Zhu, Weiwei, Chen, Zhiqiang, He, Xupeng, Liu, Jingyao, Guo, Songfeng, Zheng, Bowen, Yousef, Ali, Qi, Shengwen, and Wang, Moran
The hydraulic fracturing process is a prominent example of fracture network evolution under stress. However, the interactions between hydraulic fractures and natural fracture networks, along with the connectivity evolution of the resultant fracture networks, require more research. This research incorporates discrete fracture networks to characterize subsurface structures and employs the Discrete Element ‐ Lattice Boltzmann Method to simulate the hydraulic fracturing process. The dynamic evolution of subsurface structures, including the initiation of hydraulic fractures and their interaction with natural fractures, is systematically investigated. Results indicate that natural fractures significantly impact fracture initiation, propagation, and connectivity evolution, which in turn affects fluid production. Fracture strength is key for the interaction, and hydraulic fractures tend to propagate along weak natural fractures with low resistance. Fracture strength variability determines the final fracture networks, with low‐strength fractures breaking due to the altered in‐situ stress and forming local clusters. High injection rates and fluid viscosity result in a large pressure buildup and exaggerate the influential region. A multi‐cluster system is thus formed during the hydraulic fracturing process, and its connectivity can be well quantified with a novel connectivity metric. In low‐permeable reservoirs, fracture clusters connected to production wells can contribute instantly, while local clusters may contribute to production from a long‐term perspective. Injection rate, fluid viscosity, fracture orientation, and clustering effects have consistent positive correlations with the total connectivity and production. Heterogeneity has a weak positive correlation with fluid production, while a moderate negative correlation with total connectivity. Plain Language Summary: Hydraulic fracturing is a widely employed technique in developing unconventional reservoirs. Ubiquitous natural fractures in the deep subsurface significantly influence the hydraulic fracturing outcomes; however, the interactions between hydraulic and natural fractures remain incompletely understood. In this work, we optimize the numerical scheme to incorporate natural fractures and explore their impact on hydraulic fracturing. We found that natural fractures significantly impact fracture initiation, propagation, and connectivity evolution, which in turn affects fluid production. Fracture strength is key for the interaction, and hydraulic fractures tend to propagate along weak natural fractures with low resistance. Fracture strength variability can significantly impact the final fracture networks. Low‐strength fractures tend to break due to the altered in‐situ stress, forming local clusters. High injection rates and fluid viscosity result in a large pressure buildup and exaggerate the influential region. Furthermore, we propose a connectivity metric to quantify the connectivity evolution of multi‐cluster fracture networks formed during the hydraulic fracturing process. Therefore, the quantitative analysis of sensitivity for influential factors on connectivity and production is available and discussed. These findings are essential for us to better understand the subsurface structures and their dynamic evolution under the hydraulic fracturing process. Key Points: Natural fractures significantly impact fracture initiation, propagation, and connectivity evolution during hydraulic fracturingLow‐strength fractures break due to altered in‐situ stress, resulting in the final fracture networks forming a multi‐cluster systemHeterogeneity is crucial in forming final fracture networks, and high injection rates and viscosity exacerbate their influence areas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]