＂ language provided by PFC3D and was employed to simulate the three-point bending beam test at two temperature levels： -10 ℃ and 15℃. The AC beam was modeled with the consideration of the microstructural features of asphalt mixtures. Uniaxial complex modulus test and indirect tensile strength test were conducted to obtain material input parameters for numerical modeling. The 3D predictions were validated using laboratory experimental measurements of AC beams prepared by the same mixture design. Effects of mastic stiffness, cohesive and adhesive strength on AC fracture behavior were investigated using the DEM model. The results show that the 3D DEM fracture model can accurately predict the fracture patterns of asphalt concrete. The ratio of stress at interfaces to the stress in mastics increases as the mastic stiffness decreases; however, the increase in the cohesive strength or adhesive strength shows no significant influence on the tensile strength.

Study on the Impact of Massive Refracturing on the Fracture Network in Tight Oil Reservoir Horizontal Wells

Class III tight oil reservoirs have low porosity and permeability,which are often responsible for low production rates and limited recovery.Extensive repeated fracturing is a well-known technique to fix some of these issues.With such methods,existing fractures are refractured,and/or new fractures are created to facilitate communication with natural fractures.This study explored how different refracturing methods affect horizontal well fracture networks,with a special focus on morphology and related fluid flow changes.In particular,the study relied on the unconventional fracture model(UFM).The evolution of fracture morphology and flow field after the initial fracturing were analyzed accordingly.The simulation results indicated that increased formation energy and reduced reservoir stress differences can promote fracture expansion.It was shown that the length of the fracture network,the width of the fracture network,and the complexity of the fracture can be improved,the oil drainage area can be increased,the distance of oil and gas seepage can be reduced,and the production of a single well can be significantly increased.

Hydraulic Fracture Parameter Inversion Method for Shale Gas Wells Based on Transient Pressure-Drop Analysis during Hydraulic Fracturing Shut-in Period

Horizontal well drilling and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing are key technologies for the development of shale gas reservoirs.Instantaneous acquisition of hydraulic fracture parameters is crucial for evaluating fracturing effectiveness,optimizing processes,and predicting gas productivity.This paper establishes a transient flow model for shale gas wells based on the boundary element method,achieving the characterization of stimulated reservoir volume for a single stage.By integrating pressure monitoring data following the pumping shut-in period of hydraulic fracturing for well testing interpretation,a workflow for inverting fracture parameters of shale gas wells is established.This new method eliminates the need for prolonged production testing and can interpret parameters of individual hydraulic fracture segments,offering significant advantages over the conventional pressure transient analysismethod.The practical application of thismethodology was conducted on 10 shale gaswellswithin the Changning shale gas block of Sichuan,China.The results show a high correlation between the interpreted single-stage total length and surface area of hydraulic fractures and the outcomes of gas production profile tests.Additionally,significant correlations are observed between these parameters and cluster number,horizontal stress difference,and natural fracture density.This demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed fracture parameter inversion method and the feasibility of field application.The findings of this study aim to provide solutions and references for the inversion of fracture parameters in shale gas wells.

Numerical investigation of geostress influence on the grouting reinforcement effectiveness of tunnel surrounding rock mass in fault fracture zones

Grouting is a widely used approach to reinforce broken surrounding rock mass during the construction of underground tunnels in fault fracture zones,and its reinforcement effectiveness is highly affected by geostress.In this study,a numerical manifold method(NMM)based simulator has been developed to examine the impact of geostress conditions on grouting reinforcement during tunnel excavation.To develop this simulator,a detection technique for identifying slurry migration channels and an improved fluid-solid coupling(FeS)framework,which considers the influence of fracture properties and geostress states,is developed and incorporated into a zero-thickness cohesive element(ZE)based NMM(Co-NMM)for simulating tunnel excavation.Additionally,to simulate coagulation of injected slurry,a bonding repair algorithm is further proposed based on the ZE model.To verify the accuracy of the proposed simulator,a series of simulations about slurry migration in single fractures and fracture networks are numerically reproduced,and the results align well with analytical and laboratory test results.Furthermore,these numerical results show that neglecting the influence of geostress condition can lead to a serious over-estimation of slurry migration range and reinforcement effectiveness.After validations,a series of simulations about tunnel grouting reinforcement and tunnel excavation in fault fracture zones with varying fracture densities under different geostress conditions are conducted.Based on these simula-tions,the influence of geostress conditions and the optimization of grouting schemes are discussed.

Mode Ⅲ fracture analysis by Trefftz boundary element method

This paper presents a hybrid Trefftz （HT） boundary element method （BEM） by using two indirect techniques for mode III fracture problems. Two Trefftz complete functions of Laplace equation for normal elements and a special purpose Trefftz function for crack elements are proposed in deriving the Galerkin and the collocation techniques of HT BEM. Then two auxiliary functions are introduced to improve the accuracy of the displacement field near the crack tips, and stress intensity factor （SIF） is evaluated by local crack elements as well. Furthermore, numerical examples are given, including comparisons of the present results with the analytical solution and the other numerical methods, to demonstrate the efficiency for different boundary conditions and to illustrate the convergence influenced by several parameters. It shows that HT BEM by usingthe Galerkin and the collocation techniques is effective for mode III fracture problems.

Virtual fracture test of asphalt mixture based on discrete element method

In order to study fracture behaviors of asphalt mixtures, virtual tests of the two-dimensional（2D） microstructure based on the discrete element method（ DEM） are designed. The virtual structure of the 2D digital specimen of asphalt mixture is generated based on a particle generation program, in which the gradation and the irregular shapes of aggregates are considered. With the 2D digital specimens, a DEM-based mixture model is established and center-point beam fracture simulation tests are conducted by the DEM. Meanwhile, a series of calibration tests are carried out in laboratory to evaluate the DEM model and validate the methods of virtual fracture tests. The test results indicate that the fracture intensity of asphalt mixtures predicted by the DEM matches very well with the intensity obtained in laboratory. It is concluded that the microstructural virtual tests can be used as a supplemental tool to evaluate fracture properties of asphalt mixtures.

DETERMINING CRITICAL TIME OF ROCK DYNAMIC FRACTURE BY DYNAMIC MOIRE METHOD

An effective Dynamic Moire method was presented to determine the critical time of crack instable propagation in rock dynamic fracture. Two pieces of grating were installed near the notch of Short Rod specimen to form the Moire fringes, then the COD versus time could be monitored from the movement of the Moire fringes, and finally the critical time could be determined from the velocity of COD. This method was also compared with another one.It could be concluded that the critical time determined by Dynamic Moire method corresponds with that of the Transmitted Wave method at the loading rates from 103 to 104 MPa·m(1/2)·S(-1).

Characterizing the influence of stress-induced microcracks on the laboratory strength and fracture development in brittle rocks using a finite-discrete element method-micro discrete fracture network FDEM-μDFN approach

Heterogeneity is an inherent component of rock and may be present in different forms including mineralheterogeneity, geometrical heterogeneity, weak grain boundaries and micro-defects. Microcracks areusually observed in crystalline rocks in two forms： natural and stress-induced; the amount of stressinducedmicrocracking increases with depth and in-situ stress. Laboratory results indicate that thephysical properties of rocks such as strength, deformability, P-wave velocity and permeability areinfluenced by increase in microcrack intensity. In this study, the finite-discrete element method （FDEM）is used to model microcrack heterogeneity by introducing into a model sample sets of microcracks usingthe proposed micro discrete fracture network （mDFN） approach. The characteristics of the microcracksrequired to create mDFN models are obtained through image analyses of thin sections of Lac du Bonnetgranite adopted from published literature. A suite of two-dimensional laboratory tests including uniaxial,triaxial compression and Brazilian tests is simulated and the results are compared with laboratory data.The FDEM-mDFN models indicate that micro-heterogeneity has a profound influence on both the mechanicalbehavior and resultant fracture pattern. An increase in the microcrack intensity leads to areduction in the strength of the sample and changes the character of the rock strength envelope. Spallingand axial splitting dominate the failure mode at low confinement while shear failure is the dominantfailure mode at high confinement. Numerical results from simulated compression tests show thatmicrocracking reduces the cohesive component of strength alone, and the frictional strength componentremains unaffected. Results from simulated Brazilian tests show that the tensile strength is influenced bythe presence of microcracks, with a reduction in tensile strength as microcrack intensity increases. Theimportance of microcrack heterogeneity in reproducing a bi-linear or S-shape failure envelope and itseffects on the mechanisms leading to spalling damage near an underground opening are also discussed.

Numerical manifold method modeling of coupled processes in fractured geological media at multiple scales

The greatest challenges of rigorously modeling coupled hydro-mechanical(HM)processes in fractured geological media at different scales are associated with computational geometry.These challenges include dynamic shearing and opening of intersecting fractures at discrete fracture scales as a result of coupled processes,and contact alteration along rough fracture surfaces that triggers structural and physical changes of fractures at micro-asperity scale.In this paper,these challenges are tackled by developing a comprehensive modeling approach for coupled processes in fractured geological media based on numerical manifold method(NMM)at multiple scales.Based on their distinct geometric features,fractures are categorized into three different scales:dominant fracture,discrete fracture,and discontinuum asperity scales.Here the scale is relative,that of the fracture relative to that of the research interest or domain.Different geometric representations of fractures at different scales are used,and different governing equations and constitutive relationships are applied.For dominant fractures,a finite thickness zone model is developed to treat a fracture as a porous nonlinear domain.Nonlinear fracture mechanical behavior is accurately modeled with an implicit approach based on strain energy.For discrete fractures,a zero-dimensional model was developed for analyzing fluid flow and mechanics in fractures that are geometrically treated as boundaries of the rock matrix.With the zero-dimensional model,these fractures can be modeled with arbitrary orientations and intersections.They can be fluid conduits or seals,and can be open,bonded or sliding.For the discontinuum asperity scale,the geometry of rough fracture surfaces is explicitly represented and contacts involving dynamic alteration of contacts among asperities are rigorously calculated.Using this approach,fracture alteration caused by deformation,re-arrangement and sliding of rough surfaces can be captured.Our comprehensive model is able to handle the computational challenges with accurate representation of intersections and shearing of fractures at the discrete fracture scale and rigorously treats contacts along rough fracture surfaces at the discontinuum asperity scale.With future development of three-dimensional(3D)geometric representation of discrete fracture networks in porous rock and contacts among multi-body systems,this model is promising as a basis of 3D fully coupled analysis of fractures at multiple scales,for advancing understanding and optimizing energy recovery and storage in fractured geological media.

Numerical modeling of the effects of roughness on flow and eddy formation in fractures

The effect of roughness on flow in fractures was investigated using lattice Boltzmann method(LBM).Simulations were conducted for both statistically generated hypothetical fractures and a natural dolomite fracture. The effect of increasing roughness on effective hydraulic aperture, Izbash and Forchheimer parameters with increasing Reynolds number(Re) ranging from 0.01 to 500 was examined. The growth of complex flow features, such as eddies arising near the fracture surface, was directly associated with changes in surface roughness. Rapid eddy growth above Re values of 1, followed by less rapid growth at higher Re values, suggested a three-zone nonlinear model for flow in rough fractures. This three-zone model, relating effective hydraulic conductivity to Re, was also found to be appropriate for the simulation of water flow in the natural dolomite fracture. Increasing fracture roughness led to greater eddy volumes and lower effective hydraulic conductivities for the same Re values.

Fracture properties of epoxy asphalt mixture based on extended finite element method

Crack is found to be a major distress that affects the performance of the epoxy asphalt pavement.An extended finite element method was proposed for investigating the fracture properties of the epoxy asphalt mixture.Firstly,the single-edge notched beam test was used to analyze the temperature effect and calculate the material parameters.Then,the mechanical responses were studied using numerical analysis.It is concluded that 5℃ can be selected as the critical temperature that affects the fracture properties,and numerical simulations indicate that crack propagation is found to significantly affect the stress state of the epoxy asphalt mixture.The maximum principal stress at the crack surface exhibits different trends at various temperatures.Numerical solution of stress intensity factor can well meet the theoretical solution,especially when the temperature is lower than 5℃.

Understanding roof deformation mechanics and parametric sensitivities of coal mine entries using the discrete element method

Although conventional coal mine designs are conservative regarding pillar strength,local failures such as roof-falls and pillar bursts still affect mine safety and operations.Previous studies have identified that discontinuous,layered roof materials have some self-supporting capacity.This research is a preliminary step towards understanding these mechanics in coal-measure rocks.Although others have considered broad conceptual models and simplified analogs for mine roof behavior,this study presents a unique numerical model that more completely represents in-situ roof conditions.The discrete element method(DEM)is utilized to conduct a parametric analysis considering a range of in-situ stress ratios,material properties,and joint networks to determine the parameters controlling the stability of single-entries modeled in two-dimensions.Model results are compared to empirical observations of roof-support effectiveness(ARBS)in the context of the coal mine roof rating(CMRR)system.Results such as immediate roof displacement,overall stability,and statistical relationships between model parameters and outcomes are presented herein.Potential practical applications of this line of research include:(1)roof-support optimization for a range of coal-measure rocks,(2)establishment of a relationship between roof stability and pillar stress,and(3)determination of which parameters are most critical to roof stability and therefore require concentrated evaluation.

Fixed-length roof cutting with vertical hydraulic fracture based on the stress shadow effect:A case study

Pre-driven longwall retracement roadway(PLRR)is commonly used in large mine shaft.The support crushing disasters occur frequently during the retracement,and roof management is necessary.Taking the 31107 panel as research background,the roof breaking structure of PLRR is analyzed.It is concluded that the roof cutting with vertical hydraulic fracture(HF)at a specified position,that is,fixed-length roof cutting,can reduce support load and keep immediate roof intact.The extended finite element method(XFEM)is applied to simulate hydraulic fracturing.The results show that both the axial and transverse hydraulic fracturing cannot effectively create vertical HFs.Therefore,a novel construction method of vertical HF based on the stress shadow effect(SSE)is proposed.The stress reversal region and HF orientation caused by the prefabricated hydraulic fracture(PF)are verified in simulation.The sub-vertical HFs are obtained between two PFs,the vertical extension range of which is much larger than that of directional hydraulic fracturing.The new construction method was used to determine the field plan for fixed-length roof cutting.The roof formed a stable suspended structure and deformation of the main PLRR was improved after hydraulic fracturing.

FRACTURE CALCULATION OF BENDING PLATES BY BOUNDARY COLLOCATION METHOD

Fracture of Kirchhoff plates is analyzed by the theory of complex variables and boundary collocation method. The deflections, moments and shearing forces of the plates are assumed to be the functions of complex variables. The functions can satisfy a series of basic equations and governing conditions, such as the equilibrium equations in the domain, the boundary conditions on the crack surfaces and stress singularity at the crack tips. Thus, it is only necessary to consider the boundary conditions on the external boundaries of the plate, which can be approximately satisfied by the collocation method and least square technique. Different boundary conditions and loading cases of the cracked plates are analyzed and calculated. Compared to other methods, the numerical examples show that the present method has many advantages such as good accuracy and less computer time. This is an effective semi_analytical and semi_numerical method.

Dynamic ModeⅡfracture behavior of rocks under hydrostatic pressure using the short core in compression(SCC)method

The shear failure of rocks under both a static triaxial stress and a dynamic disturbance is common in deep underground engineering and it is therefore essential for the design of underground engineering to quantitively estimate the dynamic ModeⅡfracture toughness KⅡCof rocks under a triaxial stress state.However,the method for determining the dynamic KⅡCof rocks under a triaxial stress has not been developed yet.With an optimal sample preparation,the short core in compression(SCC)method was designed and verified in this study to measure the dynamic KⅡCof Fangshan marble(FM)subjected to different hydrostatic pressures through a triaxial dynamic testing system.The formula for calculating the dynamic KⅡCof the rock SCC specimen under hydrostatic pressures was obtained by using the finite element method in combination with secondary cracks.The experimental results indicate that the failure mode of the rock SCC specimen under a hydrostatic pressure is the shear fracture and the KⅡCof FM increases as the loading rate.In addition,at a given loading rate the dynamic rock KⅡCis barely affected by hydrostatic pressures.Another important observation is that the dynamic fracture energy of FM enhances with loading rates and hydrostatic pressures.

Evolution of the deformation field and earthquake fracture precursors of strike-slip faults

Seismic hazard analysis is gaining increased attention in the present era because of the catastrophic effects of earthquakes.Scientists always have as a goal to develop new techniques that will help forecast earthquakes before their reoccurrence. In this research,we have performed a shear failure experiment on rock samples with prefabricated cracks to simulate the process of plate movement that forms strike-slip faults. We studied the evolution law of the deformation field to simulate the shear failure experiment, and these results gave us a comprehensive understanding of the elaborate strain distribution law and its formation process with which to identify actual fault zones. We performed uniaxial compression tests on marble slabs with prefabricated double shear cracks to study the distribution and evolution of the deformation field during shear failure. Analysis of the strain field at different loading stages showed that with an increase in the load, the shear strain field initially changed to a disordered-style distribution. Further, the strain field was partially concentrated and finally completely concentrated near the crack and then distributed in the shape of a strip along the crack. We also computed coefficients of variation(CVs) for the physical quantities u, v, and exy, which varied with the load. The CV curves were found to correspond to the different loading stages. We found that at the uniform deformation stage, the CV value was small and changed slowly,whereas at the later nonuniform deformation stage, the CV value increased sharply and changed abruptly. Therefore, the precursor to a rock sample breakdown can be predicted by observing the variation characteristics of CV statistics. The correlation we found between our experimental and theoretical results revealed that our crack evolution and sample deformation results showed good coupling with seismic distribution characteristics near the San Andreas Fault.