Prediction of aperture for a contained hydraulic fracture in oil shale reservoirs

As the reserves of petroleum are being depleted, oil shales become more and more important as an alternative source of liquid fuels. . Hydraulic fracturing is one of the main stimulating techniques to enhance recovery from oil shale reservoirs. A simplified numerical model has been developed to account for mechanical propagation of hydraulic fracturing in these reservoirs. Aperture and fracture conductivity play key roles in the determination of fracturing geometry/pattern. In addition, since aperture plays a decisive role in determination of proppant type/size and conductivity of the fractures, this important parameter is quantified considering its own influencing variables. We present a complex hydraulic fracture pattern propagation model based on the Finite Element Method (FEM) and distinct element method as a design tool that can be used to optimize treatment parameters under complex propagation conditions. Finally, some strategies are proposed for optimization of hydraulic fracturing for unconventional shales