Hydraulic Fracture Simulation With Adaptive Core Domain Modeling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic fracturing simulators are unable to provide accurate representations of complex system behavior in a timeframe useful to operators, due to high computational complexity and resource consumption, which hinders efficient planning and control of stimulation processes in oilfield operations.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of domain-adaptive hydraulic fracturing simulators that employ adaptive domains to reduce computational complexity by treating only regions of influence with significant changes, using hierarchical domain partitioning and selective application of fluid and solid interaction equations, allowing for high-fidelity simulations with minimal resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional hydraulic fracturing simulators are used to model complex system behavior, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but computational resource consumption increases and simulation speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The simulation domain is segmented into active fracture zones and inactive regions. Numerical models are applied selectively only to active zones where fluid flow and fracture propagation occur, while inactive regions are excluded from computation. This segmentation maintains accuracy in critical areas while reducing overall computational burden, enabling faster simulations without sacrificing measurement precision in the regions that matter most.
2Reliability
If comprehensive numerical modeling is applied to represent complex system behavior, then reliability of simulation results is improved, but device complexity and computational resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different levels of modeling complexity are applied to different regions of the simulation domain. Active fracture zones receive comprehensive numerical modeling with full fluid-solid interaction equations to ensure reliable predictions. Inactive regions are excluded from modeling entirely. This local differentiation maintains high reliability where needed while reducing overall device complexity and computational resource requirements.
3Manufacturing precision
If full-domain numerical simulation is performed, then manufacturing precision of simulation results is improved, but loss of time for computation increases
Solution Approach 1:
Inactive regions and static portions of the simulation domain are extracted and removed from the computational model. Only active fracture zones requiring detailed numerical simulation are retained. This extraction eliminates unnecessary computation time while preserving manufacturing precision in the regions where accurate fracture network modeling is essential for operational decision-making.
Data Source
AI summary
An illustrative domain-adaptive hydraulic fracturing simulator includes: a data acquisition module, a simulator module, and a visualization module. The data acquisition module acquires measurements of a subterranean formation undergoing a hydraulic fracturing operation. The simulator module provides a series of states for a model of the subterranean formation by: (a) constructing said model from the measurements, the model representing said current state throughout a modeled domain; (b) determining a core domain of influence within the modeled domain by identifying active fractures; (c) generating a linear set of equations to derive the subsequent state from the current state, the linear set of equations including fluid flow equations for the core domain of influence and excluding fluid flow equations for a region of the modeled domain outside the core domain of influence; and (d) deriving the subsequent state from the linear set of equations. The visualization module displays the series of states.