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Investigation of Stimulation-Response Relationships for Complex Fracture Systems in Enhanced Geothermal Reservoirs

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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.

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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 -
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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

Pengcheng Fu

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Scott M. Johnson

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Charles R. Carrigan

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Research Areas

DOE 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

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