Work

Investigation of Fracture Propagation Simulation and Parameter Optimization of Multi-Cluster Temporary Plugging Fracturing

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The dense cutting fracturing mode has great potential in the exploitation of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, but it faces the problem of severe uneven crack propagation. Ball-sealer temporary plugging fracturing (BTPF) is capable of effectively facilitating the uniform growth of multi-cluster fractures. In this research, a multi-cluster fracture propagation model for BTPF was established. Then, the impact of ball-sealer efficiency, plugging timing, number of ball-sealer combinations, number of diversions, and perforation number on the propagation of hydraulic fractures after temporary plugging were simulated. The results indicate that ball-sealer efficiency has a significant impact on perforation sealing and fracture propagation. The optimization of the BTPF timing and the combination of ball sealers revealed that deploying 56.25% of the total number of ball sealers at 2/3 of the total fracturing time results in a higher degree of uniform crack propagation. The pattern of throwing more temporary balls in the first plugging and fewer temporary balls in the second plugging is superior to other two-step plugging patterns. The combined application of limited entry and temporary plugging in the fracturing process is more conducive to the uniform propagation of multi-cluster fractures. The fracture uniformity after BTPF is consistently higher than that achieved with limited-entry fracturing. This study provides valuable guidance for the reasonable design of ball-seal BTPF schemes.

Source: Processes

DOI: 10.3390/pr13030692