DEM-CFD Modeling of Proppant Pillar Deformation and Stability during the Fracturing Fluid Flowback

DEM-CFD Modeling of Proppant Pillar Deformation and Stability during the Fracturing Fluid Flowback

In this study, proppant pillar deformation and stability during the fracturing fluid flowback of channel fracturing was simulated with DEM-CFD- (discrete element method-computational fluid dynamics-) coupling method. Fibers were modeled by implementing the bonded particle model for contacts between...

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Main Authors: Haiyan Zhu, Jiadong Shen, Fengshou Zhang, Bo Huang, Liaoyuan Zhang, Wei Huang, John D. McLennan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi-Wiley 2018-01-01
Series:Geofluids
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/3535817
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spelling doaj-e2ab416a0b594afca33b62a55782ff572020-11-25T02:27:42ZengHindawi-WileyGeofluids1468-81151468-81232018-01-01201810.1155/2018/35358173535817DEM-CFD Modeling of Proppant Pillar Deformation and Stability during the Fracturing Fluid FlowbackHaiyan Zhu0Jiadong Shen1Fengshou Zhang2Bo Huang3Liaoyuan Zhang4Wei Huang5John D. McLennan6State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, ChinaDepartment of Geotechnical Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, ChinaManage Center of Oil and Gas Exploration, SINOPEC Shengli Oilfield Company, Dongying, Shandong 257000, ChinaManage Center of Oil and Gas Exploration, SINOPEC Shengli Oilfield Company, Dongying, Shandong 257000, ChinaEnergy Geoscience Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake, UT 84108, USAEnergy Geoscience Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake, UT 84108, USAIn this study, proppant pillar deformation and stability during the fracturing fluid flowback of channel fracturing was simulated with DEM-CFD- (discrete element method-computational fluid dynamics-) coupling method. Fibers were modeled by implementing the bonded particle model for contacts between particles. In the hydraulic fracture-closing period, the height of the proppant pillar decreases gradually and the diameter increases as the closing stress increases. In the fracturing fluid flowback period, proppant particles could be driven away from the pillar by the fluid flow and cause the instability of the proppant pillar. The proppant flowback could occur easily with large proppant pillar height or a large fluid pressure gradient. Both the pillar height and the pillar diameter to spacing ratio are key parameters for the design of channel fracturing. Increasing the fiber-bonding strength could enhance the stability of the proppant pillar.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/3535817
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Haiyan Zhu
Jiadong Shen
Fengshou Zhang
Bo Huang
Liaoyuan Zhang
Wei Huang
John D. McLennan
spellingShingle Haiyan Zhu
Jiadong Shen
Fengshou Zhang
Bo Huang
Liaoyuan Zhang
Wei Huang
John D. McLennan
DEM-CFD Modeling of Proppant Pillar Deformation and Stability during the Fracturing Fluid Flowback
Geofluids
author_facet Haiyan Zhu
Jiadong Shen
Fengshou Zhang
Bo Huang
Liaoyuan Zhang
Wei Huang
John D. McLennan
author_sort Haiyan Zhu
title DEM-CFD Modeling of Proppant Pillar Deformation and Stability during the Fracturing Fluid Flowback
title_short DEM-CFD Modeling of Proppant Pillar Deformation and Stability during the Fracturing Fluid Flowback
title_full DEM-CFD Modeling of Proppant Pillar Deformation and Stability during the Fracturing Fluid Flowback
title_fullStr DEM-CFD Modeling of Proppant Pillar Deformation and Stability during the Fracturing Fluid Flowback
title_full_unstemmed DEM-CFD Modeling of Proppant Pillar Deformation and Stability during the Fracturing Fluid Flowback
title_sort dem-cfd modeling of proppant pillar deformation and stability during the fracturing fluid flowback
publisher Hindawi-Wiley
series Geofluids
issn 1468-8115
1468-8123
publishDate 2018-01-01
description In this study, proppant pillar deformation and stability during the fracturing fluid flowback of channel fracturing was simulated with DEM-CFD- (discrete element method-computational fluid dynamics-) coupling method. Fibers were modeled by implementing the bonded particle model for contacts between particles. In the hydraulic fracture-closing period, the height of the proppant pillar decreases gradually and the diameter increases as the closing stress increases. In the fracturing fluid flowback period, proppant particles could be driven away from the pillar by the fluid flow and cause the instability of the proppant pillar. The proppant flowback could occur easily with large proppant pillar height or a large fluid pressure gradient. Both the pillar height and the pillar diameter to spacing ratio are key parameters for the design of channel fracturing. Increasing the fiber-bonding strength could enhance the stability of the proppant pillar.
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/3535817
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