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Coupled CFD-DEM simulation of granular LCM bridging in a fracture.
- Source :
-
Particulate Science & Technology . 2020, Vol. 38 Issue 3, p371-380. 10p. - Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Developed fractures are important storage space and permeable channel in hydrocarbon reservoirs. However, they will lead to drill-in fluid loss and induce severe formation damage. Fracture plugging with granular lost circulation material (LCM) is most commonly used to control drill-in fluid loss. To our best knowledge, traditional research about LCM bridging mainly performed by the trial-and-error method. However, the behavior of granular LCM migration and bridging in a fracture on mesoscale is still unclear. In this paper, the coupled CFD-DEM approach is used to simulate the flow of granular LCM in a vertical fracture. The effects of particle size distribution (PSD) and concentration on the fracture plugging process are studied by a series of controlled numerical experiments. The research suggests that: (1) When Wf/D50<1.5, the critical particle concentration softly increases with particle size distribution (PSD), but the area with Wf/D50>1.5 the critical particle concentration sharply increases with PSD. (2) The plugging process can be divided into two distinct stages from pressure drop rate: particle bridging and particle accumulation. (3) The drill-in fluid loss rate is affected by the plugging process, the structure of plugging zone and PSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 02726351
- Volume :
- 38
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Particulate Science & Technology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 142454865
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1080/02726351.2018.1547341