Simulating Complex Fracture Systems in Geothermal Reservoirs Using an Explicitly Coupled Hydro-Geomechanical Model
Low permeability geothermal reservoirs can be stimulated by hydraulic fracturing to create Enhanced (or Engineered) Geothermal Systems (EGS) with higher permeability and improved heat transfer to increase heat production. In this paper, we document our effort to develop a numerical simulator with explicit geomechanics-discrete flow network coupling by utilizing and further advancing the simulation capabilities of the Livermore Distinct Element Code (LDEC). The important modules of the simulator include an explicit finite element solid solver, a finite volume method flow solver, a joint model using the combined FEM-DEM capability of LDEC, and an adaptive remeshing module. The numerical implementation is verified against the classical KGD model. The interaction between two fractures with simple geometry and the stimulation of a relatively complex existing fracture network under different in-situ stress conditions are studied with the simulator.
Citation Formats
TY - DATA
AB - Low permeability geothermal reservoirs can be stimulated by hydraulic fracturing to create Enhanced (or Engineered) Geothermal Systems (EGS) with higher permeability and improved heat transfer to increase heat production. In this paper, we document our effort to develop a numerical simulator with explicit geomechanics-discrete flow network coupling by utilizing and further advancing the simulation capabilities of the Livermore Distinct Element Code (LDEC). The important modules of the simulator include an explicit finite element solid solver, a finite volume method flow solver, a joint model using the combined FEM-DEM capability of LDEC, and an adaptive remeshing module. The numerical implementation is verified against the classical KGD model. The interaction between two fractures with simple geometry and the stimulation of a relatively complex existing fracture network under different in-situ stress conditions are studied with the simulator.
AU - Carrigan, Charles
A2 - Johnson, Scott M.
A3 - Fu, Pengcheng
DB - Geothermal Data Repository
DP - Open EI | National Renewable Energy Laboratory
DO -
KW - geothermal
KW - rock mechanics
KW - hydraulic fracturing
KW - enhanced geothermal system
KW - egs
KW - simulation
KW - hydro
KW - Hydrofracking
KW - flow
KW - model
KW - modeling
KW - reservoir
KW - fracking
LA - English
DA - 2011/01/01
PY - 2011
PB - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
T1 - Simulating Complex Fracture Systems in Geothermal Reservoirs Using an Explicitly Coupled Hydro-Geomechanical Model
UR - https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/168
ER -
Carrigan, Charles, et al. Simulating Complex Fracture Systems in Geothermal Reservoirs Using an Explicitly Coupled Hydro-Geomechanical Model . Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 1 January, 2011, Geothermal Data Repository. https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/168.
Carrigan, C., Johnson, S., & Fu, P. (2011). Simulating Complex Fracture Systems in Geothermal Reservoirs Using an Explicitly Coupled Hydro-Geomechanical Model . [Data set]. Geothermal Data Repository. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/168
Carrigan, Charles, Scott M. Johnson, and Pengcheng Fu. Simulating Complex Fracture Systems in Geothermal Reservoirs Using an Explicitly Coupled Hydro-Geomechanical Model . Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, January, 1, 2011. Distributed by Geothermal Data Repository. https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/168
@misc{GDR_Dataset_168,
title = {Simulating Complex Fracture Systems in Geothermal Reservoirs Using an Explicitly Coupled Hydro-Geomechanical Model },
author = {Carrigan, Charles and Johnson, Scott M. and Fu, Pengcheng},
abstractNote = {Low permeability geothermal reservoirs can be stimulated by hydraulic fracturing to create Enhanced (or Engineered) Geothermal Systems (EGS) with higher permeability and improved heat transfer to increase heat production. In this paper, we document our effort to develop a numerical simulator with explicit geomechanics-discrete flow network coupling by utilizing and further advancing the simulation capabilities of the Livermore Distinct Element Code (LDEC). The important modules of the simulator include an explicit finite element solid solver, a finite volume method flow solver, a joint model using the combined FEM-DEM capability of LDEC, and an adaptive remeshing module. The numerical implementation is verified against the classical KGD model. The interaction between two fractures with simple geometry and the stimulation of a relatively complex existing fracture network under different in-situ stress conditions are studied with the simulator.},
url = {https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/168},
year = {2011},
howpublished = {Geothermal Data Repository, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/168},
note = {Accessed: 2025-04-22}
}
Details
Data from Jan 1, 2011
Last updated May 23, 2017
Submitted Feb 7, 2013
Organization
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Contact
Pengcheng Fu
Authors
Keywords
geothermal, rock mechanics, hydraulic fracturing, enhanced geothermal system, egs, simulation, hydro, Hydrofracking, flow, model, modeling, reservoir, frackingDOE Project Details
Project Name Stimulation of Complex Fracture Systems in Low Pressure Reservoirs for Development of Enhanced Geothermal Systems
Project Lead Eric Hass
Project Number AID 19979
