Propagation of a hydraulically induced fracture in layered medium

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983 · Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6436438

Yew, C H; Lodde, P

A mathematical model is developed for studying the propagation of a hydraulically induced fracture in layered rock medium. The hydraulically driven fracture is modeled as a rectangular shaped fracture with elliptical vertical and horizontal cross sections. However, the frac-fluid is not assumed to fill the entire fracture volume. A wet length is introduced to measure the portion of fracture occupied by the frac-fluid. Physically, this model may be regarded as a hybrid of fracture models proposed by Nordgren and Geertsma and de Klerk. The effect of layers on the movement of fracture is taken into consideration by comparing the magnitude of stress intensity factor at the fracture tips. A well developed fracture propagation criterion in metal fracturing is introduced to indicate the direction of fracture movement. Because the size of fracture encountered in the study is large, the effect of the critial stress intensity factor of the rock medium on the fracture opening pressure is neglected. A computational algorithm based on the finite difference method is developed for solving the nonlinear equations from the mathematic model. 32 references.

• OSTI ID: 6436438
• Journal Information: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States), Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States) Vol. SPE-11870; ISSN SEAPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580300* -- Mineralogy
Petrology
& Rock Mechanics-- (-1989)
ALGORITHMS
COMMINUTION
CRACK PROPAGATION
FAILURES
FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD
FRACTURES
FRACTURING
HYDRAULIC FRACTURES
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
ITERATIVE METHODS
MATHEMATICAL LOGIC
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
STRESS INTENSITY FACTORS