Quartz-driven fracture healing and its impact on fluid flow

Abstract

Fluid flow in healing fractures was simulated based on phase-field models (PFMs) for the growth of two dissimilar quartz morphologies (compact and needle growth). Results of the simulations indicate that flow in healing fractures highly depends on these morp-hologies. Growth of needle quartz favours an early formation of bridge structures that initially quickly inhibit fluid flow by creating tortuous flow channels, but also facilitate increased fluid flow at almost closed conditions (>90% healing) due to the formation of rather porous structures. In contrast, compact quartz uniformly heals the fracture due to it contiguous growth, however provides more effective flow paths under partially healed conditions (20 to 75 % volume fraction) due to the later formation of bridges. This study provides an initial stage for an improved empirical approach predicting fluid flow in fractures considering distinct growth morphologies.