A numerical study on horizontal hydraulic fracture

Abstract

A 3D non-linear fluid-solid coupling model for horizontal fracture of vertical well was established with the ABAQUS code. The wellbore, cement casing, perforation, pay layer and barriers were included in the model. Fluid-solid coupling elements were used to describe the behavior of formation stress-seepage flow coupling; pore pressure cohesive elements were employed to simulate the process of fracture initiation and propagation in formation. A typical horizontal fracturing process of a vertical well of Daqing Oilfield, China was simulated with the model. All the concerned parameters in simulation were taken from the field measurements. The simulated bottom-hole pressure evolution is consistent with the data measured from the field. The configurations of the fracture and porous pressure distributions in the fracture are presented and discussed. © 2011 The Author(s).