Numerical simulation of hydraulic fracturing in heterogeneous rock: The effect of perforation angles and bedding plane on hydraulic fractures evolutions

Abstract

Considering the heterogeneity of rock, the hydraulic fracturing process of rock specimen due to internal hydraulic pressure was numerically simulated in a meso-scale by RFPA2D2.0 (Realistic Failure Process Analysis). The differences of perforation angle, bedding angle and bedding material of rock specimens are considered. The numerical results showed that the initiation and propagation of hydraulic fractures were controlled by both global pore pressure’s distribution gradient and local pore pressure around the crack tip. Both the lateral compressive pressure ratio and the bedding angle could affect the evolution of the hydraulic fractures. The numerically simulated results were in agreement with the experimental results.