(302d) Modeling and Simulation in Tight Gas Sands with Different Fracture Orientation and Studying Impacts of Geo-Mechanical Properties in Tight Gas Sands

Producing gas from unconventional sources is critical for developing secure sources of energy. In unconventional gas reservoirs like in tight gas sands the permeability values are extremely low. In such cases the natural fractures and fracture networks play an important role in enhancing the production rate by increasing permeability. This paper describes an approach of representing the fracture network and then analyzing the effect of the fracture network on production predictions. The first stage of this process is representing the fracture network as a discrete fracture network. The created discrete fracture network is then introduced into a geo-mechanical simulator. The geo-mechanical simulator is used to create a complex hydraulic fracture in the presence of the existing natural fractures. This system of complex fractures is incorporated into a flow simulator for predicting the production rates and to generate pressure and saturation signatures. This study includes studying the effect of different fracture orientation, fracture spacing on the production values. The simulations are carried to find out how the fractures are created or grown in controlled environments. There is possibility that fracture maybe of irregular shape and may not intersect with the well or with other conductive fractures, but may show conductive features due to the geo-mechanical stress and strains applied on them at reservoir condition. The simulation results for tight gas sands obtained from geo-mechanical simulation coupled with fluid flow are highlighted and discussed in the paper.