Transient two-dimensional temperature distribution in wellbore during the process of hydraulic fracturing to extract hydrates

Abstract

The utilization of hydraulic fracturing for the extraction of natural gas hydrates in maritime environments has been relatively underexplored in the existing literature. This study introduces a novel approach by employing a fully implicit integration method to construct a two-dimensional temperature distribution model of the wellbore. The model considers critical parameters such as fracturing fluid time, initial temperature, and fracturing fluid displacement to forecast the temperature data of the wellbore and its surrounding environments throughout the entire fracturing process. The investigation reveals that the initial temperature of the fracturing liquid and the duration of the fracturing process exert a substantial influence on the wellbore temperature, whereas the impact of fracturing fluid displacement is found to be minimal. Furthermore, a comparative analysis between the results derived from the proposed model and those obtained from traditional steady-state formulas substantiates the accuracy and efficacy of the developed model. This study significantly advances our comprehension of temperature dynamics within wellbores during hydraulic fracturing operations in maritime environments, thereby offering valuable insights for future endeavors in natural gas hydrate extraction.