US 2006/0224370 A1 · Method system and program storage device for simulating interfacial slip in a hydraulic fracturing simulator software

Abstract

A method, practiced by a Hydraulic Fracturing Simulator software, is adapted for simulating a hydraulic fracture in an Earth formation, the formation including a plurality of layers, a slip zone, which represents a debonding between adjacent layers of the Earth formation, possibly existing between the adjacent layers, the method comprising the step of: setting up an Influence Coefficient Matrix, the matrix having a plurality of numbers, the plurality of numbers of the Influence Coefficient Matrix being calculated and determined such that the method, practiced by the Hydraulic Fracturing Simulator software for simulating the hydraulic fracture, will model, or take into account an existence of, the slip zone and/or the debonding between the adjacent layers of the Earth formation.

Claims42

Dependent claims

A method of simulating a hydraulic fracture in a formation having a plurality of layers where a slip zone exists between at least one adjacent pair of said layers, comprising:

(a) calculating an influence coefficient matrix on the condition that said slip zone exists between at least one adjacent pair of said layers, the calculation of said matrix taking into account an existence of said slip zone;
(b) calculating a fracture width at a first time step using said influence coefficient matrix;
(c) calculating a fluid pressure at said first time step using said fracture width;
and
(d) updating a fracture footprint in response to the calculating step (c).

2 more elements

A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for simulating a hydraulic fracture in a formation having a plurality of layers where a slip zone exists between at least one adjacent pair of said layers, said method steps comprising:

(a) calculating an influence coefficient matrix on the condition that said slip zone exists between at least one adjacent pair of said layers, the calculation of said matrix taking into account an existence of said slip zone;
(b) calculating a fracture width at a first time step using said influence coefficient matrix;
(c) calculating a fluid pressure at said first time step using said fracture width;
and
(d) updating a fracture footprint in response to the calculating step (c).

2 more elements

A system adapted for simulating a hydraulic fracture in a formation having a plurality of layers where slip exists between at least one adjacent pair of said layers, comprising:

first apparatus adapted for calculating an influence coefficient matrix on the condition that said slip exists between at least one adjacent pair of said layers, the calculation of said matrix taking into account an existence of said slip;
second apparatus adapted for calculating a fracture width at a first time step using said influence coefficient matrix;
third apparatus adapted for calculating a fluid pressure at said first time step using said fracture width;
and
fourth apparatus adapted for updating a fracture footprint in response to the calculation performed by the third apparatus.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method system and program storage device for simulating interfacial slip in a hydraulic fracturing simulator software

Life of this patent

Method system and program storage device for simulating interfacial slip in a hydraulic fracturing simulator software

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims42