Simulation of shale–proppant interaction in hydraulic fracturing by the discrete element method

Deng, Shouchun; Li, Haibo; Ma, Guowei; Huang, Hai; Li, Xu

doi:10.1016/j.ijrmms.2014.04.011

Cited by 75 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Figure 2 illustrates a hydraulic fracturing technique in a shale gas formation, where the fracturing fluid is injected within the shale under high injection pressure to reactivate or open new fractures into the formation. The fractures stay open with the use of shale proppants (sand or ceramics) so that the shale gas can travel towards the well [26].…”

Section: Enhanced Oil and Gas Recoverymentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Developments in Multiscale and Multiphase Modelling of the Hydraulic Fracturing Process

Sheng

Sousani

Ingham

et al. 2015

Mathematical Problems in Engineering

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Recently hydraulic fracturing of rocks has received much attention not only for its economic importance but also for its potential environmental impact. The hydraulically fracturing technique has been widely used in the oil (EOR) and gas (EGR) industries, especially in the USA, to extract more oil/gas through the deep rock formations. Also there have been increasing interests in utilising the hydraulic fracturing technique in geological storage of CO 2 in recent years. In all cases, the design and implementation of the hydraulic fracturing process play a central role, highlighting the significance of research and development of this technique. However, the uncertainty behind the fracking mechanism has triggered public debates regarding the possible effect of this technique on human health and the environment. This has presented new challenges in the study of the hydraulic fracturing process. This paper describes the hydraulic fracturing mechanism and provides an overview of past and recent developments of the research performed towards better understandings of the hydraulic fracturing and its potential impacts, with particular emphasis on the development of modelling techniques and their implementation on the hydraulic fracturing.

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Section: Enhanced Oil and Gas Recoverymentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Developments in Multiscale and Multiphase Modelling of the Hydraulic Fracturing Process

Sheng

Sousani

Ingham

et al. 2015

Mathematical Problems in Engineering

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“…The favorable fluids have an easily-measured controllable viscosity, controllable fluid loss characteristics. And that means they would not damage the fracture or interact with the formation fluid [19].…”

Section: Fracturing Fluidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Key and the Countermeasures Research of Shale Gas Fracturing Technology

Tang¹,

Wang²,

Zeng³

et al. 2015

TOPEJ

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Shale gas resources are abundantly distributed with low porosity and permeability. Horizontal well and fracturing are prior considerations. Fracturing is a widely-used technology to enhance gas production. In this paper, the author (a) investigated the present stimulation of Barnett and Haynesvile gas fields ( Fig. 1) in America, Sichuan basin (Fig. 2) in China and Cooper basin (Fig. 3) in Australia; (b) compared different characteristics and limitations of multi-stage fracturing, water-fracturing, simultaneous fracturing, net fracturing, refracturing and hydraulic jet fracturing; (c) analyzed the critical point of the shale fracturing; (d) offered solutions to the fracturing fluid manufacture, selection and improvement of the fracturing fluids, fractures extension, equipments, fracturing effect evaluation and reservoir protection. It has a farreaching significance to improve fracturing and stimulation of shale gas reservoirs, in view of the high risk, low success ratio and poor stimulation effect the shale gas exploration would face.

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“…Later, Deng et al [23] adopted the discrete element method to study interactions between shale and proppant. Effects of factors such as shale modulus and proppant size on fracture aperture were numerically modelled and learned.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

DEM-CFD Modeling of Proppant Pillar Deformation and Stability during the Fracturing Fluid Flowback

et al. 2018

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In this study, proppant pillar deformation and stability during the fracturing fluid flowback of channel fracturing was simulated with DEM-CFD-(discrete element method-computational fluid dynamics-) coupling method. Fibers were modeled by implementing the bonded particle model for contacts between particles. In the hydraulic fracture-closing period, the height of the proppant pillar decreases gradually and the diameter increases as the closing stress increases. In the fracturing fluid flowback period, proppant particles could be driven away from the pillar by the fluid flow and cause the instability of the proppant pillar. The proppant flowback could occur easily with large proppant pillar height or a large fluid pressure gradient. Both the pillar height and the pillar diameter to spacing ratio are key parameters for the design of channel fracturing. Increasing the fiberbonding strength could enhance the stability of the proppant pillar.

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Simulation of shale–proppant interaction in hydraulic fracturing by the discrete element method

Cited by 75 publications

References 39 publications

Recent Developments in Multiscale and Multiphase Modelling of the Hydraulic Fracturing Process

Recent Developments in Multiscale and Multiphase Modelling of the Hydraulic Fracturing Process

The Key and the Countermeasures Research of Shale Gas Fracturing Technology

DEM-CFD Modeling of Proppant Pillar Deformation and Stability during the Fracturing Fluid Flowback

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