Investigation of Stimulation-Response Relationships for Complex Fracture Systems in Enhanced Geothermal Reservoirs
Hydraulic fracturing is currently the primary method for stimulating low-permeability geothermal reservoirs and creating Enhanced (or Engineered) Geothermal Systems (EGS) with improved permeability and heat production efficiency. Complex natural fracture systems usually exist in the formations to be stimulated and it is therefore critical to understand the interactions between existing fractures and newly created fractures before optimal stimulation strategies can be developed. Our study aims to improve the understanding of EGS stimulation-response relationships by developing and applying computer-based models that can effectively reflect the key mechanisms governing interactions between complex existing fracture networks and newly created hydraulic fractures. In this paper, we first briefly describe the key modules of our methodology, namely a geomechanics solver, a discrete fracture flow solver, a rock joint response model, an adaptive remeshing module, and most importantly their effective coupling. After verifying the numerical model against classical closed-form solutions, we investigate responses of reservoirs with different preexisting natural fractures to a variety of stimulation strategies. The factors investigated include: the in situ stress states (orientation of the principal stresses and the degree of stress anisotropy), pumping pressure, and stimulation sequences of multiple wells.
Citation Formats
TY - DATA
AB - Hydraulic fracturing is currently the primary method for stimulating low-permeability geothermal reservoirs and creating Enhanced (or Engineered) Geothermal Systems (EGS) with improved permeability and heat production efficiency. Complex natural fracture systems usually exist in the formations to be stimulated and it is therefore critical to understand the interactions between existing fractures and newly created fractures before optimal stimulation strategies can be developed. Our study aims to improve the understanding of EGS stimulation-response relationships by developing and applying computer-based models that can effectively reflect the key mechanisms governing interactions between complex existing fracture networks and newly created hydraulic fractures. In this paper, we first briefly describe the key modules of our methodology, namely a geomechanics solver, a discrete fracture flow solver, a rock joint response model, an adaptive remeshing module, and most importantly their effective coupling. After verifying the numerical model against classical closed-form solutions, we investigate responses of reservoirs with different preexisting natural fractures to a variety of stimulation strategies. The factors investigated include: the in situ stress states (orientation of the principal stresses and the degree of stress anisotropy), pumping pressure, and stimulation sequences of multiple wells.
AU - Fu, Pengcheng
A2 - Johnson, Scott M.
A3 - Carrigan, Charles R.
DB - Open Energy Data Initiative (OEDI)
DP - Open EI | National Renewable Energy Laboratory
DO - 10.15121/1358113
KW - geothermal
KW - enhanced geothermal system
KW - egs
KW - discrete fracture flow
KW - modeling
KW - reservoir stimulation
KW - stimulation
KW - hydraulic fracturing
LA - English
DA - 2011/01/01
PY - 2011
PB - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
T1 - Investigation of Stimulation-Response Relationships for Complex Fracture Systems in Enhanced Geothermal Reservoirs
UR - https://doi.org/10.15121/1358113
ER -
Fu, Pengcheng, et al. Investigation of Stimulation-Response Relationships for Complex Fracture Systems in Enhanced Geothermal Reservoirs. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 1 January, 2011, GDR. https://doi.org/10.15121/1358113.
Fu, P., Johnson, S., & Carrigan, C. (2011). Investigation of Stimulation-Response Relationships for Complex Fracture Systems in Enhanced Geothermal Reservoirs. [Data set]. GDR. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. https://doi.org/10.15121/1358113
Fu, Pengcheng, Scott M. Johnson, and Charles R. Carrigan. Investigation of Stimulation-Response Relationships for Complex Fracture Systems in Enhanced Geothermal Reservoirs. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, January, 1, 2011. Distributed by GDR. https://doi.org/10.15121/1358113
@misc{OEDI_Dataset_6526,
title = {Investigation of Stimulation-Response Relationships for Complex Fracture Systems in Enhanced Geothermal Reservoirs},
author = {Fu, Pengcheng and Johnson, Scott M. and Carrigan, Charles R.},
abstractNote = {Hydraulic fracturing is currently the primary method for stimulating low-permeability geothermal reservoirs and creating Enhanced (or Engineered) Geothermal Systems (EGS) with improved permeability and heat production efficiency. Complex natural fracture systems usually exist in the formations to be stimulated and it is therefore critical to understand the interactions between existing fractures and newly created fractures before optimal stimulation strategies can be developed. Our study aims to improve the understanding of EGS stimulation-response relationships by developing and applying computer-based models that can effectively reflect the key mechanisms governing interactions between complex existing fracture networks and newly created hydraulic fractures. In this paper, we first briefly describe the key modules of our methodology, namely a geomechanics solver, a discrete fracture flow solver, a rock joint response model, an adaptive remeshing module, and most importantly their effective coupling. After verifying the numerical model against classical closed-form solutions, we investigate responses of reservoirs with different preexisting natural fractures to a variety of stimulation strategies. The factors investigated include: the in situ stress states (orientation of the principal stresses and the degree of stress anisotropy), pumping pressure, and stimulation sequences of multiple wells.
},
url = {https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/170},
year = {2011},
howpublished = {GDR, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, https://doi.org/10.15121/1358113},
note = {Accessed: 2025-05-03},
doi = {10.15121/1358113}
}
https://dx.doi.org/10.15121/1358113
Details
Data from Jan 1, 2011
Last updated May 23, 2017
Submitted Feb 7, 2013
Organization
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Contact
Pengcheng Fu
Authors
Original Source
https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/170Research Areas
Keywords
geothermal, enhanced geothermal system, egs, discrete fracture flow, modeling, reservoir stimulation, stimulation, hydraulic fracturingDOE Project Details
Project Name Stimulation of Complex Fracture Systems in Low Pressure Reservoirs for Development of Enhanced Geothermal Systems
Project Lead Eric Hass
Project Number AID 19979