Determination of Fracture Conductivity in Tight Formations with Non-Darcy Flow Behavior

Zhang, Feng; Yang, Daoyong (Tony)

doi:10.2118/162548-PA

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Determination of Fracture Conductivity in Tight Formations with Non-Darcy Flow Behavior

Authors: Feng Zhang (University of Regina) | Daoyong (Tony) Yang (University of Regina)
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/162548-PA
Document ID: SPE-162548-PA
Publisher: Society of Petroleum Engineers
Source: SPE Journal
Volume: 19
Issue: 01
Publication Date: February 2014

Document Type: Journal Paper
Pages: 34 - 44
Language: English
ISSN: 1086-055X
Copyright: 2013. Society of Petroleum Engineers
Disciplines: 5.5 Reservoir Simulation, 3.2.3 Hydraulic Fracturing Design, Implementation and Optimisation
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Summary

In this paper, a mathematical model has been developed and successfullyapplied to accurately determine the fracture conductivity in tight formationswith non-Darcy flow behavior. A new non-Darcy flow number is first defined toaccount for the effect of characteristic length in a hydraulic fracture. Asemianalytical method is then applied to solve the newly formulatedmathematical model by discretizing the fracture into small segments, assumingthat there exists unsteady flow between the adjacent segments. The newlydeveloped model has been validated by simplifying it to the traditionalForchheimer (i.e., non-Darcy) model and by performing numerical simulation witha reservoir simulator as well. The pressure response and its correspondingderivative type curves have been reproduced to examine non-Darcy flow behaviorunder different fracture conductivities. Both relative minimum permeability andcharacteristic length are found to impose a negative effect on the fractureconductivity. Compared with relative minimum permeability, characteristiclength is a strong function dominating the non-Darcy flow behavior in thefractures. It is obvious that the fracture conductivity can be accuratelydetermined when non-Darcy flow behavior in the fracture network is taken intoaccount.

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