Loading...

Simulation of proppant transport at intersection of hydraulic fracture and natural fracture of wellbores using CFD-DEM

Akhshik, S ; Sharif University of Technology | 2022

94 Viewed
  1. Type of Document: Article
  2. DOI: 10.1016/j.partic.2021.05.005
  3. Publisher: Elsevier B.V , 2022
  4. Abstract:
  5. Proppants transport is an advanced technique to improve the hydraulic fracture phenomenon, in order to promote the versatility of gas/oil reservoirs. A numerical simulation of proppants transport at both hydraulic fracture (HF) and natural fracture (NF) intersection is performed to provide a better understanding of key factors which cause, or contribute to proppants transport in HF–NF intersection. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in association with discrete element method (DEM) is used to model the complex interactions between proppant particles, host fluid medium and fractured walls. The effect of non-spherical geometry of particles is considered in this model, using the multi-sphere method. All interaction forces between fluid flow and particles are considered in the computational model. Moreover, the interactions of particle–particle and particle–wall are taken into account via Hertz–Mindlin model. The results of the CFD-DEM simulations are compared to the experimental data. It is found that the CFD-DEM simulation is capable of predicting proppant transport and deposition quality at intersections which are in agreement with experimental data. The results indicate that the HF–NF intersection type, fluid velocity and NF aperture affect the quality of blockage occurrence, presenting a new index, called the blockage coefficient which indicates the severity of the blockage. © 2021 Chinese Society of Particuology and Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
  6. Keywords:
  7. Blockage coefficient ; CFD-DEM method ; HF–NF intersection ; Hydraulic fracture process ; Proppants transport ; Association reactions ; Computational fluid dynamics ; Finite difference method ; Flow of fluids ; Mindlin plates ; Proppants ; Computational model ; Fluid velocities ; Interaction forces ; Intersection types ; Multi-sphere method ; Natural fracture ; Non-Spherical ; Proppant transports ; Fracture
  8. Source: Particuology ; Volume 63 , 2022 , Pages 112-124 ; 16742001 (ISSN)
  9. URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1674200121001139