The expansion of unconventional petroleum resources in the recent decade and the rapid development of computational technology have provided the opportunity to develop and apply 3D numerical modeling technology to simulate the hydraulic fracturing of shale and tight sand formations. This book presents 3D numerical modeling technologies for hydraulic fracturing developed in recent years, and introduces solutions to various 3D geomechanical problems related to hydraulic fracturing. In the solution processes of the case studies included in the book, fully coupled multi-physics modeling has been adopted, along with innovative computational techniques, such as submodeling. In practice, hydraulic fracturing is an essential project component in shale gas/oil development and tight sand oil, and provides an essential measure in the process of drilling cuttings reinjection (CRI). It is also an essential measure for widened mud weight window (MWW) when drilling through naturally fractured formations; the process of hydraulic plugging is a typical application of hydraulic fracturing. 3D modeling and numerical analysis of hydraulic fracturing is essential for the successful development of tight oil/gas formations: it provides accurate solutions for optimized stage intervals in a multistage fracking job. It also provides optimized well-spacing for the design of zipper-frac wells. Numerical estimation of casing integrity under stimulation injection in the hydraulic fracturing process is one of major concerns in the successful development of unconventional resources. This topic is also investigated numerically in this book. Numerical solutions to several other typical geomechanics problems related to hydraulic fracturing, such as fluid migration caused by fault reactivation and seismic activities, are also presented. This book can be used as a reference textbook to petroleum, geotechnical and geothermal engineers, to senior undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students, and to geologists, hydrogeologists, geophysicists and applied mathematicians working in this field. This book is also a synthetic compendium of both the fundamentals and some of the most advanced aspects of hydraulic fracturing technology.

This monograph is centered on mathematical modeling, innovative numerical algorithms and adaptive concepts to deal with fracture phenomena in multiphysics. State-of-the-art phase-field fracture models are complemented with prototype explanations and rigorous numerical analysis. These developments are embedded into a carefully designed balance between scientific computing aspects and numerical modeling of nonstationary coupled variational inequality systems. Therein, a focus is on nonlinear solvers, goal-oriented error estimation, predictor-corrector adaptivity, and interface conditions. Engineering applications show the potential for tackling practical problems within the fields of solid mechanics, porous media, and fluidstructure interaction.

Modern petroleum and petrotechnical engineering is increasingly challenging due to the inherently scarce and decreasing number of global petroleum resources. Exploiting these resources efficiently will require researchers, scientists, engineers and other practitioners to develop innovative mathematical solutions to serve as basis for new asset deve

Hydraulic Fracture Modeling delivers all the pertinent technology and solutions in one product to become the go-to source for petroleum and reservoir engineers. Providing tools and approaches, this multi-contributed reference presents current and upcoming developments for modeling rock fracturing including their limitations and problem-solving applications. Fractures are common in oil and gas reservoir formations, and with the ongoing increase in development of unconventional reservoirs, more petroleum engineers today need to know the latest technology surrounding hydraulic fracturing technology such as fracture rock modeling. There is tremendous research in the area but not all located in one place. Covering two types of modeling technologies, various effective fracturing approaches and model applications for fracturing, the book equips today's petroleum engineer with an all-inclusive product to characterize and optimize today's more complex reservoirs. - Offers understanding of the details surrounding fracturing and fracture modeling technology, including theories and quantitative methods - Provides academic and practical perspective from multiple contributors at the forefront of hydraulic fracturing and rock mechanics - Provides today's petroleum engineer with model validation tools backed by real-world case studies

The book examines innovative numerical methods for computational solid and fluid mechanics that can be used to model complex problems in engineering. It also presents innovative and promising simulation methods, including the fundamentals of these methods, as well as advanced topics and complex applications. Further, the book explores how numerical simulations can significantly reduce the number of time-consuming and expensive experiments required, and can support engineering decisions by providing data that would be very difficult, if not impossible, to obtain experimentally. It also includes chapters covering topics such as particle methods addressing particle-based materials and numerical methods that are based on discrete element formulations; fictitious domain methods; phase field models; computational fluid dynamics based on modern finite volume schemes; hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin methods; and non-intrusive coupling methods for structural models.

The combined finite discrete element method is a relatively new computational tool aimed at problems involving static and / or dynamic behaviour of systems involving a large number of solid deformable bodies. Such problems include fragmentation using explosives (e.g rock blasting), impacts, demolition (collapsing buildings), blast loads, digging and loading processes, and powder technology. The combined finite-discrete element method - a natural extension of both discrete and finite element methods - allows researchers to model problems involving the deformability of either one solid body, a large number of bodies, or a solid body which fragments (e.g. in rock blasting applications a more or less intact rock mass is transformed into a pile of solid rock fragments of different sizes, which interact with each other). The topic is gaining in importance, and is at the forefront of some of the current efforts in computational modeling of the failure of solids. * Accompanying source codes plus input and output files available on the Internet * Important applications such as mining engineering, rock blasting and petroleum engineering * Includes practical examples of applications areas Essential reading for postgraduates, researchers and software engineers working in mechanical engineering.

An overview of the virtual crack closure technique is presented. The approach used is discussed, the history summarized, and insight into its applications provided. Equations for two-dimensional quadrilateral elements with linear and quadratic shape functions are given. Formula for applying the technique in conjuction with three-dimensional solid elements as well as plate/shell elements are also provided. Necessary modifications for the use of the method with geometrically nonlinear finite element analysis and corrections required for elements at the crack tip with different lengths and widths are discussed. The problems associated with cracks or delaminations propagating between different materials are mentioned briefly, as well as a strategy to minimize these problems. Due to an increased interest in using a fracture mechanics based approach to assess the damage tolerance of composite structures in the design phase and during certification, the engineering problems selected as examples and given as references focus on the application of the technique to components made of composite materials.

Revised to include current components considered for today's unconventional and multi-fracture grids, Mechanics of Hydraulic Fracturing, Second Edition explains one of the most important features for fracture design — the ability to predict the geometry and characteristics of the hydraulically induced fracture. With two-thirds of the world's oil and natural gas reserves committed to unconventional resources, hydraulic fracturing is the best proven well stimulation method to extract these resources from their more remote and complex reservoirs. However, few hydraulic fracture models can properly simulate more complex fractures. Engineers and well designers must understand the underlying mechanics of how fractures are modeled in order to correctly predict and forecast a more advanced fracture network. Updated to accommodate today's fracturing jobs, Mechanics of Hydraulic Fracturing, Second Edition enables the engineer to: - Understand complex fracture networks to maximize completion strategies - Recognize and compute stress shadow, which can drastically affect fracture network patterns - Optimize completions by properly modeling and more accurately predicting for today's hydraulic fracturing completions - Discusses the underlying mechanics of creating a fracture from the wellbore - Enhanced to include newer modeling components such as stress shadow and interaction of hydraulic fracture with a natural fracture, which aids in more complex fracture networks - Updated experimental studies that apply to today's unconventional fracturing cases

The fluid flow in fracture porous media plays a significant role in the assessment of deep underground reservoirs, such as through CO2 sequestration, enhanced oil recovery, and geothermal energy development. Many methods have been employed—from laboratory experimentation to theoretical analysis and numerical simulations—and allowed for many useful conclusions. This Special Issue aims to report on the current advances related to this topic. This collection of 58 papers represents a wide variety of topics, including on granite permeability investigation, grouting, coal mining, roadway, and concrete, to name but a few. We sincerely hope that the papers published in this Special Issue will be an invaluable resource for our readers.