Special Oil & Gas Reservoirs >

2026 , Vol. 33 >Issue 3: 89 - 97

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1006-6535.2026.03.010

Drilling & Production Engineering

Numerical simulation study on the effects of laminae and natural fractures on hydraulic fracture propagation in shale oil reservoirs

  • LIU Jianfeng ,
  • QI Ning ,
  • GUO Nan ,
  • SU Jian ,
  • JIANG Ping ,
  • CHEN Ming ,
  • LI Aihua
Expand
  • 1. School of Petroleum Engineering,China University of Petroleum(East China),Qingdao,Shandong 266580,China;
    2. PetroChina Liaohe Oilfield Company,Panjin,Liaoning 124010,China;
    3. State Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas,China University of Petroleum(East China),Qingdao,Shandong 266580,China

Received date: 2025-10-15

  Revised date: 2025-10-15

  Online published: 2026-09-04

Fold

Abstract

A set of mixed shale oil reservoirs deposited in a littoral-shallow lacustrine environment is developed in the fourth member of the Shahejie Formation in the Leijia Area of the Liaohe region.The rocks are lithologically diverse with well-developed laminae and natural fractures,leading to complex and variable hydraulic fracture geometries.To reveal the effects of laminae and natural fractures on hydraulic fracture propagation in shale oil reservoirs,based on typical geological and mechanical parameters of shale oil in the Leijia Area,this study combined the continuous-discontinuous element method(CDEM) and the finite volume method(FVM) to establish a numerical simulation model coupling block deformation,fracture failure and fracture flow.Three representative geological models,namely,laminae-dominated,natural-fracture-dominated and interlayer-dominated,were constructed.Under a fixed injected-fluid volume,the effects of injection rate and fracturing-fluid viscosity on hydraulic fracture propagation in these three geological models were investigated.The results show that increasing injection rate can significantly enhance the maximum aperture of the main fracture,and increasing viscosity also helps enlarge fracture aperture.In natural-fracture systems,medium-to-low injection rates or low-viscosity conditions more readily promote fracture propagation along natural fractures,whereas under high injection rates and high viscosity the main fracture is more likely to cross natural fractures and alter branch connectivity patterns.In interlayer systems,increasing injection rate and viscosity helps reduce differences in fracture aperture between layers and improve the average aperture of the main fracture.The results can provide technical support for hydraulic fracture geometry design and pumping-parameter optimization in similar shale oil reservoirs.

Key words： shale; hydraulic fracturing; fracture propagation; continuous-discontinuous element method; finite volume method; Leijia Area

Cite this article

LIU Jianfeng , QI Ning , GUO Nan , SU Jian , JIANG Ping , CHEN Ming , LI Aihua . Numerical simulation study on the effects of laminae and natural fractures on hydraulic fracture propagation in shale oil reservoirs[J]. Special Oil & Gas Reservoirs, 2026 , 33(3) : 89 -97 . DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-6535.2026.03.010

References

[1] GREGORY K B,VIDIC R D,DZOMBAK D A.Water management challenges associated with the production of shale gas by hydraulic fracturing[J].Elements,2011,7(3):181-186.
[2] 吴建发,邱国洲,苟其勇,等.含天然裂缝页岩断裂特征试验研究[J].石油钻探技术,2025,53(6):169-177.
WU Jianfa,QIU Guozhou,GOU Qiyong,et al.Experimental study on fracture characteristics of shale with natural fractures[J].Petroleum Drilling Techniques,2025,53(6):169-177.
[3] 游利军,龚伟,康毅力,等.致密/页岩油气储层保护技术研究进展与方向[J].断块油气田,2025,32(1):27-34,152.
YOU Lijun,GONG Wei,KANG Yili,et al.Research progress and direction of tight/shale oil and gas reservoir protection technology[J].Fault-Block Oil & Gas Field,2025,32(1):27-34,152.
[4] 宋兆杰,韩啸,王秀坤,等.页岩油藏压裂液流动机制及其对生产的影响[J].石油钻探技术,2025,53(5):107-118.
SONG Zhaojie,HAN Xiao,WANG Xiukun,et al.Flow mechanism of fracturing fluid in shale oil reservoir and its influence on production[J].Petroleum Drilling Techniques,2025,53(5):107-118.
[5] 熊财富,尹陈,鲁明宇,等.基于微地震形变地质力学分析页岩破裂特征——以涪陵白马区块龙马溪组为例[J].断块油气田,2025,32(5):773-780.
XIONG Caifu,YIN Chen,LU Mingyu,et al.Shale fracturing characteristics based on microseismic deformation geomechanics:a case study of Longmaxi Formation in Baima block,Fuling gas field[J].Fault-Block Oil & Gas Field,2025,32(5):773-780.
[6] 张烨,欧阳黎明,王锦喜,等.页岩气开采诱发地震及其震级上限影响因素的研究综述[J].非常规油气,2025,12(6):1-12.
ZHANG Ye,OUYANG Liming,WANG Jinxi,et al.Review of research on earthquakes induced by shale gas exploitation and influencing factors of their upper magnitude limits[J].Unconventional Oil & Gas,2025,12(6).1-12.
[7] 刘善勇,尹彪,楼一珊,等.粗糙裂缝内支撑剂运移与展布规律数值模拟[J].石油钻探技术,2024,52(4):104-109.
LIU Shanyong,YIN Biao,LOU Yishan,et al.Numerical simulation of migration and placement law of proppants in rough fractures[J].Petroleum Drilling Techniques,2024,52(4):104-109.
[8] 石俊,张翔,杨俊.基于裂缝分形的气/水压裂裂缝起裂扩展对比分析[J].非常规油气,2024,11(6):118-124.
SHI Jun,ZHANG Xiang,YANG Jun.Comparative analysis of gas/water fracturing crack extension based on fracture fractality[J].Unconventional Oil & Gas,2024,11(6):118-124.
[9] 尹帅,赵军辉,刘平,等.裂缝性储层天然缝与水力缝开启条件及扩展规律研究[J].石油钻探技术,2024,52(3):98-105.
YIN Shuai,ZHAO Junhui,LIU Ping,et al.Opening conditions and extension law of natural and hydraulic fractures in fractured reservoirs[J].Petroleum Drilling Techniques,2024,52(3):98-105.
[10] 彭越,张满郎,李明秋,等.基于图像识别技术的裂缝发育程度定量评价新方法——以安岳气田须二气藏为例[J].非常规油气,2024,11(1):12-21.
PENG Yue,ZHANG Manlang,LI Mingqiu,et al.A new method for quantitative evaluation of fracture development degree based on image recognition technology:take the Xu2 Gas Reservoir in the Anyue Gas Field as an example[J].Unconventional Oil & Gas,2024,11(1):12-21.
[11] 徐泽昊,赵海洋,刘向君,等.基于CDEM的砾岩压裂裂缝扩展三维数值模拟及主控因素分析[J].油气地质与采收率,2025,32(5):112-123.
XU Zehao,ZHAO Haiyang,LIU Xiangjun,et al.Three-dimensional numerical simulation of fracture propagation in conglomerate fracturing based on CDEM and analysis of dominant controlling factors[J].Petroleum Geology and Recovery Efficiency,2025,32(5):112-123.
[12] 黄国鹏,周福建,李明辉,等.基于CDEM的水平井压裂多缝均衡扩展模拟[J].西安石油大学学报(自然科学版),2025,40(4):71-79.
HUANG Guopeng,ZHOU Fujian,LI Minghui,et al.Simulation of balanced propagation of multiple fractures in horizontal wells based on CDEM[J].Journal of Xi'an Shiyou University(Natural Science Edition),2025,40(4):71-79.
[13] 王继伟,曲占庆,郭天魁,等.基于CDEM的页岩甲烷原位燃爆压裂数值模拟[J].中国石油大学学报(自然科学版),2023,47(1):106-115.
WANG Jiwei,QU Zhanqing,GUO Tiankui,et al.Numerical simulation on fracture propagation of methane in-situ explosion fracturing in shale gas reservoirs[J].Journal of China University of Petroleum(Edition of Natural Science),2023,47(1):106-115.
[14] 王杰,李世海,张青波.基于单元破裂的岩石裂纹扩展模拟方法[J].力学学报,2015,47(1):105-118.
WANG Jie,LI Sihai,ZHANG Qingbo.Simulation of crack propagation of rock based on splitting elements[J].Chinese Journal of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics,2015,47(1):105-118.
[15] 王理想,唐德泓,李世海,等.基于混合方法的二维水力压裂数值模拟[J].力学学报,2015,47(6):973-983.
WANG Lixiang,TANG Dehong,LI Shihai,et al.Numerical simulation of hydraulic fracturing by a mixed method in two dimensions[J].Chinese Journal of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics,2015,47(6):973-983.
[16] 刘洋,李世海,刘晓宇.基于连续介质离散元的双重介质渗流应力耦合模型[J].岩石力学与工程学报,2011,30(5):951-959.
LIU Yang,LI Shihai,LIU Xiaoyu.Coupled fluid flow and stress computation model of dual media based on continuum-medium distinct element method[J].Chinese Journal of Rock Mechanics and Engineering,2011,30(5):951-959.
[17] LI S H,ZHAO M H,WANG Y N,et al.A new numerical method for DEM-block and particle model[J].International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences,2004,41:414-418.
[18] 王理想,李世海,马照松,等.一种中心型有限体积孔隙-裂隙渗流求解方法及其OpenMP并行化[J].岩石力学与工程学报,2015,34(5):865-875.
WANG Lixiang,LI Shihai,MA Zhaosong,et al.A cell-centered finite volume method for fluid flow in fractured porous media and its parallelization with OpenMP[J].Chinese Journal of Rock Mechanics and Engineering,2015,34(5):865-875.
[19] 王荣华,章青,夏晓舟.含裂隙饱和多孔介质流-固耦合的扩展有限元分析[J].岩土力学,2017,38(5):1489-1496.
WANG Ronghua,ZHANG Qing,XIA Xiaozhou.Fully coupled modeling of fractured saturated porous medium using extended finite element method[J].Rock and Soil Mechanics,2017,38(5):1489-1496.
[20] SHAUER N,VILLEGAS S J B,FLEMISCH B,et al.Fluid flow analysis of discrete fracture networks using a locally conservative stable mixed finite element method[J].Computational Geosciences,2025,29(2):13.
[21] ANTONIETTI P F,FORMAGGIA L,SCOTTI A,et al.Mimetic finite difference approximation of flows in fractured porous media[J].Esaim-Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Analysis-Modelisation Mathematique Et Analyse Numerique,2016,50(3):809-832.
[22] 潘林华,程礼军,陆朝晖,等.页岩储层水力压裂裂缝扩展模拟进展[J].特种油气藏,2014,21(4):1-6.
PAN Linhua,CHENG Lijun,LU Zhaohui,et al.Simulation of hydraulic fracture propagation in shale reservoir[J].Special Oil & Gas Reservoirs,2014,21(4):1-6.
[23] WANG L X,LI S H,ZHANG G X,et al.A GPU-based parallel procedure for nonlinear analysis of complex structures using a coupled FEM/DEM approach[J].Mathematical Problems in Engineering,2013,12:841-860.
[24] GEERTSMA J,DE KLERK F.A rapid method of predicting width and extent of hydraulically induced fractures[J].Journal of petroleum technology,1969,21(12):1571-1581.
[25] 韦世明,申屠俊杰,彭芬,等.深部高应力储层裂缝动力学扩展机理研究[J].非常规油气,2025,12(3):114-124.
WEI Shiming,SHENTU Junjie,PENG Fen,et al.Research on dynamic fracture propagation mechanism in deep high-stress reservoirs[J].Unconventional Oil & Gas,2025,12(3):114-124.
[26] SETTARI A,CLEARY M P.Development and testing of a pseudo-three-dimensional model of hydraulic fracture geometry[J].SPE Production Engineering,1986,1(6):449-466.
[27] SIEBRITS E,PEIRCE A P.An efficient multi-layer planar 3D fracture growth algorithm using a fixed mesh approach[J].International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering,2002,53(3):691-717.
[28] 张伟强.渤南坳陷沙河街组页岩油藏水力裂缝穿层扩展规律研究[J].非常规油气,2024,11(2):140-146.
ZHANG Weiqiang.Layers-crossing propagation law of hydraulic fracture in Shahejie Formation shale reservoir in Bonan Depression[J].Unconventional Oil & Gas,2024,11(2):140-146.
[29] 周彤,王海波,李凤霞,等.层理发育的页岩气储集层压裂裂缝扩展模拟[J].石油勘探与开发,2020,47(5):1039-1051.
ZHOU Tong,WANG Haibo,LI Fengxia,et al.Numerical simulation of hydraulic fracture propagation in laminated shale reservoirs[J].Petroleum Exploration and Development,2020,47(5):1039-1051.
[30] 李小刚,何建冈,杨兆中,等.基于离散元法的压裂裂缝特征研究[J].油气藏评价与开发,2023,13(3):348-357.
LI Xiaogang,HE Jian'gang,YANG Zhaozhong,et al.Fracture characteristics based on discrete element method[J].Petroleum Reservoir Evaluation and Development,2023,13(3):348-357.
[31] 谢建勇,袁珍珠,代兵,等.页岩油储层层理缝渗吸机制和渗吸模式[J].特种油气藏,2021,28(5):161-167.
XIE Jianyong,YUAN Zhenzhu,DAI Bing,et al.Imbibition mechanism and model of bedding fractures in shale oil reservoir[J].Special Oil & Gas Reservoirs,2021,28(5):161-167.
[32] 杨帆,梅文博,李亮,等.薄互层致密砂岩水力压裂裂缝扩展特征研究[J].煤田地质与勘探,2023,51(7):61-71.
YANG Fan,MEI Wenbo,LI Liang,et al.Propagation of hydraulic fractures in thin interbedded tight sandstones[J].Coal Geology & Exploration,2023,51(7):61-71.
Options
Outlines

/

〈 〉