(445d) Role of Discrete Fracture Network In Tight Gas Reservoirs

Discrete fracture network play an important role by improving the connectivity and hence enhancing the productivity of gas in tight gas sands. This paper describes how the injecting fluid interacts with the discrete fracture network with geomechanical stresses acted upon them. Fluid is pumped into the reservoir domain having certain in-situ stress and with negligible matrix permeability and having significant fracture connectivity. In such reservoirs, influence of the geomechanical stress is substantial and fracture width controls the fluid flow. The fracture width is affected by the in-situ stresses which are acted upon them. A representative reservoir model is created and simulated using a weak coupling approach between a reservoir simulator (SMURF) and geomechanical simulator (3DEC). The two different simulators are weakly coupled via the width. With injection of the fluid the geomechanical stresses acting on reservoir domain are affected, this results in opening or closure of the fractures. This information is noted and is then transported to reservoir simulator to find out whether the geomechanical stresses facilitate the recovery of gas or hinder the recovery. A series of simulations are carried out with important parametric changes. Injection rates, Injecting fluids, and geo-mechanical stresses are varied to see how these affect the recovery of the gas from tight gas sands.