Effect of residual opening on the inflow performance of a hydraulic fracture

The problem of steady state fluid production from a hydraulic fracture subject to remote compressive stresses is considered. The fracture is partially filled with proppant and the distribution of proppant is symmetric about the wellbore. The unpropped fracture segments can provide additional length to the fracture and highly conductive pathways for fluid flow. However, these fracture segments are susceptible to closure due to the confining stresses. The governing equations for fracture opening and fluid flow into the fracture are solved numerically using the Gauss–Chebyshev quadrature technique and a sensitivity study is conducted to investigate the effect of the residual opening of the unpropped fracture segments on the performance of a hydraulic fracture. The range of governing parameters is identified for which the residual opening of a fracture leads to production enhancement.