Numerical Simulation of Factors Influencing Hydraulic Fracture Propagation in Sandstone-Mudstone Interbedded Reservoirs

doi:10.7657/XJPG20230612

Abstract

Abstract:

It is difficult to conduct hydraulic fracturing in sandstone-mudstone interbedded reservoirs. Investigating the factors influencing hydraulic fracture propagation in such reservoirs is beneficial for optimizing fracturing parameters and enhancing vertical producing degree of reservoir. The propagation of hydraulic fractures in sandstone-mudstone interbedded reservoirs is primarily influenced by rock mechanics between layers, differences in formation stress, and engineering parameters. The cohesive elements of hydraulic fracture and layer interface are embedded into ABAQUS software to analyze how the displacement and viscosity of fracturing fluid, mudstone-sandstone elastic modulus ratio, tensile strength, and formation stress difference affect vertical fracture propagation. The results show that interface fractures hinder the primary fracture propagation through beds but contribute to reducing the pressure for hydraulic fracture propagation, thereby promoting the formation of fracture network. High displacement and low viscosity of fracturing fluid can promote fracture propagation through beds and accelerate the opening of interface fractures. When the mudstone-sandstone elastic modulus ratio is less than 0.6, the mudstone barrier has a significant shielding effect, and the hydraulic fractures are primarily reverse-H-shaped and weak in prorogation through beds. When the formation stress difference is greater than the tensile strength difference between mudstone and sandstone, fractures propagate greatly in vertical direction, which can serve as a preliminary criterion for assessing the potential of hydraulic fractures to propagate through beds.

Key words: sandstone-mudstone interbedding, reservoir, hydraulic fracture, propagation through bed, numerical simulation, property difference, cohesive element

CLC Number:

TE357.1

LYU Zhao, PAN Liyan, HAO Lihua, ZOU Nana, ZOU Zhikun. Numerical Simulation of Factors Influencing Hydraulic Fracture Propagation in Sandstone-Mudstone Interbedded Reservoirs[J]. Xinjiang Petroleum Geology, 2023, 44(6): 729-738.

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