US 2017/0247998 A1 · FORMATION FRACTURE FLOW MONITORING

Abstract

Present embodiments are directed to a method that includes receiving inputs indicative of a property of a fracture within a dynamic fracture network, assigning an orientation to each of the plurality of fractures, and assigning a plurality of fracture nodes and fracture cells encompassing each fracture node along the fracture. The method also includes receiving variables representative of apertures at a first fracture node and a second fracture node and determining fluid flow within the fracture cell based on Navier-Stokes equations with proppant transport, as a function of the conditions at the first fracture node and the second fracture node. The method further includes displaying a simulation representative of a flow of proppant through the fracture based on the junction conditions via a display coupled to the processing component.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method, comprising:

receiving inputs indicative of a property of a fracture present within a dynamic fracture network via a processing component, wherein the fracture network comprises a plurality of junctions and a plurality of fractures connecting the plurality of junctions;
assigning an orientation to each of the plurality of fractures via the processing component;
assigning a plurality of fracture nodes and a plurality of fracture cells encompassing each fracture node to a fracture of the plurality of fractures;
receiving, at a processing component, variables representative of apertures at a first fracture node and a second fracture node;
determining fluid flow within the fracture cell based on Navier-Stokes equations with proppant transport, as a function of the conditions at the first fracture node and the second fracture node, via the processing component;
and
displaying a simulation representative of a flow of proppant through the fracture based on the junction conditions via a display coupled to the processing component.

4 more elements

A fracture flow simulation system, comprising:

an interface for receiving one or more properties of a fracture having a variable fracture aperture present within a dynamic fracture network;
a first processing component coupled to the user interface and operable to receive variables representative of one or more fracture nodes located within the fracture between a first junction and a second junction;
the first processing component operable to perform a spatial discretization of Navier-Stokes equations representing a flow of fluid and proppant transported through the fracture at each of the fracture nodes to determine a linear system representing fluid flow within the fracture based on the spatial discretization;
and
a display coupled to the first processing component to display a simulation representative of a flow of proppant through the fracture based on solutions to the linear system.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Formation fracture flow monitoring

Life of this patent

Formation fracture flow monitoring

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20