Simulation of hydraulic fracturing in tight formations
Mohammad Sarmadivaleh A and Vamegh Rasouli ACurtin University of Technology
The APPEA Journal 50(1) 581-592 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ09035
Published: 2010
Abstract
Production from tight formations is becoming a main focus around the world and particularly in Australia. Hydraulic fracturing is one of the commonly used approaches to stimulate production from tight reservoirs. A good understanding of mechanical properties of formation and the in-situ stresses is essential for a hydraulic fracturing study.
In this work, using the log based approach, the mechanical properties and in-situ stresses were estimated in a tight gas formation. This data is then used as input for 2D numerical simulation of hydraulic fracturing in particle flow code (PFC). The initiation and propagation of an induced fracture was studied by increasing the rock strength to simulate a tight formation response. Thereafter, the model was divided into two zones to investigate the fracture containment capacity to simulate a fracture intersecting an interbed with formation properties being different on the two sides. The formation bond strength was increased on one side of the interbed and fracture extension was monitored. The results of both simulations showed how, by increasing formation strength equivalent to a tighter formation, the fracture extension ability reduces and the interbed containment capacity increases. The results were compared with some of the analytical models and good agreement was observed.
Mohammad Sarmadivaleh is a PhD candidate at Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Australia. He is working on a numerical and experimental study of the interaction of an induced hydraulic fracture with a natural interface in poro-elastic media. Mohammad holds a BSc in petroleum engineering (reservoir engineering), a MSc in drilling and production engineering from Petroleum University of Technology (PUT), Iran and a MEng in petroleum well engineering from Curtin University of Technology. mohammad.sarmadivaleh@postgrad.curtin.edu.au |
Vamegh Rasouli is a Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) and is a registered engineer with the National Professional Engineers Register (NPER) of Australia. After completing his PhD in 2002 from Imperial College, London, Vamegh took up the position of assistant professor in the Department of Petroleum Engineering at Amirkabir University of Technology (Iran). In 2006 Vamegh joined the Department of Petroleum Engineering at Curtin University as a senior lecturer to add support to the delivery of the Department’s Master of Petroleum Well Engineering degree, and to carry out research in his specialist area of wellbore stability, sanding, hydraulic fracturing, etc. He established the Curtin Petroleum Geomechanics Group (CPGG), and he supervises five PhD students and number of Masters students. CPGG has completed a number of successful research and consulting projects. Vamegh is also a consulting engineer on various geomechanics related projects with Schlumberger’s Data and Consulting Services (DCS) in Perth. v.rasouli@curtin.edu.au |
