Open Access

ARTICLE

Numerical Simulation of Fracture Propagation in Tight Formation Considering Natural Fractures Distributions

Yujie Yan^1,2, Na An², Yanling Wang^1,*, Xiongwei Liu², Cheng Ji², Shu Jiang³
1 School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, China
2 Research Institute of Petroleum Engineering Technology, Sinopec Northwest Oilfield Company, Urumqi, 830011, China
3 Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources, Ministry of Education, No. 388, Lumo Road, Wuhan, 430074, China
* Corresponding Author: Yanling Wang. Email:
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Geomechanical Issures in the Development of Reservoirs and New Energy)

Energy Engineering https://doi.org/10.32604/ee.2025.070608

Received 20 July 2025; Accepted 23 October 2025; Published online 07 July 2026

Abstract

Hydraulic fracturing technology is regarded as the most prevalent and effective means for unlocking tight natural fractured sandstone reservoirs and understanding the fracture and pre-existing natural fracture interaction is critical in the hydraulic fracturing design. Based on the global cohesive element model, the geological and engineering parameters were compared to explore the stimulation effectiveness. Numerical simulations demonstrate that when hydraulic fractures encounter natural fractures, various phenomena such as sliding, termination, and crossing occur, demonstrating the complex mechanical interaction. As the joint fracture energy (JFE) increases, a decrease in the total length and width of the main fracture can be observed, accompanied by an increase in fracture complexity. This suggests that the energy required to propagate fractures across fractures plays a significant role in shaping the final fracture network. In addition, the elastic modulus of tight sandstone and rock reservoirs exerts a substantial influence on hydraulic fracture propagation. When elastic modulus increased, the fracture width decreased from 0.38 to 0.25 mm, a decrease of 34%. In addition, the fracture length increased from 121 to 151 m, an increase of 25%. Specifically, as the elastic modulus increases, the hydraulic fractures tend to become longer and narrower, indicating the material’s resistance to deformation and its impact on fracture geometry. Within the constraints defined by the model, and under a constant volume of fracturing fluid injection, an increase in the fracturing fluid injection rate (FFIR) leads to a heightened complexity of fractures and an expansion of the fracturing control zone. In practical scenarios, the complex fracture creation mitigates the notable impact of viscosity enhancement on fracture propagation within the fracturing fluid viscosity range of 1–100 cp. When the fracturing fluid viscosity (FFV) increased from 1 to 100 cp, the fracture width increased from 0.24 to 0.44 mm, an increase of 83%; The crack length decreased from 131 to 122 m, a decrease of 7%. This research offers theoretical underpinnings for investigating hydraulic fracturing propagation in tight sandstone formations characterized by pre-existing fractures.

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Keywords

Natural fracture; tight sandstone; hydraulic fracturing; cohesive element unit; fracture propagation

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