Numerical investigation of fracture spacing and sequencing effects on multiple hydraulic fracture interference and coalescence in brittle and ductile reservoir rocks

For unconventional resources exploration and development, hydraulic fracture pattern and associated dimensions are critical in determining well stimulation efficiency and ultimate recovery. When creating arrays of hydraulic fractures along horizontal wells, stress field changes induced by hydraulic fractures themselves can lead to fracture interference and coalescence. The resulting complex fracture geometry may compromise or improve the effectiveness of the stimulation job, depending on the nature of the context. Currently, the prevailing approach for hydraulic fracture modeling also relies on Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM), which uses stress intensity factor at the fracture tip as fracture propagation criteria. Even though LEFM can predict hard rock hydraulic fracturing processes reasonably, but often fails to give accurate predictions of fracture geometry and propagation pressure in quasi-brittle and ductile rocks, such as poorly consolidated sands and clay-rich shales. In this study, a fully coupled hydraulic fracture propagation model based on the Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM), Cohesive Zone Method (CZM) and Mohr-Coulomb theory of plasticity is presented, to investigate the interference and coalescence of fluid-driven hydraulic fractures that initiated from horizontal wells. The results indicate that fracture spacing and the relative timing of fracture initiation control whether the fractures compete against each other to form a divergent pattern or coalesce into a single, primary fracture. Fracture growth can be arrested after fracture tips pass by when simultaneously fracturing adjacent horizontal wells. Even though the in-elastic rock deformation due to shear failure can strongly impact fracture geometry and fracturing pressure, it has limited influence on hydraulic fracture interaction patterns.