Flow Simulation of Artificially Induced Microfractures Using Digital Rock and Lattice Boltzmann Methods
Microfractures have great significance in the study of reservoir development because they are an effective reserving space and main contributor to permeability in a large amount of reservoirs. Usually, microfractures are divided into natural microfractures and induced microfractures. Artificially in...
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doaj-d00f14879f4e4754bbd4134eaced40fa2020-11-25T00:42:24ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732018-08-01118214510.3390/en11082145en11082145Flow Simulation of Artificially Induced Microfractures Using Digital Rock and Lattice Boltzmann MethodsYongfei Yang0Zhihui Liu1Jun Yao2Lei Zhang3Jingsheng Ma4S. Hossein Hejazi5Linda Luquot6Toussaint Dono Ngarta7Research Centre of Multiphase Flow in Porous Media, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, Shandong, ChinaResearch Centre of Multiphase Flow in Porous Media, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, Shandong, ChinaResearch Centre of Multiphase Flow in Porous Media, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, Shandong, ChinaResearch Centre of Multiphase Flow in Porous Media, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, Shandong, ChinaInstitute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UKDepartment of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T3A 6C9, CanadaHydrosciences Montpellier, Université Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, 300 Avenue du Pr. Emile Jeanbrau CC57, 34090 Montpellier, FranceResearch Centre of Multiphase Flow in Porous Media, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, Shandong, ChinaMicrofractures have great significance in the study of reservoir development because they are an effective reserving space and main contributor to permeability in a large amount of reservoirs. Usually, microfractures are divided into natural microfractures and induced microfractures. Artificially induced rough microfractures are our research objects, the existence of which will affect the fluid-flow system (expand the production radius of production wells), and act as a flow path for the leakage of fluids injected to the wells, and even facilitate depletion in tight reservoirs. Therefore, the characteristic of the flow in artificially induced fractures is of great significance. The Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) was used to calculate the equivalent permeability of artificially induced three-dimensional (3D) fractures. The 3D box fractal dimensions and porosity of artificially induced fractures in Berea sandstone were calculated based on the fractal theory and image-segmentation method, respectively. The geometrical parameters (surface roughness, minimum fracture aperture, and mean fracture aperture), were also calculated on the base of digital cores of fractures. According to the results, the permeability lies between 0.071–3.759 (dimensionless LB units) in artificially induced fractures. The wide range of permeability indicates that artificially induced fractures have complex structures and connectivity. It was also found that 3D fractal dimensions of artificially induced fractures in Berea sandstone are between 2.247 and 2.367, which shows that the artificially induced fractures have the characteristics of self-similarity. Finally, the following relations were studied: (a) exponentially increasing permeability with increasing 3D box fractal dimension, (b) linearly increasing permeability with increasing square of mean fracture aperture, (c) indistinct relationship between permeability and surface roughness, and (d) linearly increasing 3D box fractal dimension with increasing porosity.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/8/2145CTdigital rockmicrofracturesLattice Boltzmann methodpore-scale simulations |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Yongfei Yang Zhihui Liu Jun Yao Lei Zhang Jingsheng Ma S. Hossein Hejazi Linda Luquot Toussaint Dono Ngarta |
spellingShingle |
Yongfei Yang Zhihui Liu Jun Yao Lei Zhang Jingsheng Ma S. Hossein Hejazi Linda Luquot Toussaint Dono Ngarta Flow Simulation of Artificially Induced Microfractures Using Digital Rock and Lattice Boltzmann Methods Energies CT digital rock microfractures Lattice Boltzmann method pore-scale simulations |
author_facet |
Yongfei Yang Zhihui Liu Jun Yao Lei Zhang Jingsheng Ma S. Hossein Hejazi Linda Luquot Toussaint Dono Ngarta |
author_sort |
Yongfei Yang |
title |
Flow Simulation of Artificially Induced Microfractures Using Digital Rock and Lattice Boltzmann Methods |
title_short |
Flow Simulation of Artificially Induced Microfractures Using Digital Rock and Lattice Boltzmann Methods |
title_full |
Flow Simulation of Artificially Induced Microfractures Using Digital Rock and Lattice Boltzmann Methods |
title_fullStr |
Flow Simulation of Artificially Induced Microfractures Using Digital Rock and Lattice Boltzmann Methods |
title_full_unstemmed |
Flow Simulation of Artificially Induced Microfractures Using Digital Rock and Lattice Boltzmann Methods |
title_sort |
flow simulation of artificially induced microfractures using digital rock and lattice boltzmann methods |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Energies |
issn |
1996-1073 |
publishDate |
2018-08-01 |
description |
Microfractures have great significance in the study of reservoir development because they are an effective reserving space and main contributor to permeability in a large amount of reservoirs. Usually, microfractures are divided into natural microfractures and induced microfractures. Artificially induced rough microfractures are our research objects, the existence of which will affect the fluid-flow system (expand the production radius of production wells), and act as a flow path for the leakage of fluids injected to the wells, and even facilitate depletion in tight reservoirs. Therefore, the characteristic of the flow in artificially induced fractures is of great significance. The Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) was used to calculate the equivalent permeability of artificially induced three-dimensional (3D) fractures. The 3D box fractal dimensions and porosity of artificially induced fractures in Berea sandstone were calculated based on the fractal theory and image-segmentation method, respectively. The geometrical parameters (surface roughness, minimum fracture aperture, and mean fracture aperture), were also calculated on the base of digital cores of fractures. According to the results, the permeability lies between 0.071–3.759 (dimensionless LB units) in artificially induced fractures. The wide range of permeability indicates that artificially induced fractures have complex structures and connectivity. It was also found that 3D fractal dimensions of artificially induced fractures in Berea sandstone are between 2.247 and 2.367, which shows that the artificially induced fractures have the characteristics of self-similarity. Finally, the following relations were studied: (a) exponentially increasing permeability with increasing 3D box fractal dimension, (b) linearly increasing permeability with increasing square of mean fracture aperture, (c) indistinct relationship between permeability and surface roughness, and (d) linearly increasing 3D box fractal dimension with increasing porosity. |
topic |
CT digital rock microfractures Lattice Boltzmann method pore-scale simulations |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/8/2145 |
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