Research on DFN Fracture Modeling and Fracturing Network Expansion Simulation Method for Shale Reservoirs

Abstract The degree of natural fracture formation and their link to hydraulic fracturing fractures are critical factors in production in the current large-scale fracturing development of shale gas reservoirs. Any magnitude of fractured reservoir heterogeneity may be described using the Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) model. This paper builds on earlier research by providing an additional summary of the multiscale DFN fracture modeling method, analyzing the fracture occurrence using statistical analysis techniques, analyzing the fracture scale using fractal theory, and determining the fracture development degree by combining the fracture attributes in imaging logging and three-dimensional seismic data. Different-scale fracture network models were developed. Simulating the growth of hydraulic fractures accurately using Mohr Coulomb and Barton Bandis criteria, this study also takes into account the interaction between natural and hydraulic fractures, as well as the physical properties of the rock (e.g., elastic modulus, Poisson’s ratio), closure pressure, crustal stress field, and other factors. The fracture network information, sitmulated reservoir volume, stress shadow and other attributes obtained from fracturing simulation can further analyze and evaluate the effect of fracturing simulation, and optimize the well location deployment plan and construction plan in combination with geological engineering conditions.