Numerical modeling of fracture clossure phenomena in naturally fractured reservoirs using a no fully coupled approach

Abstract

Several works have demonstrated that fracture closure phenomena have an important effect in flow fluid and production profiles in Type 1- naturally fractured reservoir (only fractures). This issue has been approached in this work as a “no fully coupled” problem in which fluid flow and deformation models are solved separately. Both independent solutions are then integrated using a common variable, the fracture aperture. The main advantages of this “no fully coupled” approach is not only the possibility of using an orthogonal discrete network of fractures over a continuous model; but also, it takes into account stress-displacement behavior of fractures by using constitutive equations developed from experimental measurements. Finally, the pressure distribution and fracture aperture variation were obtained from several simulations made in a hypothetical reservoir model.