Modeling Fracture Closure Processes In Hydraulic Fracturing Simulators

Abstract

A method and system for modeling a fracture in a hydraulic fracturing simulator. The method may comprise simulating a well system with an information handling system, defining a closure criteria for a hydraulic fracturing operation, assembling at least one variable in a linear system, assembling at least one variable of a contact force in the linear system, solving for the contact force, and determining at least one opening or at least one closing of the fracture with the contact force. The system may comprise a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory may store a program configured to simulate a well system with an information handling system, define a closure criteria for a hydraulic fracturing operation, assemble at least one variable in a linear system, and determine at least one opening or at least one closing of the fracture with the contact force.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.