Tao Wang^1,2, Haiyang Yu^1,*, Jie Gao², Fei Wang², Xinlong Zhang^3,*, Hao Yang², Guirong Di², Pengrun Wang²

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.21, No.5, pp. 1191-1200, 2025, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2025.058865 - 30 May 2025

Abstract Oilfields worldwide are increasingly grappling with challenges such as early water breakthrough and high water production, yet direct, targeted solutions remain elusive. In recent years, chemical flooding techniques designed for tertiary oil recovery have garnered significant attention, with microgel flooding emerging as a particularly prominent area of research. Despite its promise, the complex mechanisms underlying microgel flooding have been rarely investigated numerically. This study aims to address these gaps by characterizing the distribution of microgel concentration and viscosity within different pore structures. To enhance the accuracy of these characterizations, the viscosity of microgels is adjusted More >

Zhuang Liu^1,*, Tingen Fan¹, Qianli Lu², Jianchun Guo², Renfeng Yang¹, Haifeng Wang¹

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.21, No.4, pp. 851-876, 2025, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2024.056729 - 06 May 2025

Abstract Thermal shock damage in deep shale hydraulic fracturing can impact fracture propagation behaviors, potentially leading to the formation of complex fractures and enhancing gas recovery. This study introduces a thermal-hydraulic-mechnical (THM) coupled fracture propagation model relying on the phase field method to simulate thermal shock-induced fracturing in the deep shale considering dynamic temperature conditions. The validity of this model is confirmed through comparison of experimental and numerical results concerning the THM-coupled stress field and thermal cracking. Special attention is paid to the interaction of thermal shock-induced fractures in deep shale that contains weak planes. More >

Yining Zhou¹, Yufeng Li², Chen Zhang², Tao Wu¹, Jingru Zhang², Bowen Yun², Rui Tan², Wei Yan^2,*

Energy Engineering, Vol.122, No.5, pp. 1823-1837, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ee.2025.062199 - 25 April 2025

Abstract This study investigated the micro-sliding frictional behavior of shale in fracturing fluids under varying operational conditions using Chang 7 shale oil reservoir core samples. Through systematic micro-sliding friction experiments, the characteristics and governing mechanisms of shale friction were elucidated. Complementary analyses were conducted to characterize the mineral composition, petrophysical properties, and micromorphology of the shale samples, providing insights into the relationship between microscopic structure and frictional response. In this paper, the characteristics and variation law of shale micro-sliding friction under different types of graphite materials as additives in LGF-80 (Low-damage Guar Fluid) oil flooding recoverable… More >

Weiping Ouyang^1,2, Luoyi Huang^3,*, Jinghua Liu^3,*, Hongzhong Zhang^1,2

Energy Engineering, Vol.122, No.4, pp. 1491-1509, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ee.2025.061171 - 31 March 2025

Abstract Hydraulic fracturing is a crucial technique for efficient development of coal reservoirs. Coal rocks typically contain a high density of natural fractures, which serve as conduits for fracturing fluid. Upon injection, the fluid infiltrates these natural fractures and leaks out, resulting in complex fracture morphology. The prediction of hydraulic fracture network propagation for coal reservoirs has important practical significance for evaluating hydraulic fracturing. This study proposes a novel inversion method for predicting fracture networks in coal reservoirs, explicitly considering the distribution of natural fractures. The method incorporates three distinct natural fracture opening modes and employs… More >

Mingqiang Wei^1,*, Neng Yang¹, Han Zou², Anhao Li³, Yonggang Duan¹

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.21, No.2, pp. 309-324, 2025, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2024.058454 - 06 March 2025

Abstract A precise diagnosis of the complex post-fracturing characteristics and parameter variations in tight gas reservoirs is essential for optimizing fracturing technology, enhancing treatment effectiveness, and assessing post-fracturing production capacity. Tight gas reservoirs face challenges due to the interaction between natural fractures and induced fractures. To address these issues, a theoretical model for diagnosing fractures under varying leak-off mechanisms has been developed, incorporating the closure behavior of natural fractures. This model, grounded in material balance theory, also accounts for shut-in pressure. The study derived and plotted typical G-function charts, which capture fracture behavior during closure. By More > Graphic Abstract

Xinli Zhao^1,*, Qianhua Xiao², Xuewei Liu³, Yu Shi⁴, Xiangji Dou¹, Guoqiang Xing¹

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.21, No.2, pp. 427-444, 2025, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2024.052646 - 06 March 2025

Abstract Tight oil reservoirs face significant challenges, including rapid production decline, low recovery rates, and a lack of effective energy replenishment methods. In this study, a novel development model is proposed, based on inter-fracture injection following volumetric fracturing and relying on a high-temperature and high-pressure large-scale physical simulation system. Additionally, the CMG (Computer Modelling Group Ltd., Calgary City, Canada) software is also used to elucidate the impact of various single factors on the production of horizontal wells while filtering out the interference of others. The effects of fracture spacing, fracture half-length, and the injection-production ratio are… More >

Haijie Zhang¹, Haifeng Zhao², Ming Jiang^3,*, Junwei Pu¹, Yuanping Luo¹, Weiming Chen¹, Tongtong Luo^1,4, Zhiqiang Li⁵, Xinan Yu⁶

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.21, No.1, pp. 221-232, 2025, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2024.053496 - 24 January 2025

Abstract Pressure control in deep shale gas horizontal wells can reduce the stress sensitivity of hydraulic fractures and improve the estimated ultimate recovery (EUR). In this study, a hydraulic fracture stress sensitivity model is proposed to characterize the effect of pressure drop rate on fracture permeability. Furthermore, a production prediction model is introduced accounting for a non-uniform hydraulic fracture conductivity distribution. The results reveal that increasing the fracture conductivity leads to a rapid daily production increase in the early stages. However, above 0.50 D·cm, a further increase in the fracture conductivity has a limited effect on More >

Chengyong Peng¹, Jianshu Wu¹, Mao Jiang¹, Biao Yin^2,3,*, Yishan Lou^2,3

Energy Engineering, Vol.122, No.1, pp. 185-201, 2025, DOI:10.32604/ee.2024.056062 - 27 December 2024

Abstract To analyze the differences in the transport and distribution of different types of proppants and to address issues such as the short effective support of proppant and poor placement in hydraulically intersecting fractures, this study considered the combined impact of geological-engineering factors on conductivity. Using reservoir production parameters and the discrete element method, multispherical proppants were constructed. Additionally, a 3D fracture model, based on the specified conditions of the L block, employed coupled (Computational Fluid Dynamics) CFD-DEM (Discrete Element Method) for joint simulations to quantitatively analyze the transport and placement patterns of multispherical proppants in… More > Graphic Abstract

Huayi Zhang¹, Maobin Song², Lei Shen^1,*, Nizar Faisal Alkayem¹, Maosen Cao³

Structural Durability & Health Monitoring, Vol.19, No.1, pp. 55-75, 2025, DOI:10.32604/sdhm.2024.052869 - 15 November 2024

Abstract The concrete panel of earth-rock dams in cold regions tends to crack due to the combination effect of non-uniform foundation settlement, ice expansion loads, and freeze-thaw damage. In this work, simulations are designed to investigate the effects of freeze-thaw damage degrees on the fracture behavior caused by the partial detachment and ice expansion loads on concrete panels. Results show that the range of detached panels and freeze-thaw damage degree are the dominant factors that affect the overall load-bearing capacity of the panel and the failure cracking modes, whereas the panel slope is a secondary factor. More >

Maria J. D’Amico¹, Jennifer A. Hagerty²

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.31, No.3, pp. 11908-11910, 2024

Abstract Urethral injuries are rare among the pediatric population, and the majority occur after trauma. This is the case of an eight-year-old female with complete proximal urethral disruption and ruptured bladder neck without pelvic fracture after a motor vehicle crash. After the accident, her bladder neck was reapproximated and a suprapubic tube was placed. Three months later, she underwent reconstruction for a bladder neck closure and appendicovesicostomy. In managing these patients, focus should first be directed at achieving a safe means of urinary drainage, and next to repair the lower urinary tract to maximize continence and More >