Multiple Fracture Growth in Modified Zipper Fracturing
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 21, Issue 7
Abstract
Operational parameters, such as multiple-cluster and well spacing, flow rates, and injection time, play a vital role in the deviation and growth of multiple-cluster hydraulic fractures during the implementation of modified zipper fracturing technology. Fundamental analysis of the dynamic zipper fracture growth because of changing flow rates, well spacing, and injection time does not appear to have been studied in the literature, although it is of critical importance for fracturing optimization. In this study, a fully coupled two-dimensional (2D) extended finite-element method (XFEM)–cohesive zone model (CZM) in combination with a phantom-node method (CPNM) was used in ABAQUS to investigate the initiation and propagation of multiple hydraulic fractures with 10 injection clusters that are distributed in two horizontal boreholes. This study aims to assist fracturing design to achieve minimal deviation in multiple fracture propagation and create deeper and much wider fractures between two horizontal boreholes of a modified zipper fracture (MZF) completion pattern. The growth of a hydraulic fracture in an XFEM region were verified by Khristianovic–Geertsma–de Klerk (KGD) zero toughness solution and good agreement with a negligible error of <2.5% was obtained. A series of simulation scenarios was carried out with various flow rates and three well spacings of 40, 60, and 80 m, over a long injection period to identify the optimum injection time in which a fracture grows straight with minimal deviation. The results show that to create smooth and deeper multiple hydraulic fractures in zipper fracturing, an increase in the flow rate is preferred, but the duration of the injection period should be optimized. The results of this study could be used to better address operational difficulties, such as multiple-fracture crossing and closure that is associated with unfavorable injection times, well spacing, and flow rates in MZF operations.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Dr Kaveh Ahangari, Associate Professor of the Mining Engineering Department, Science and Research Branch University, Tehran, Iran, for his beneficial comments to improve this paper, and Dr. Zuorong Chen from CSIRO Energy, Australia, for his constructive suggestions during the development of this research work. In addition, our special thanks should be given to Dr Andrew Bunger, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering Department, University of Pittsburgh, USA, for his technical guidance and support during this research.
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Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 21 • Issue 7 • July 2021
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© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 15, 2020
Accepted: Jan 18, 2021
Published online: Apr 23, 2021
Published in print: Jul 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Sep 23, 2021
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Cited by
- Yun Zhou, Diansen Yang, Meirong Tang, Multiple hydraulic fractures growth from a highly deviated well: A XFEM study, Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 10.1016/j.petrol.2021.109709, 208, (109709), (2022).