Study on the Influence of Natural Fracture Modeling on Hydraulic Fracture Propagation for Horizontal Wells in Unconventional Resource - A Case Study from China

Abstract Low-permeability oil reservoirs generally have the low production, production rapid productivity decline, and low-ultimate recovery. Staged fracturing is usually conducted for horizontal wells. Hydraulic fracturing technology is generally used to improve fracture conductivity and well productivity, which is one of the key technologies for Enhance Oil Recovery (EOR). How to accurately characterize and simulate the distribution characteristics of hydraulic fracture network in 3D space is particularly important. The stress interference between hydraulic fractures as the objective mechanical behavior in the process of staged fracturing affects the geometry fracture network and the productivity of the reservoir post-fracturing. The hydraulic fractures simulation in natural fractured reservoirs is complex shapes, mainly because natural fractures affect the propagation path of hydraulic fractures. The theoretical model used to describe the hydraulic fracturing in homogeneous reservoirs cannot accurately show the complexity of the spatial morphology of hydraulic fractures in naturally fractured formations. CNCP (the operator) urgently need a mechanical model that can show the stress interference behavior between multiple fractures and the direction of hydraulic fracture propagation, and be used to simulate the spatial form of multiple hydraulic fractures in staged fracturing of horizontal wells and their propagation behavior in naturally fractured formations. Aiming at the impact of natural fractures in the reservoir on the propagation path of hydraulic fractures, this paper established a mechanical model for distinguishing interference behavior of natural fractures and hydraulic fractures. And analyzed the stress field at the tip of the hydraulic fracture and the stress field acting on the natural fracture surface based on the theories related to rock mechanics and fracture mechanics. On the basis of coupling the 3D geomechanical model and the 3D Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) model, this paper established the discriminant model for hydraulic fractures penetrating natural fractures in 3D space to conduct hydraulic fracture propagation simulation for the horizontal well. The research results can be used to optimize the hydraulic fracturing treatment design, and provide technical support for the effective production and profitable development of low-permeability reservoir resources.