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SUMMARY:Three dimensional hydraulic fracturing simulation using Lattice El
 ement Method - Kam-Wing (John) Wong\, University of Cambridge\, Department
  of Engineering
DTSTART:20150618T150000Z
DTEND:20150618T154500Z
UID:TALK59205@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Anama Lowday
DESCRIPTION:Hydraulic fracturing has wide engineering applications includi
 ng exploration of unconventional resources\, Enhanced Geothermal System\, 
 storage of radioactive waste and mining. It is a multi-physics and multi-s
 cale problem which makes it difficult to be evaluated numerically. It invo
 lves the coupling of at least three physical processes – deformation of 
 rock under applied stress\, fracture propagation and fluid flow along frac
 ture. Another challenge comes from the presence of discontinuities (natura
 l fracture network) in different scales in rock mass giving the heterogene
 ity of rock. Fracture growth is highly sensitive to existing discontinuiti
 es which either enhance or suppress the growth. However\, their influence 
 is not addressed by commercial hydraulic fracturing simulators.   \nIn the
  seminar\, a brief background of hydraulic fracturing and some related geo
 mechanics will be given. Lattice Element Method (LEM) will be introduced. 
 LEM is used to model rock deformation and fracture propagation. It has the
  advantage of simple representation of fracture and ability to cope with c
 omplex fracture growth. It is computationally inexpensive so large 3D mode
 l can be coped with. The generation of disordered lattice network for hete
 rogeneous rock. Fluid flow along connected fracture cluster is modeled by 
 pipe network model. Fluid flow of individual pipe is governed by cubic law
  which describes Newtonian flow along thin parallel plate.  By including h
 eterogeneity in rock model\, simulations show fractures form a cluster and
  fluid flow is highly tortuous rather than bi-wing fracture commonly assum
 ed.\n
LOCATION: Cambridge University Engineering Department\, Lecture Room 3B
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