Fracture Opening/Propagation Behavior and Their Significance on Pressure-Time Records During Hydraulic Fracturing

Abstract

Hydraulic fracturing with constant fluid injection rate was numerically modelled for a pair of rectangular longitudinal fractures intersecting wellbore in an impermeable rock mass, and numerical calculations have been performed to investigate the relations among the form of pressuretime curves, fracture opening/propagation behavior and permeability of the mechanically closed fractures. The r e s u l t s have shown t h a t both permeability of the fractures and fluid injection rate significantly 'influence the form of the pressure-time relations on the early stage of fracture opening. Furthermore i t has been shown t h a t wellbore pressure during fracture propagation is affected by the pre-existing fracture length.