Kunyi Wu¹, Bo Lei¹, Yanhua Qiu¹, Hui Li², Shize Wei¹, Feng Wang¹, Yu Wu^1,*, Liming Zhang^2,*

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.22, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2026.076662 - 04 March 2026

Abstract This study investigates in-station pressure drop mechanisms in a shale gas gathering system, providing a quantitative basis for flow system optimization. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, based on field-measured parameters related to a representative case (a shale gas platform located in Sichuan, China) are conducted to analyze the flow characteristics of specific fittings and manifolds, and to quantify fitting resistance coefficients and manifold inlet interference. The resulting coefficients are integrated into a full-station gathering network model in PipeSim, which, combined with production data, enables evaluation of pressure losses and identification of equivalent pipeline blockages. The… More >

Yongjun Xiao¹, Yuduo Sun^2,*, Jian Zheng¹, Xiaojin Zhou³, Wang Liu¹, Cheng Shen², Qi Deng², Hao Zhao⁴

Energy Engineering, Vol.123, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ee.2025.070942 - 27 February 2026

Abstract The shale gas development in China faces challenges such as complex reservoir conditions and high development costs. Based on the pore pressure and geostress coupling theory, this paper studies the geostress evolution laws and fracture network characteristics of shale gas infill wells. A mechanism model of CN platform logging data and geomechanical parameters is established to simulate the influence of parent well’s production on the geostress in the infill well area. It is suggested that with the increase of production time, normal fault stress state and horizontal stress deflection will occur. The smaller the parent… More >

Pu Liu, Guangwei Bai^*, Wei Li, Chuanhua Ge

Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol.23, No.6, pp. 1847-1864, 2025, DOI:10.32604/fhmt.2025.070378 - 31 December 2025

Abstract To address the issue of uneven temperature distribution in shale gas oil-based drill cuttings pyrolysis furnaces, a numerical model was developed using Fluent software. The effects of nitrogen flow rate, heating tube spacing, and furnace dimensions on the internal temperature field were thoroughly analyzed from a mechanistic perspective. The results indicated that non-uniform radiation from the heating tubes and flow disturbances induced by the nitrogen stream were the primary causes of localized heat concentration. Under no-load conditions, the maximum deviation between simulated and on-site measured temperatures was 1.5%, validating the model’s accuracy. Furthermore, this study More >

Hai Li¹, Ziqiang Xia^2,3,*, Majia Zheng⁴, Weiyang Xie^2,3, Jianlin Li¹, Ruiqi Gao^2,3, Gaoxiang Wang^2,3, Jiangrong Feng^2,3

Energy Engineering, Vol.122, No.12, pp. 5039-5054, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ee.2025.069036 - 27 November 2025

Abstract To explore and evaluate the longitudinal utilization degree of marine shale gas horizontal wells in southern Sichuan Basin (hereinafter referred to as “southern Sichuan”), focusing on the shale of Wufeng formation-Longyi1 sub-member in the deep Z block. By using the data from core experiments, well logging, and fracture height detection, a systematic analysis from the perspectives of reservoir distribution, longitudinal utilization height of hydraulic fractures, and longitudinal utilization degree of horizontal wells was conducted. The research results show that: (1) The overall reservoir conditions of the Wufeng formation-Longyi1 sub-member in the study area are relatively… More > Graphic Abstract

Junchen Liu¹, Feng Zhou¹, Xiaofeng Lu¹, Xiaojin Zhou², Xianjun He¹, Yurou Du³, Fuguo Xia¹, Junfu Zhang⁴, Weiyi Luo^4,*

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.21, No.10, pp. 2613-2628, 2025, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2025.069772 - 30 October 2025

Abstract In shale gas reservoir stimulation, proppants are essential for sustaining fracture conductivity. However, increasing closing stress causes proppants to embed into the rock matrix, leading to a progressive decline in fracture permeability and conductivity. Furthermore, rock creep contributes to long-term reductions in fracture performance. To elucidate the combined effects of proppant embedding and rock creep on sustained conductivity, this study conducted controlled experiments examining conductivity decay in propped fractures under varying closing stresses, explicitly accounting for both mechanisms. An embedded discrete fracture model was developed to simulate reservoir production under different conductivity decay scenarios, while… More >

Cuiping Yuan^1,2,*, Sicun Zhong^1,3,*, Yijia Wu^1,3, Man Chen⁴, Ying Wang^1,3, Yinping Cao⁵, Jia Chen^1,2

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.21, No.7, pp. 1689-1710, 2025, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2025.065151 - 31 July 2025

Abstract Field development practices in many shale gas regions (e.g., the Changning region) have revealed a persistent issue of suboptimal reserve utilization, particularly in areas where the effective drainage width of production wells is less than half the inter-well spacing (typically 400–500 m). To address this, infill drilling has become a widely adopted and effective strategy for enhancing reservoir contact and mobilizing previously untapped reserves. However, this approach has introduced significant inter-well interference, complicating production dynamics and performance evaluation. The two primary challenges hindering efficient deployment of infill wells are: (1) the quantitative assessment of hydraulic… More >

Weiyang Xie^1,2, Cheng Chang^1,2, Ziqin Lai^1,2,*, Sha Liu^1,2, Han Xiao^1,2

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.21, No.6, pp. 1417-1438, 2025, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2025.060956 - 30 June 2025

Abstract In the context of post-stimulation shale gas wells, the terms “shut-in” and “flowback” refer to two critical phases that occur after hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has been completed. These stages play a crucial role in determining both the well’s initial production performance and its long-term hydrocarbon recovery. By establishing a comprehensive big data analysis platform, the flowback dynamics of over 1000 shale gas wells were analyzed in this work, leading to the development of an index system for evaluating flowback production capacity. Additionally, a shut-in chart was created for wells with different types of post-stimulation fracture More >

Qi Deng¹, Qi Ruan², Bo Zeng¹, Qiang Liu³, Yi Song¹, Shen Cheng¹, Huiying Tang^2,*

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.21, No.5, pp. 1201-1219, 2025, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2025.060311 - 30 May 2025

Abstract Over more than a decade of development, medium to deep shale gas reservoirs have faced rapid production declines, making sustained output challenging. To harness remaining reserves effectively, advanced fracturing techniques such as infill drilling are essential. This study develops a complex fracture network model for dual horizontal wells and a four-dimensional in-situ stress evolution model, grounded in elastic porous media theory. These models simulate and analyze the evolution of formation pore pressure and in-situ stress during production. The investigation focuses on the influence of infill well fracturing timing on fracture propagation patterns, individual well productivity, and… More >

Anqi Du^1,*, Ming Wen², Jian Yang¹

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.21, No.4, pp. 939-957, 2025, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2024.058553 - 06 May 2025

Abstract Horizontal wells play a crucial role in enhancing shale gas reservoir production. This study employs transient multiphase simulation to investigate the impact of well trajectory on production optimization throughout a well’s life cycle. The research uses OLGA^TM as a simulator to examine six well trajectories: toe-up, toe-down, smooth horizontal, undulated toe-up, undulated toe-down, and undulated horizontal. Initial findings indicate comparable production rates across different trajectories during the early production phase, with toe-up wells showing slightly better performances due to minimal slugging. However, as the reservoir pressure decreases, the well trajectory significantly influences production. Horizontal wells achieve More >

Sheng Ju, Jie Liu^*

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.21, No.3, pp. 529-542, 2025, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2024.057535 - 01 April 2025

Abstract As shale gas technology has advanced, the horizontal well fracturing model has seen widespread use, leading to substantial improvements in industrial gas output from shale gas wells. Nevertheless, a swift decline in the productivity of individual wells remains a challenge that must be addressed throughout the development process. In this study, gas wells with two different wellbore trajectory structures are considered, and the OLGA software is exploited to perform transient calculations on various tubing depth models. The results can be articulated as follows. In terms of flow patterns: for the deep well A₁ (upward-buckled), slug flow… More > Graphic Abstract