Flow Simulation of Artificially Induced Microfractures Using Digital Rock and Lattice Boltzmann Methods

Yongfei Yang, Zhihui Liu, Jun Yao, Lei Zhang, Jingsheng Ma, S. Hossein Hejazi, Linda Luquot and Toussaint Dono Ngarta
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Yongfei Yang: Research Centre of Multiphase Flow in Porous Media, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, Shandong, China
Zhihui Liu: Research Centre of Multiphase Flow in Porous Media, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, Shandong, China
Jun Yao: Research Centre of Multiphase Flow in Porous Media, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, Shandong, China
Lei Zhang: Research Centre of Multiphase Flow in Porous Media, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, Shandong, China
Jingsheng Ma: Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK
S. Hossein Hejazi: Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T3A 6C9, Canada
Linda Luquot: Hydrosciences Montpellier, Université Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, 300 Avenue du Pr. Emile Jeanbrau CC57, 34090 Montpellier, France
Toussaint Dono Ngarta: Research Centre of Multiphase Flow in Porous Media, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, Shandong, China

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 8, 1-17

Abstract: Microfractures have great significance in the study of reservoir development because they are an effective reserving space and main contributor to permeability in a large amount of reservoirs. Usually, microfractures are divided into natural microfractures and induced microfractures. Artificially induced rough microfractures are our research objects, the existence of which will affect the fluid-flow system (expand the production radius of production wells), and act as a flow path for the leakage of fluids injected to the wells, and even facilitate depletion in tight reservoirs. Therefore, the characteristic of the flow in artificially induced fractures is of great significance. The Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) was used to calculate the equivalent permeability of artificially induced three-dimensional (3D) fractures. The 3D box fractal dimensions and porosity of artificially induced fractures in Berea sandstone were calculated based on the fractal theory and image-segmentation method, respectively. The geometrical parameters (surface roughness, minimum fracture aperture, and mean fracture aperture), were also calculated on the base of digital cores of fractures. According to the results, the permeability lies between 0.071–3.759 (dimensionless LB units) in artificially induced fractures. The wide range of permeability indicates that artificially induced fractures have complex structures and connectivity. It was also found that 3D fractal dimensions of artificially induced fractures in Berea sandstone are between 2.247 and 2.367, which shows that the artificially induced fractures have the characteristics of self-similarity. Finally, the following relations were studied: (a) exponentially increasing permeability with increasing 3D box fractal dimension, (b) linearly increasing permeability with increasing square of mean fracture aperture, (c) indistinct relationship between permeability and surface roughness, and (d) linearly increasing 3D box fractal dimension with increasing porosity.

Keywords: CT; digital rock; microfractures; Lattice Boltzmann method; pore-scale simulations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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