Evaluation of Conductive Fracture Aperture Based on a Detailed Geomechanical Model: Myth or Reality in the Context of Complex Fractured Reservoir?

Abstract

A comparison of the criteria for the shear strength (linear and nonlinear) with different stress-strain state and variations of the parameters of fractures. Often, the first criterion is applied in petroleum engineering because of its "availability" in the parameters used, which do not require laborious calculations. But when calculating quantitative properties of fractures such as permeability and aperture, knowledge of the second criterion is required. This paper demonstrates the results of finite elemental modeling of a fractured reservoir (3D) under plastic deformation conditions with an estimate of mechanical and conductive aperture, as well as permeability.