Modelling of hydraulic fracturing process by coupl

Authors: Sousani Marina Eshiet Kenneth ImoImo Ingham Derek Pourkashanian Mohamed Sheng Yong

Publish Date: 2014/04/17

Volume: 72, Issue: 9, Pages: 3383-3399

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Abstract

A threedimensional model is presented and used to reproduce the laboratory hydraulic fracturing test performed on a thickwalled hollow cylinder limestone sample This work aims to investigate the implications of the fluid flow on the behaviour of the microstructure of the rock sample including the material strength its elastic constants and the initialisation and propagation of fractures The replication of the laboratory test conditions has been performed based on the coupled Discrete Element Method DEM and Computational Fluid Dynamics scheme The numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental data both qualitatively and quantitatively The developed model closely validates the overall behaviour of the laboratory sample providing a realistic overview of the cracking propagation towards total collapse as well as complying with Lame’s theory for thickwalled cylinders This research aims to provide some insight into designing an accurate DEM model of a fracturing rock that can be used to predict its geomechanical behaviour during Enhanced Oil Recovery applicationsThe authors would like to thank the School of Civil Engineering and the Energy Technology and Innovation Initiative ETII of the School of Process Environmental and Materials Engineering University of Leeds for sponsoring this research The authors also appreciate the provision of experimental facilities by the Wolfson Multiphase Flow Laboratory of the School of Earth and Environment University of Leeds

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