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OPTIMIZING MULTISTAGE HYDRAULIC FRACTURING DESIGN BASED ON THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) CONTINUUM DAMAGE MECHANICS

  • US 20170169137A1
  • Filed: 08/28/2014
  • Published: 06/15/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method for optimizing multistage hydraulic fracturing design based on three-dimensional (3D) continuum damage mechanics, the method comprising:

  • generating a 3D global model of a field of hydrocarbon reservoirs;

    calculating values of one or more mechanical variables for the field based on a finite element analysis of the generated 3D global model;

    generating a smaller-scale 3D sub-model of a selected portion of the field based on the 3D global model and the calculated values of the one or more mechanical variables, the selected portion corresponding to a formation of at least one of the field'"'"'s hydrocarbon reservoirs that is targeted for fluid injection stimulation;

    applying one or more numerical damage models to the generated 3D sub-model to simulate hydraulic fracturing effects of the fluid injection stimulation within the targeted reservoir formation; and

    determining one or more optimal design parameters for multistage hydraulic fracturing of the targeted reservoir formation with a plurality of horizontal wells, based on numerical results of the simulation.

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