A three-dimensional solution of hydraulic fracture width for wellbore strengthening applications

Abstract

Determining the width of an induced hydraulic fracture is the first step for applying wellbore strengthening and hydraulic fracturing techniques. However, current 2-D analytical solutions obtained from the plane strain assumption may have large uncertainties when the fracture height is small. To solve this problem, a 3-D finite element method (FEM) is used to model wellbore strengthening and calculate the fracture width. Comparisons show that the 2-D plane strain solution is the asymptote of the 3-D FEM solution. Therefore, the 2-D solution may overestimate the fracture width. This indicates that the 2-D solution may not be applicable in 3-D conditions. Based on the FEM modeling, a new 3-D semi-analytical solution for determining the fracture width is proposed, which accounts for the effects of 3-D fracture dimensions, stress anisotropy and borehole inclination. Compared to the 2-D solution, this new 3-D semi-analytical solution predicts a smaller fracture width. This implies that the 2-D-based old design for wellbore strengthening may overestimate the fracture width, which can be reduced using the proposed 3-D solution. It also allows an easy way to calculate the fracture width in complex geometrical and geological conditions. This solution has been verified against 3-D finite element calculations for field applications.

Phase‐Field Simulation of Hydraulic Fracturing by CO2, Water and Nitrogen in 2D and Comparison With Laboratory Data

“…Fracture branching is observed under dynamic formulation without fluid. Several authors have also presented numerical simulations using the phase‐field method (Lee et al., 2016; Mikelić et al., 2015a; Mikelić et al., 2015b; Wheeler et al., 2020; J. Zhang & Yin, 2019; Zhou et al., 2019). In this study, our simulations are compared with laboratory experiments from Zhang et al.…”

In‐situ stress determination and fracture characterization using image logs: The Paleogene Dongying Formation in Nanpu Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, China

“…Location map of the Nanpu Sag in Bohai Bay Basin (A) within China (B) and the structural belts of Nanpu Sag (C) of the Nanpu Sag 1,2,30 stress state is important for wellbore stability and oil recovery enhancement. [16][17][18] The oriented and high-resolution image logs are the principle specialized tools for fracture detection and present-day stress evaluation. 5,[19][20][21][22][23] This study utilizes the image logs (calibrated with core) for in-situ stress determination and fracture detection and characterization in Dongying Formation of Nanpu Sag.…”

“…[16][17][18] The oriented and high-resolution image logs are the principle specialized tools for fracture detection and present-day stress evaluation. [16][17][18] The oriented and high-resolution image logs are the principle specialized tools for fracture detection and present-day stress evaluation.…”

Well production after hydraulic fracturing in sandstone rocks in the north of the Perm region

“…Researchers note the effectiveness of HF in different deposit conditions, including low permeability reservoirs [9][10]. In some fields, the energy state of the production targets has a significant impact on the well productivity incremental growth after HF [11,12]. Formation conditions influence the choice of process fluids and materials [13][14][15], and injection technology conditions on the geometry of cracks [16].…”