The gas production of deep coalbed methane wells in Linxing-Shenfu block decreases rapidly,the water output is high,the supporting effect is poor,the effective supporting fracture size is limited,and the migration mec...The gas production of deep coalbed methane wells in Linxing-Shenfu block decreases rapidly,the water output is high,the supporting effect is poor,the effective supporting fracture size is limited,and the migration mechanism of proppant in deep coal reservoir is not clear at present.To investigate the migration behavior of proppants in complex fractures during the volume reconstruction of deep coal and rock reservoirs,an optimization test on the conductivity of low-density proppants and simulations of proppant migration in complex fractures of deep coal reservoirs were conducted.The study systematically analyzed the impact of various fracture geometries,proppant types and fracturingfluid viscosities on proppant distribution.Furthermore,the study compared the outcomes of dynamic proppant transport experiments with simulation results.The results show that the numerical simulation is consistent with the results of the proppant dynamic sand-carrying experiment.Under the conditions of low viscosity and large pumping-rate,a high ratio of 40/70 mesh proppant can facilitate the movement of the proppant to the depths of fractures at all levels.The technical goal is to create comprehensive fracture support within intricate trapezoidal fractures in deep coal and rock reservoirs without inducing sand plugging.The sand ratio is controlled at 15%–20%,with a proppant combination ratio of 40/70:30/50:20/40=6:3:1.Proppant pumping operations can effectively address the issue of poor support in complex fractures in deep coal formations.The research results have been successfully applied to the development of deep coalbed methane in the Linxing-Shenfu block,Ordos Basin.展开更多
Particle-fluid two-phase flows in rock fractures and fracture networks play a pivotal role in determining the efficiency and effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing operations,a vital component in unconventional oil and...Particle-fluid two-phase flows in rock fractures and fracture networks play a pivotal role in determining the efficiency and effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing operations,a vital component in unconventional oil and gas extraction.Central to this phenomenon is the transport of proppants,tiny solid particles injected into the fractures to prevent them from closing once the injection is stopped.However,effective transport and deposition of proppant is critical in keeping fracture pathways open,especially in lowpermeability reservoirs.This review explores,then quantifies,the important role of fluid inertia and turbulent flows in governing proppant transport.While traditional models predominantly assume and then characterise flow as laminar,this may not accurately capture the complexities inherent in realworld hydraulic fracturing and proppant emplacement.Recent investigations highlight the paramount importance of fluid inertia,especially at the high Reynolds numbers typically associated with fracturing operations.Fluid inertia,often overlooked,introduces crucial forces that influence particle settling velocities,particle-particle interactions,and the eventual deposition of proppants within fractures.With their inherent eddies and transient and chaotic nature,turbulent flows introduce additional complexities to proppant transport,crucially altering proppant settling velocities and dispersion patterns.The following comprehensive survey of experimental,numerical,and analytical studies elucidates controls on the intricate dynamics of proppant transport under fluid inertia and turbulence-towards providing a holistic understanding of the current state-of-the-art,guiding future research directions,and optimising hydraulic fracturing practices.展开更多
The distribution of proppant injected in hydraulic fractures significantly affects the fracture conductivity and well performance.The proppant transport in thin fracturing fluid used during hydraulic fracturing in the...The distribution of proppant injected in hydraulic fractures significantly affects the fracture conductivity and well performance.The proppant transport in thin fracturing fluid used during hydraulic fracturing in the unconventional reservoirs is considerably different from fracturing fluids in the conventional reservoir due to the very low viscosity and quick deposition of the proppants.This paper presents the development of a three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)modelling technique for the prediction of proppant-fluid multiphase flow in hydraulic fractures.The proposed model also simulates the fluid leak-off behaviour from the fracture wall.The Euler-Granular and CFD-Discrete Element Method(CFD-DEM)multiphase modelling approach has been applied,and the equations defining the fluid-proppant and inter-proppant interaction have been solved using the finite volume technique.The proppant transport in hydraulic fractures has been studied comprehensively,and the computational modelling results of proppant distribution and other flow properties are in good agreement with the published experimental study.The parametric study is performed to investigate the effect of variation in proppant size,fluid viscosity and fracture width on the proppant transport.Smaller proppants can be injected early,followed by larger proppants to maintain high propping efficiency.This study has enhanced the understanding of the complex flow phenomenon between proppant and fracturing fluid and can play a vital role in hydraulic fracturing design.展开更多
Hydraulic fracturing is a crucial stimulation for the development of deep shale gas reservoirs.A key challenge to the effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing is to place small proppants in complex narrow fractures reaso...Hydraulic fracturing is a crucial stimulation for the development of deep shale gas reservoirs.A key challenge to the effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing is to place small proppants in complex narrow fractures reasonably.The experiments with varied particle and fluid parameters are carried out in a narrow planar channel to understand particle transport and distribution.The four dimensionless parameters,including the Reynold number,Shields number,density ratio,and particle volume fraction,are introduced to describe the particle transport in narrow fractures.The results indicate that the narrow channel probably induces fluid fingers and small particle aggregation in a highly viscous fluid,leading to particle settlement near the entrance.The low viscous fluid is beneficial to disperse particles further into the fracture,especially in the high-speed fluid velocity.The linear and natural logarithmic laws have relationships with dimensionless parameters accurately.The multiple linear regression method developed two correlation models with four dimensionless parameters to predict the bed equilibrium height and covered area of small particles in narrow fractures.The study provides fundamental insight into understanding small size proppant distribution in deep reservoirs.展开更多
Although the dynamics of proppant(small ceramic balls used to prevent opened fractures from closing on the release of pressure)have been the subject of several numerical studies over recent years,large-scale inclined ...Although the dynamics of proppant(small ceramic balls used to prevent opened fractures from closing on the release of pressure)have been the subject of several numerical studies over recent years,large-scale inclined fractures exist in unconventional reservoirs for which relevant information is still missing.In the present study,this problem is investigated numerically considering the influence of several relevant factors such as the fracture roughness,inclination,the proppant particle size,the injection rate and the fluid viscosity.The results show that a rough wall enables the proppant to travel farther and cover larger areas.The inclination angle has little effect on the dune but a significant influence on the suspension zone.The area of this zone increases with a decrease in the inclination angle,and its value for an inclination of 15°is 20 times that at 90°.Small particle size,high injection rate,and high fracturing fluid viscosity have a beneficial influence on proppant transport;vice versa they hinder settling phenomena.展开更多
To further clarify the proppant transport and placement law in multi-branched fractures induced by volume fracturing, proppant transport simulation experiments were performed with different fracture shapes, sand ratio...To further clarify the proppant transport and placement law in multi-branched fractures induced by volume fracturing, proppant transport simulation experiments were performed with different fracture shapes, sand ratios, branched fracture opening time and injection sequence of proppants in varied particle sizes. The results show that the settled proppant height increases and the placement length decreases in main fractures as the fracturing fluid diverts gradually to the branched fractures at different positions. The flow rate in branched fractures is the main factor affecting their filling. The diverion to branched fractures leads to low flow rate and poor filling of far-wellbore branched fractures. The inclined fracture wall exerts a frictional force on the proppant to slow its settlement, thus enhancing the vertical proppant distribution in the fracture. The increase of sand ratio can improve the filling of near-wellbore main fracture and far-wellbore branched fracture and also increase the settled proppant height in main fracture. Due to the limitation of fracture height, when the sand ratio increases to a certain level, the increment of fracture filling decreases. When branched fracture is always open(or extends continuously), the supporting effect on the branched fractures is the best, but the proppant placement length within the main fractures is shorter. The fractures support effect is better when it is first closed and then opened(or extends in late stage) than when it is first opened and then closed(or extends in early stage). Injecting proppants with different particle sizes in a specific sequence can improve the placement lengths of main fracture and branched fracture. Injection of proppants in an ascending order of particle size improves the near-wellbore fracture filling, to a better extent than that in a descending order of particle size.展开更多
In petroleum engineering, the transport phenomenon of proppants in a fracture caused by hydraulic fracturing is captured by hyperbolic partial differential equations(PDEs). The solution of this kind of PDEs may encoun...In petroleum engineering, the transport phenomenon of proppants in a fracture caused by hydraulic fracturing is captured by hyperbolic partial differential equations(PDEs). The solution of this kind of PDEs may encounter smooth transitions, or there can be large gradients of the field variables. The numerical challenge posed in a shock situation is that high-order finite difference schemes lead to significant oscillations in the vicinity of shocks despite that such schemes result in higher accuracy in smooth regions. On the other hand, first-order methods provide monotonic solution convergences near the shocks,while giving poorer accuracy in the smooth regions.Accurate numerical simulation of such systems is a challenging task using conventional numerical methods. In this paper, we investigate several shock-capturing schemes.The competency of each scheme was tested against onedimensional benchmark problems as well as published numerical experiments. The numerical results have shown good performance of high-resolution finite volume methods in capturing shocks by resolving discontinuities while maintaining accuracy in the smooth regions. Thesemethods along with Godunov splitting are applied to model proppant transport in fractures. It is concluded that the proposed scheme produces non-oscillatory and accurate results in obtaining a solution for proppant transport problems.展开更多
This paper establishes a 3D multi-well pad fracturing numerical model coupled with fracture propagation and proppant migration based on the displacement discontinuity method and Eulerian-Eulerian frameworks,and the fr...This paper establishes a 3D multi-well pad fracturing numerical model coupled with fracture propagation and proppant migration based on the displacement discontinuity method and Eulerian-Eulerian frameworks,and the fracture propagation and proppant distribution during multi-well fracturing are investigated by taking the actual multi-well pad parameters as an example.Fracture initiation and propagation during multi-well pad fracturing are jointly affected by a variety of stress interference mechanisms such as inter-cluster,inter-stage,and inter-well,and the fracture extension is unbalanced among clusters,asymmetric on both wings,and dipping at heels.Due to the significant influence of fracture morphology and width on the migration capacity of proppant in the fracture,proppant is mainly placed in the area near the wellbore with large fracture width,while a high-concentration sandwash may easily occur in the area with narrow fracture width as a result of quick bridging.On the whole,the proppant placement range is limited.Increasing the well-spacing can reduce the stress interference of adjacent wells and promote the uniform distribution of fractures and proppant on both wings.The maximum stimulated reservoir volume or multi-fracture uniform propagation can be achieved by optimizing the well spacing.Although reducing the perforation-cluster spacing also can improve the stimulated reservoir area,a too low cluster spacing is not conducive to effectively increasing the propped fracture area.Since increasing the stage time lag is beneficial to reduce inter-stage stress interference,zipper fracturing produces more uniform fracture propagation and proppant distribution.展开更多
A method to generate fractures with rough surfaces was proposed according to the fractal interpolation theory.Considering the particle-particle,particle-wall and particle-fluid interactions,a proppant-fracturing fluid...A method to generate fractures with rough surfaces was proposed according to the fractal interpolation theory.Considering the particle-particle,particle-wall and particle-fluid interactions,a proppant-fracturing fluid two-phase flow model based on computational fluid dynamics(CFD)-discrete element method(DEM)coupling was established.The simulation results were verified with relevant experimental data.It was proved that the model can match transport and accumulation of proppants in rough fractures well.Several cases of numerical simulations were carried out.Compared with proppant transport in smooth flat fractures,bulge on the rough fracture wall affects transport and settlement of proppants significantly in proppant transportation in rough fractures.The higher the roughness of fracture,the faster the settlement of proppant particles near the fracture inlet,the shorter the horizontal transport distance,and the more likely to accumulate near the fracture inlet to form a sand plugging in a short time.Fracture wall roughness could control the migration path of fracturing fluid to a certain degree and change the path of proppant filling in the fracture.On the one hand,the rough wall bulge raises the proppant transport path and the proppants flow out of the fracture,reducing the proppant sweep area.On the other hand,the sand-carrying fluid is prone to change flow direction near the contact point of bulge,thus expanding the proppant sweep area.展开更多
True tri-axial sanding fracturing experiments are carried out on conglomerate samples from the Permian Wuerhe Formation of Mahu sag,Junggar Basin,to study hydraulic fracture propagation geometry and quartz sand transp...True tri-axial sanding fracturing experiments are carried out on conglomerate samples from the Permian Wuerhe Formation of Mahu sag,Junggar Basin,to study hydraulic fracture propagation geometry and quartz sand transport in ma-trix-supported fine conglomerate and grain-supported medium conglomerate.The effect of rough fracture surface on conduc-tivity is analyzed using the 3D-printing technology to reconstruct the rough surface formed in the fractured conglomerate.The hydraulic fractures formed in the matrix-supported fine conglomerate are fairly straight,and only more tortuous when en-countering large gravels at local parts;thus,proppants can get into the fractures easily with transport distance about 70%–90%of the fracture length.By contrast,in the grain-supported medium conglomerate,hydraulic fractures tend to bypass the gravels to propagate in tortuous paths and frequently change in width;therefore,proppants are difficult to transport in these fractures and only move less than 30%of the fracture length.As the ma trix-supported fine conglomerate has high matrix content and low hardness,proppants embed in the fracture surface severely.In contrast,the grain-supported medium conglomerate has higher gravel content and hardness,so the quartz sand is crushed more severely.Under the high proppant concentration of 5 kg/m^(2),when the closure stress is increased(above 60 MPa),fractures formed in both matrix-supported fine conglomerate and grain-supported medium conglomerate decrease in width significantly,and drop 88%and 92%in conductivity respectively compared with the case under the low closure stress of 20 MPa.The field tests prove that under high closure stress above 60 MPa,using a high proportion of fine proppants with high concentration allow the proppant to move further in the fracture;meanwhile proppant places more uniformly in the ro ugh fracture,resulting in a higher fracture conductivity and an improved well per-formance.展开更多
The hydraulic fracturing technology has been widely utilized to extract tight resources.Hydraulic frac-turing involves rock failures,complex fracture generation,proppant transport and fracture closure.All these behavi...The hydraulic fracturing technology has been widely utilized to extract tight resources.Hydraulic frac-turing involves rock failures,complex fracture generation,proppant transport and fracture closure.All these behaviors affect the productivity of fractured wells.In this work,the advances and challenges in hydraulic fracturing development of tight reservoirs are summarized from following aspects:the hy-draulic fracture propagation,the proppant transport and distribution in hydraulic fractures,the calcu-lation of hydraulic fracture conductivity,and productivity and/or pressure analysis model of multi-stages fractured horizontal wells.Current fracture propagation simulation methods generate only limited propagation paths and cannot truly reflect the complexity of the propagation.The current proppant migration and distribution research is mainly focused on indoor experimental studies of proppant migration in a single fracture or branched fracture,and simulation studies on proppant migration and distribution in a small-scale single slab fracture.Whereas fractures formed after hydraulic fracturing in tight reservoirs are generally complicated.There is a lack of models for calculating complex fracture conductivity that take into consideration the effect of proppant placement and proppant distribution in fractures,fracture surface roughness and dissolution,diffusion,deposition,elastic embedding,and creep caused by stress.The productivity models of fractured horizontal wells are mostly conducted based on the original reservoir fluid saturation and pressure distribution.Most of the studies are focused only on one aspect of the fracturing process.Predications of well performance after fracturing based on these studies are often inconsistent with actual field data.The paper also discusses the future research di-rections of fracturing in tight reservoirs and the results may be used to promote the development of tight reservoirs.展开更多
The non-uniform temperature distribution in supercritical CO_(2)(Sc-CO_(2))fracturing influences the density,viscosity,and volume expansion or shrinkage rate of Sc-CO_(2),impacting proppant migration.This study presen...The non-uniform temperature distribution in supercritical CO_(2)(Sc-CO_(2))fracturing influences the density,viscosity,and volume expansion or shrinkage rate of Sc-CO_(2),impacting proppant migration.This study presents a coupled computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method and heat transfer model to examine the effects of proppant bed shape and the heat transfers of proppant-wall,proppant-fluid,and fluid-wall on the fluid and proppant temperature fields.The Sc-CO_(2)volume expansion is assessed under various temperature conditions by evaluating the volume-averaged Sc-CO_(2)density.Several factors,including proppant size,shape,thermal conductivity,concentration,temperature difference,and injection velocity,are carefully analyzed to elucidate their impacts.The findings elucidate the existence of four distinct zones in the fluid temperature field.Each zone exhibits different magnitudes of temperature change under diverse conditions and undergoes dynamic transformations with the development of the proppant bed.The fluid-wall heat transfer and the fluid temperatures in Zones C and D are significantly subject to the fluid injection velocity(governing the heating duration),the temperature difference between fluid and formation(impacting the magnitude of heat flux),and the proppant bed shape(controlling the effective heating area).Additionally,the proppant-wall and proppant-fluid heat transfers determine the temperatures of both the proppant bed and the fluid within Zone B,showing a strong correlation with proppant thermal conductivity,proppant size,injection velocity,and temperature difference.The proposed coupled model provides valuable insights into the temperature distributions and flow behaviors of temperature-dependent fracturing fluids and proppants.展开更多
Hydraulic fracturing is the primary method used for oilfield stimulation,and the migration and settlement pattern of proppant plays a crucial role in the formation of high conductivity propping fractures in the reserv...Hydraulic fracturing is the primary method used for oilfield stimulation,and the migration and settlement pattern of proppant plays a crucial role in the formation of high conductivity propping fractures in the reservoir.This study summarizes two growth modes of sand dune:the‘overall longitudinal growth’mode and the‘push growth along fracture length direction’mode.To investigate these modes,a twophase velocity test is conducted using PIV,and the exposure difference is utilized to separate the tracer and track the single-phase velocity.By analyzing the slickwater flow field and proppant velocity field,the micro-motion mechanism behind the two dune growth modes is quantitatively examined.The results indicate that mode 1 growth of the sand dune occurs when a pump with a large mesh number,high polymer viscosity,and large displacement is used.On the other hand,mode 2 growth is observed when a pump with a small mesh number,low polymer viscosity,and small displacement is employed.It is important to note that there is no clear boundary for the migration and sedimentation mode of proppant,as they can transition into each other under certain conditions.These modes only exist during specific stages of sand dune growth.In the case of the‘backflow’pattern,the settlement of proppant is primarily influenced by the vortex structure of slickwater.Conversely,in the‘direct’pattern,the proppant is propelled forward by the drag of the fluid and settles due to its own gravity.Once the proppant placement reaches equilibrium,the direction of proppant velocity follows a normal distribution within 0°.This approach establishes a connection between the overall placement of the sand dune and the microscopic movement of the proppant and slickwater.Optimizing construction parameters during fracturing construction can enhance the effectiveness of distal proppant placement in fractures.展开更多
As an emerging waterless fracturing technology,supercritical carbon dioxide(SC-CO_(2))fracturing can reduce reservoir damage and dependence on water resources,and can also promote the reservoir stimulation and geologi...As an emerging waterless fracturing technology,supercritical carbon dioxide(SC-CO_(2))fracturing can reduce reservoir damage and dependence on water resources,and can also promote the reservoir stimulation and geological storage of carbon dioxide(CO_(2)).It is vital to figure out the laws in SC-CO_(2)fracturing for the large-scale field implementation of this technology.This paper reviews the numerical simulations of wellbore flow and heat transfer,fracture initiation and propagation,and proppant transport in SC-CO_(2)fracturing,including the numerical approaches and the obtained findings.It shows that the variations of wellbore temperature and pressure are complex and strongly transient.The wellhead pressure can be reduced by tubing and annulus co-injection or adding drag reducers into the fracturing fluid.Increasing the temperature of CO_(2)with wellhead heating can promote CO_(2)to reach the well bottom in the supercritical state.Compared with hydraulic fracturing,SC-CO_(2)fracturing has a lower fracture initiation pressure and can form a more complex fracture network,but the fracture width is narrower.The technology of SC-CO_(2)fracturing followed by thickened SC-CO_(2)fracturing,which combines with high injection rates and ultra-light proppants,can improve the placement effect of proppants while improving the complexity and width of fractures.The follow-up research is required to get a deeper insight into the SC-CO_(2)fracturing mechanisms and develop cost-effective drag reducers,thickeners,and ultra-light proppants.This paper can guide further research and promote the field application of SC-CO_(2)fracturing technology.展开更多
Hydraulic fracturing creates multiple induced fractures and micro-fractures,forming a complex fracture network in the reservoir.The study of the transport and distribution of the proppant within the fracture network i...Hydraulic fracturing creates multiple induced fractures and micro-fractures,forming a complex fracture network in the reservoir.The study of the transport and distribution of the proppant within the fracture network is critical to the design and evaluation.However,existing simulation studies of proppant transport tend to be overly idealized and neglect the inhomogeneity of fracture widths that occur after fracturing.To address these issues,this study employs computational fluid dynamics(CFD)to study the transportation of fracturing fluid and proppant within a fracture network.The flow dynamics of solid-liquid two-phase flow in fractures are simulated using the Euler-Euler multiphase flow model.Considering the actual variables in field construction and the inherent inhomogeneity in realistic fracture structures,a three-dimensional model was established to capture the gradual variation in fracture width.The accuracy of this model was verified through a comparative analysis with physical experiments.On this basis,an investigation was conducted to explore the impact of particle size,particle density,particle volume concentration,and injection velocity on proppant transportation.The results demonstrate that,in contrast to conventional rectangular fractures,sandbanks formed from wedge fractures exhibit a lower height,which facilitates improved transportation into deeper fractures.Furthermore,particle concentration primarily influences distal fractures,with proppant particle size being second.The injection velocity has a significant impact on the height of the sandbank located in proximity to the fracture inlet.The research findings provide a deeper understanding of the transport and distribution of proppants within wedge fractures,thereby establishing a theoretical basis for the analysis and engineering guidance in on-site hydraulic fracturing construction.展开更多
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 fract...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 understand-ing 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 inter-actions 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 sim-ulation 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.展开更多
基金Specific grant number KJGG2022-1002YFKey Technologies for Exploration and Development of Onshore Unconventional Natural Gas in CNOOC’s“14th Five-Year Plan”Major Science and Technology Project.
文摘The gas production of deep coalbed methane wells in Linxing-Shenfu block decreases rapidly,the water output is high,the supporting effect is poor,the effective supporting fracture size is limited,and the migration mechanism of proppant in deep coal reservoir is not clear at present.To investigate the migration behavior of proppants in complex fractures during the volume reconstruction of deep coal and rock reservoirs,an optimization test on the conductivity of low-density proppants and simulations of proppant migration in complex fractures of deep coal reservoirs were conducted.The study systematically analyzed the impact of various fracture geometries,proppant types and fracturingfluid viscosities on proppant distribution.Furthermore,the study compared the outcomes of dynamic proppant transport experiments with simulation results.The results show that the numerical simulation is consistent with the results of the proppant dynamic sand-carrying experiment.Under the conditions of low viscosity and large pumping-rate,a high ratio of 40/70 mesh proppant can facilitate the movement of the proppant to the depths of fractures at all levels.The technical goal is to create comprehensive fracture support within intricate trapezoidal fractures in deep coal and rock reservoirs without inducing sand plugging.The sand ratio is controlled at 15%–20%,with a proppant combination ratio of 40/70:30/50:20/40=6:3:1.Proppant pumping operations can effectively address the issue of poor support in complex fractures in deep coal formations.The research results have been successfully applied to the development of deep coalbed methane in the Linxing-Shenfu block,Ordos Basin.
基金the Australian Research Council Discovery Project(ARC DP 220100851)scheme and would acknowledge that.
文摘Particle-fluid two-phase flows in rock fractures and fracture networks play a pivotal role in determining the efficiency and effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing operations,a vital component in unconventional oil and gas extraction.Central to this phenomenon is the transport of proppants,tiny solid particles injected into the fractures to prevent them from closing once the injection is stopped.However,effective transport and deposition of proppant is critical in keeping fracture pathways open,especially in lowpermeability reservoirs.This review explores,then quantifies,the important role of fluid inertia and turbulent flows in governing proppant transport.While traditional models predominantly assume and then characterise flow as laminar,this may not accurately capture the complexities inherent in realworld hydraulic fracturing and proppant emplacement.Recent investigations highlight the paramount importance of fluid inertia,especially at the high Reynolds numbers typically associated with fracturing operations.Fluid inertia,often overlooked,introduces crucial forces that influence particle settling velocities,particle-particle interactions,and the eventual deposition of proppants within fractures.With their inherent eddies and transient and chaotic nature,turbulent flows introduce additional complexities to proppant transport,crucially altering proppant settling velocities and dispersion patterns.The following comprehensive survey of experimental,numerical,and analytical studies elucidates controls on the intricate dynamics of proppant transport under fluid inertia and turbulence-towards providing a holistic understanding of the current state-of-the-art,guiding future research directions,and optimising hydraulic fracturing practices.
文摘The distribution of proppant injected in hydraulic fractures significantly affects the fracture conductivity and well performance.The proppant transport in thin fracturing fluid used during hydraulic fracturing in the unconventional reservoirs is considerably different from fracturing fluids in the conventional reservoir due to the very low viscosity and quick deposition of the proppants.This paper presents the development of a three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)modelling technique for the prediction of proppant-fluid multiphase flow in hydraulic fractures.The proposed model also simulates the fluid leak-off behaviour from the fracture wall.The Euler-Granular and CFD-Discrete Element Method(CFD-DEM)multiphase modelling approach has been applied,and the equations defining the fluid-proppant and inter-proppant interaction have been solved using the finite volume technique.The proppant transport in hydraulic fractures has been studied comprehensively,and the computational modelling results of proppant distribution and other flow properties are in good agreement with the published experimental study.The parametric study is performed to investigate the effect of variation in proppant size,fluid viscosity and fracture width on the proppant transport.Smaller proppants can be injected early,followed by larger proppants to maintain high propping efficiency.This study has enhanced the understanding of the complex flow phenomenon between proppant and fracturing fluid and can play a vital role in hydraulic fracturing design.
基金supported by the Chongqing Research Program of Basic Research and Frontier Technology(Grants No.cstc2019jcyjmsxm X0006)Science and Technology Research Program of Chongqing Municipal Education Commission of China(Grant No.KJQN201801530 and KJQN201901511)
文摘Hydraulic fracturing is a crucial stimulation for the development of deep shale gas reservoirs.A key challenge to the effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing is to place small proppants in complex narrow fractures reasonably.The experiments with varied particle and fluid parameters are carried out in a narrow planar channel to understand particle transport and distribution.The four dimensionless parameters,including the Reynold number,Shields number,density ratio,and particle volume fraction,are introduced to describe the particle transport in narrow fractures.The results indicate that the narrow channel probably induces fluid fingers and small particle aggregation in a highly viscous fluid,leading to particle settlement near the entrance.The low viscous fluid is beneficial to disperse particles further into the fracture,especially in the high-speed fluid velocity.The linear and natural logarithmic laws have relationships with dimensionless parameters accurately.The multiple linear regression method developed two correlation models with four dimensionless parameters to predict the bed equilibrium height and covered area of small particles in narrow fractures.The study provides fundamental insight into understanding small size proppant distribution in deep reservoirs.
基金The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52074332)express their gratitude to project ZR2020YQ36 supported by Shandong Provincial Science Fund for Excellent Young Scholars。
文摘Although the dynamics of proppant(small ceramic balls used to prevent opened fractures from closing on the release of pressure)have been the subject of several numerical studies over recent years,large-scale inclined fractures exist in unconventional reservoirs for which relevant information is still missing.In the present study,this problem is investigated numerically considering the influence of several relevant factors such as the fracture roughness,inclination,the proppant particle size,the injection rate and the fluid viscosity.The results show that a rough wall enables the proppant to travel farther and cover larger areas.The inclination angle has little effect on the dune but a significant influence on the suspension zone.The area of this zone increases with a decrease in the inclination angle,and its value for an inclination of 15°is 20 times that at 90°.Small particle size,high injection rate,and high fracturing fluid viscosity have a beneficial influence on proppant transport;vice versa they hinder settling phenomena.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52074332,52204024)Outstanding Youth Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2020YQ36)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (M710225)。
文摘To further clarify the proppant transport and placement law in multi-branched fractures induced by volume fracturing, proppant transport simulation experiments were performed with different fracture shapes, sand ratios, branched fracture opening time and injection sequence of proppants in varied particle sizes. The results show that the settled proppant height increases and the placement length decreases in main fractures as the fracturing fluid diverts gradually to the branched fractures at different positions. The flow rate in branched fractures is the main factor affecting their filling. The diverion to branched fractures leads to low flow rate and poor filling of far-wellbore branched fractures. The inclined fracture wall exerts a frictional force on the proppant to slow its settlement, thus enhancing the vertical proppant distribution in the fracture. The increase of sand ratio can improve the filling of near-wellbore main fracture and far-wellbore branched fracture and also increase the settled proppant height in main fracture. Due to the limitation of fracture height, when the sand ratio increases to a certain level, the increment of fracture filling decreases. When branched fracture is always open(or extends continuously), the supporting effect on the branched fractures is the best, but the proppant placement length within the main fractures is shorter. The fractures support effect is better when it is first closed and then opened(or extends in late stage) than when it is first opened and then closed(or extends in early stage). Injecting proppants with different particle sizes in a specific sequence can improve the placement lengths of main fracture and branched fracture. Injection of proppants in an ascending order of particle size improves the near-wellbore fracture filling, to a better extent than that in a descending order of particle size.
基金the research funding for this study provided by NSERC through CRDPJ 387606-09
文摘In petroleum engineering, the transport phenomenon of proppants in a fracture caused by hydraulic fracturing is captured by hyperbolic partial differential equations(PDEs). The solution of this kind of PDEs may encounter smooth transitions, or there can be large gradients of the field variables. The numerical challenge posed in a shock situation is that high-order finite difference schemes lead to significant oscillations in the vicinity of shocks despite that such schemes result in higher accuracy in smooth regions. On the other hand, first-order methods provide monotonic solution convergences near the shocks,while giving poorer accuracy in the smooth regions.Accurate numerical simulation of such systems is a challenging task using conventional numerical methods. In this paper, we investigate several shock-capturing schemes.The competency of each scheme was tested against onedimensional benchmark problems as well as published numerical experiments. The numerical results have shown good performance of high-resolution finite volume methods in capturing shocks by resolving discontinuities while maintaining accuracy in the smooth regions. Thesemethods along with Godunov splitting are applied to model proppant transport in fractures. It is concluded that the proposed scheme produces non-oscillatory and accurate results in obtaining a solution for proppant transport problems.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(51974332)Strategic Cooperation Project Between PetroChina and China University of Petroleum(Beijing)(ZLZX2020-07).
文摘This paper establishes a 3D multi-well pad fracturing numerical model coupled with fracture propagation and proppant migration based on the displacement discontinuity method and Eulerian-Eulerian frameworks,and the fracture propagation and proppant distribution during multi-well fracturing are investigated by taking the actual multi-well pad parameters as an example.Fracture initiation and propagation during multi-well pad fracturing are jointly affected by a variety of stress interference mechanisms such as inter-cluster,inter-stage,and inter-well,and the fracture extension is unbalanced among clusters,asymmetric on both wings,and dipping at heels.Due to the significant influence of fracture morphology and width on the migration capacity of proppant in the fracture,proppant is mainly placed in the area near the wellbore with large fracture width,while a high-concentration sandwash may easily occur in the area with narrow fracture width as a result of quick bridging.On the whole,the proppant placement range is limited.Increasing the well-spacing can reduce the stress interference of adjacent wells and promote the uniform distribution of fractures and proppant on both wings.The maximum stimulated reservoir volume or multi-fracture uniform propagation can be achieved by optimizing the well spacing.Although reducing the perforation-cluster spacing also can improve the stimulated reservoir area,a too low cluster spacing is not conducive to effectively increasing the propped fracture area.Since increasing the stage time lag is beneficial to reduce inter-stage stress interference,zipper fracturing produces more uniform fracture propagation and proppant distribution.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(52274020,U21B2069,52288101)General Program of the Shandong Natural Science Foundation(ZR2020ME095)National Key Research and Development Program(2021YFC2800803).
文摘A method to generate fractures with rough surfaces was proposed according to the fractal interpolation theory.Considering the particle-particle,particle-wall and particle-fluid interactions,a proppant-fracturing fluid two-phase flow model based on computational fluid dynamics(CFD)-discrete element method(DEM)coupling was established.The simulation results were verified with relevant experimental data.It was proved that the model can match transport and accumulation of proppants in rough fractures well.Several cases of numerical simulations were carried out.Compared with proppant transport in smooth flat fractures,bulge on the rough fracture wall affects transport and settlement of proppants significantly in proppant transportation in rough fractures.The higher the roughness of fracture,the faster the settlement of proppant particles near the fracture inlet,the shorter the horizontal transport distance,and the more likely to accumulate near the fracture inlet to form a sand plugging in a short time.Fracture wall roughness could control the migration path of fracturing fluid to a certain degree and change the path of proppant filling in the fracture.On the one hand,the rough wall bulge raises the proppant transport path and the proppants flow out of the fracture,reducing the proppant sweep area.On the other hand,the sand-carrying fluid is prone to change flow direction near the contact point of bulge,thus expanding the proppant sweep area.
基金Supported by the PetroChina-China University of Petroleum(Beijing)Strategic Cooperation Project(ZLZX2020-04)。
文摘True tri-axial sanding fracturing experiments are carried out on conglomerate samples from the Permian Wuerhe Formation of Mahu sag,Junggar Basin,to study hydraulic fracture propagation geometry and quartz sand transport in ma-trix-supported fine conglomerate and grain-supported medium conglomerate.The effect of rough fracture surface on conduc-tivity is analyzed using the 3D-printing technology to reconstruct the rough surface formed in the fractured conglomerate.The hydraulic fractures formed in the matrix-supported fine conglomerate are fairly straight,and only more tortuous when en-countering large gravels at local parts;thus,proppants can get into the fractures easily with transport distance about 70%–90%of the fracture length.By contrast,in the grain-supported medium conglomerate,hydraulic fractures tend to bypass the gravels to propagate in tortuous paths and frequently change in width;therefore,proppants are difficult to transport in these fractures and only move less than 30%of the fracture length.As the ma trix-supported fine conglomerate has high matrix content and low hardness,proppants embed in the fracture surface severely.In contrast,the grain-supported medium conglomerate has higher gravel content and hardness,so the quartz sand is crushed more severely.Under the high proppant concentration of 5 kg/m^(2),when the closure stress is increased(above 60 MPa),fractures formed in both matrix-supported fine conglomerate and grain-supported medium conglomerate decrease in width significantly,and drop 88%and 92%in conductivity respectively compared with the case under the low closure stress of 20 MPa.The field tests prove that under high closure stress above 60 MPa,using a high proportion of fine proppants with high concentration allow the proppant to move further in the fracture;meanwhile proppant places more uniformly in the ro ugh fracture,resulting in a higher fracture conductivity and an improved well per-formance.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foun-dation of China(No.51974343)the Independent Innovation Scien-tific Research Project(science and engineering)of China University of Petroleum(East China)(No.20CX06089A)Qingdao Post-doctoral Applied Research Project(No.qdyy20200084).
文摘The hydraulic fracturing technology has been widely utilized to extract tight resources.Hydraulic frac-turing involves rock failures,complex fracture generation,proppant transport and fracture closure.All these behaviors affect the productivity of fractured wells.In this work,the advances and challenges in hydraulic fracturing development of tight reservoirs are summarized from following aspects:the hy-draulic fracture propagation,the proppant transport and distribution in hydraulic fractures,the calcu-lation of hydraulic fracture conductivity,and productivity and/or pressure analysis model of multi-stages fractured horizontal wells.Current fracture propagation simulation methods generate only limited propagation paths and cannot truly reflect the complexity of the propagation.The current proppant migration and distribution research is mainly focused on indoor experimental studies of proppant migration in a single fracture or branched fracture,and simulation studies on proppant migration and distribution in a small-scale single slab fracture.Whereas fractures formed after hydraulic fracturing in tight reservoirs are generally complicated.There is a lack of models for calculating complex fracture conductivity that take into consideration the effect of proppant placement and proppant distribution in fractures,fracture surface roughness and dissolution,diffusion,deposition,elastic embedding,and creep caused by stress.The productivity models of fractured horizontal wells are mostly conducted based on the original reservoir fluid saturation and pressure distribution.Most of the studies are focused only on one aspect of the fracturing process.Predications of well performance after fracturing based on these studies are often inconsistent with actual field data.The paper also discusses the future research di-rections of fracturing in tight reservoirs and the results may be used to promote the development of tight reservoirs.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant number 52034010).
文摘The non-uniform temperature distribution in supercritical CO_(2)(Sc-CO_(2))fracturing influences the density,viscosity,and volume expansion or shrinkage rate of Sc-CO_(2),impacting proppant migration.This study presents a coupled computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method and heat transfer model to examine the effects of proppant bed shape and the heat transfers of proppant-wall,proppant-fluid,and fluid-wall on the fluid and proppant temperature fields.The Sc-CO_(2)volume expansion is assessed under various temperature conditions by evaluating the volume-averaged Sc-CO_(2)density.Several factors,including proppant size,shape,thermal conductivity,concentration,temperature difference,and injection velocity,are carefully analyzed to elucidate their impacts.The findings elucidate the existence of four distinct zones in the fluid temperature field.Each zone exhibits different magnitudes of temperature change under diverse conditions and undergoes dynamic transformations with the development of the proppant bed.The fluid-wall heat transfer and the fluid temperatures in Zones C and D are significantly subject to the fluid injection velocity(governing the heating duration),the temperature difference between fluid and formation(impacting the magnitude of heat flux),and the proppant bed shape(controlling the effective heating area).Additionally,the proppant-wall and proppant-fluid heat transfers determine the temperatures of both the proppant bed and the fluid within Zone B,showing a strong correlation with proppant thermal conductivity,proppant size,injection velocity,and temperature difference.The proposed coupled model provides valuable insights into the temperature distributions and flow behaviors of temperature-dependent fracturing fluids and proppants.
基金prepared under the auspices of the State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation at Southwest Petroleum UniversityAnd supported by National Nat-ural Science Foundation of China(U21A20105,51874250).
文摘Hydraulic fracturing is the primary method used for oilfield stimulation,and the migration and settlement pattern of proppant plays a crucial role in the formation of high conductivity propping fractures in the reservoir.This study summarizes two growth modes of sand dune:the‘overall longitudinal growth’mode and the‘push growth along fracture length direction’mode.To investigate these modes,a twophase velocity test is conducted using PIV,and the exposure difference is utilized to separate the tracer and track the single-phase velocity.By analyzing the slickwater flow field and proppant velocity field,the micro-motion mechanism behind the two dune growth modes is quantitatively examined.The results indicate that mode 1 growth of the sand dune occurs when a pump with a large mesh number,high polymer viscosity,and large displacement is used.On the other hand,mode 2 growth is observed when a pump with a small mesh number,low polymer viscosity,and small displacement is employed.It is important to note that there is no clear boundary for the migration and sedimentation mode of proppant,as they can transition into each other under certain conditions.These modes only exist during specific stages of sand dune growth.In the case of the‘backflow’pattern,the settlement of proppant is primarily influenced by the vortex structure of slickwater.Conversely,in the‘direct’pattern,the proppant is propelled forward by the drag of the fluid and settles due to its own gravity.Once the proppant placement reaches equilibrium,the direction of proppant velocity follows a normal distribution within 0°.This approach establishes a connection between the overall placement of the sand dune and the microscopic movement of the proppant and slickwater.Optimizing construction parameters during fracturing construction can enhance the effectiveness of distal proppant placement in fractures.
基金funded by the Henan Institute for Chinese Development Strategy of Engineering&Technology(Grant No.2022HENZDA02)the China Scholarship Council(No.202208080058).
文摘As an emerging waterless fracturing technology,supercritical carbon dioxide(SC-CO_(2))fracturing can reduce reservoir damage and dependence on water resources,and can also promote the reservoir stimulation and geological storage of carbon dioxide(CO_(2)).It is vital to figure out the laws in SC-CO_(2)fracturing for the large-scale field implementation of this technology.This paper reviews the numerical simulations of wellbore flow and heat transfer,fracture initiation and propagation,and proppant transport in SC-CO_(2)fracturing,including the numerical approaches and the obtained findings.It shows that the variations of wellbore temperature and pressure are complex and strongly transient.The wellhead pressure can be reduced by tubing and annulus co-injection or adding drag reducers into the fracturing fluid.Increasing the temperature of CO_(2)with wellhead heating can promote CO_(2)to reach the well bottom in the supercritical state.Compared with hydraulic fracturing,SC-CO_(2)fracturing has a lower fracture initiation pressure and can form a more complex fracture network,but the fracture width is narrower.The technology of SC-CO_(2)fracturing followed by thickened SC-CO_(2)fracturing,which combines with high injection rates and ultra-light proppants,can improve the placement effect of proppants while improving the complexity and width of fractures.The follow-up research is required to get a deeper insight into the SC-CO_(2)fracturing mechanisms and develop cost-effective drag reducers,thickeners,and ultra-light proppants.This paper can guide further research and promote the field application of SC-CO_(2)fracturing technology.
基金supported by Hainan Province Science and Technology Special Fund(No.ZDYF2022SHFZ063)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52174002,52274008).
文摘Hydraulic fracturing creates multiple induced fractures and micro-fractures,forming a complex fracture network in the reservoir.The study of the transport and distribution of the proppant within the fracture network is critical to the design and evaluation.However,existing simulation studies of proppant transport tend to be overly idealized and neglect the inhomogeneity of fracture widths that occur after fracturing.To address these issues,this study employs computational fluid dynamics(CFD)to study the transportation of fracturing fluid and proppant within a fracture network.The flow dynamics of solid-liquid two-phase flow in fractures are simulated using the Euler-Euler multiphase flow model.Considering the actual variables in field construction and the inherent inhomogeneity in realistic fracture structures,a three-dimensional model was established to capture the gradual variation in fracture width.The accuracy of this model was verified through a comparative analysis with physical experiments.On this basis,an investigation was conducted to explore the impact of particle size,particle density,particle volume concentration,and injection velocity on proppant transportation.The results demonstrate that,in contrast to conventional rectangular fractures,sandbanks formed from wedge fractures exhibit a lower height,which facilitates improved transportation into deeper fractures.Furthermore,particle concentration primarily influences distal fractures,with proppant particle size being second.The injection velocity has a significant impact on the height of the sandbank located in proximity to the fracture inlet.The research findings provide a deeper understanding of the transport and distribution of proppants within wedge fractures,thereby establishing a theoretical basis for the analysis and engineering guidance in on-site hydraulic fracturing construction.
文摘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 understand-ing 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 inter-actions 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 sim-ulation 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.
