Numerical simulation on proppant migration and placement within the rough and complex fractures

Guo, Tiankui; Luo, Zhilin; Zhou, Jin; Gong, Yuan-Zhi; Dai, Caili; Jin, Tao; Yu, Yang; Xiao, Bing; Baolun, Niu; Ge, Jiuhao

doi:10.1016/j.petsci.2022.04.010

Cited by 24 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Proppant transport with the fracturing fluid in fractures is a typical solid–liquid two-phase flow. , At present, the main simulation methods are the Euler–Euler method and the Euler–Lagrange method. The Euler–Euler method treats the solid phase as a pseudo fluid, considers both liquid phase and solid phase as continuous media, and introduces porosity to characterize the relationship between the two phases.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical Simulation of Proppant Transport in Major and Branching Fractures Based on CFD-DEM

Zuo,

Li,

Han

et al. 2024

ACS Omega

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This research investigated the effect of branching fracture, proppant, and fracturing fluid on proppant transport based on the CFD-DEM coupling model. The obtained results show that the balance height of embankment in the major fracture decreases gradually with increasing angle between major and branching fractures, while it increases gradually in the branching fracture. This is because the additional resistance of fracturing fluid flow at the joint increases with increasing angle, leading to the decrease of the fracturing fluid velocity. The proppant is prone to settling in branching fractures, resulting in the increase of embankment height in the branching fracture. At angles of 45, 60, and 90°, as the diameter of the proppant increases from 0.8 to 1.1 mm, the balance height of embankment increases slightly in the major fracture, while it decreases in the branching fracture. The frictional resistance of the fracture wall enhances the difficulty of large proppant entering the branching fracture, resulting in a decrease in the amount of proppant entering the branching fracture and a decrease of the balance height of embankment in the branching fracture. In the low-viscosity fracturing fluid, the proppant quickly deposits at the bottom of the fracture as it enters the fracture. Improving the viscosity of the fracturing fluid can significantly enhance its ability to transport the proppant. The proppant is less likely to quickly settle in high-viscosity fracturing fluids, especially when the fracturing fluid viscosity exceeds 50 mPa·s.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical Simulation of Proppant Transport in Major and Branching Fractures Based on CFD-DEM

Zuo,

Li,

Han

et al. 2024

ACS Omega

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“…Furthermore, they derived the empirical equations of equilibrium height, equilibrium velocity, and other characteristic parameters. In the field of numerical simulation, Olaleye et al [27], Akhshik and Rajabi [28], Suri et al [29], and Guo et al [30] used the CFD method to simulate the transport process of proppant settlement in different fractures. Zhang et al [31] use a coupled CFD-DEM method to establish a solid-liquid mixing model between parallel plates to analyze the microscopic sand-carrying mechanism of fracturing fluid in hydraulic fracturing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental Study for the Effects of Different Factors on the Sand-Carrying Capacity of Slickwater

Peng

Liu³

et al. 2023

Geofluids

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With the continuous exploration and development of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, volume fracturing technology becomes one of the necessary measures for developing shale gas and tight sandstone gas reservoirs effectively. Volume fracturing technology usually uses slickwater and drag-reducing agent as the core of the fracturing system. The composition of the fracturing system is the main factor determining its performance. Polyacrylamide has many amide groups in its main chain, high activity, and controllable performance, often in solid powder and liquid emulsion states. Furthermore, polyacrylamide which is the water-soluble drag-reducing agent is most widely used in applying current shale gas slickwater fracturing operations. Due to the low viscosity and poor sand-carrying capacity of slickwater, proppant easily settles at the bottom of hydraulic fractures. This phenomenon influences the stimulation effect of volume fracturing. Therefore, the law of sand carrying and placement of proppant in hydraulic fractures in volume fracturing plays an essential role in determining the success of the stimulation effect of volume fracturing. Through the visualization device of proppant transport in the fracture, the settlement of proppant in the fracture was studied experimentally. And through experimental equipment, the effects of different operation pumping rates, liquid viscosity, proppant type, and proppant pumping schedule on the stimulation effect were studied. The experimental results can provide strong support for volume fracturing into well material optimization and operation parameter optimization for unconventional oil and gas reservoirs.

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“…Hydraulic fracturing technology is the main exploitation of low permeability reservoir stimulation, 1–5 to realize the traditional hydraulic fracturing technology is full of proppant in the fracture, put forward in 2010 by Schlumberger company technology by changing the artificial fracture fracturing proppant in the shop form, put conventional evenly scattered across into heterogeneous, Artificial fractures are supported by many “pillars” like bridge piers, 6–9 and smooth “channels” are formed between the pillars, and many “channels” are connected to form a network, thus realizing the form of large fractures containing many small fractures, which greatly improves the oil and gas seepage capacity. Since 2010, this technology has been successfully applied to more than 4000 fracturing operations in Argentina, the United States, Russia, Mexico, India, Egypt, and the low‐porosity and ultra‐low permeability oil field and Sulige gas field in China, with remarkable stimulation effects 10–14 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since 2010, this technology has been successfully applied to more than 4000 fracturing operations in Argentina, the United States, Russia, Mexico, India, Egypt, and the low-porosity and ultra-low permeability oil field and Sulige gas field in China, with remarkable stimulation effects. [10][11][12][13][14] Transportation and placement of proppant particles is a key factor in the efficient development of unconventional reservoirs through fracking technology. Proppants formed by hydraulic fracturing are laid down to form oil and gas percolation channels, which ultimately improve oil and gas production.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Three‐dimensional visualization experimental study on proppant transportation and placement in the Hi‐way channel hydraulic fracturing technique

Xiang¹,

2023

Energy Science & Engineering

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The pattern of placement of the proppant in the fracture determines the stimulation and success of the surgery. Using a three‐dimensional visual parallel plate fracture model capable of simulating fracture height, length, and variable fracture width, we experimentally investigate the impact of fiber loading, fracture fluid viscosity, sand concentration, pulse time, perforation pattern, and injection rate on proppant transport, placement pattern, and access rate. Experimentally and visually, the migration process and the morphology of the proppant placement in the fracture were assessed. The formation laws of stable support columns and well‐shaped high conductivity fracture channels in fractures have been elucidated. Experimental results show that increasing the fiber concentration improves the channel rate and the proppant mass is large and stable. The channel rate increases with the viscosity of the fracturing fluid, and it is difficult to form a perfect channel when the viscosity is small. If the constructive displacement is too slight or too large, it will not favor the formation of a Hi‐way channel in the fracture. The optimal design displacement is 4.5 m3/min. When the proppant concentration is low, the passage rate is large, but the stability of proppant mass is poor under the scour of large displacement, the conductivity is low under the high closure pressure, the proppant concentration is too high, the suspension is difficult, the settlement rate is large, and it is difficult to form a large passage. The current column and the passage rate are larger for pulse times of 15–20 s. Cluster perforations are better than large continuous perforations. The higher the number of clusters in the same number of holes, the higher the channel rate. The formation laws of stable support pillars and well‐shaped high conductivity fracture channels in fractures have been elucidated, which can be useful for efficient stimulation of oil and gas reservoirs.

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Numerical simulation on proppant migration and placement within the rough and complex fractures

Cited by 24 publications

References 29 publications

Numerical Simulation of Proppant Transport in Major and Branching Fractures Based on CFD-DEM

Numerical Simulation of Proppant Transport in Major and Branching Fractures Based on CFD-DEM

Experimental Study for the Effects of Different Factors on the Sand-Carrying Capacity of Slickwater

Three‐dimensional visualization experimental study on proppant transportation and placement in the Hi‐way channel hydraulic fracturing technique

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