Numerical Simulation of the Interaction Between Hydraulic Fracture and the Bedding Plane in Shale Formation

Hydraulic fracturing was the primary technology for shale oil and gas development. Creating a huge stimulated reservoir volume was essential to improving shale oil and gas production. Based on the CDEM, a 3D hydraulic fracturing numerical model was proposed to simulate the interaction between hydraulic fracture and natural fracture. The simulation indicated that net pressure decrease was the main factor affecting fracture propagation in the vertical direction. Under a high stress difference, when the stress difference is over 9.0 MPa, the propagation resistance of rock matrix is higher than that of the bedding plane, thus the bedding plane has a huge opening, and the hydraulic fracture was arrested by the bedding plane. For high formation permeability, increasing the viscosity of the fracturing fluid can effectively improve the fracture height, which can accelerate the hydraulic fracture across the bedding plane. Improving the injection rate also benefitted crossing the bedding plane. This research has great significance in improving the stimulated reservoir volume.