Crisman Annual Report 2009 - Harold Vance Department of ...

After successful validation, a fractal discrete fracture
network (FDFN) model was generated based on a
real outcrop data from Bridger Gap, Wyoming (Fig.
3). The model was compared with a system with no
fractures to observe the impact of the fractures on
sweep efficiency (Fig. 4).
The grid model of the fracture network is depicted in
Fig. 2b and Fig. 3c.
(a) Rose Diagram of FDFN
120
90
6
60
4
150
2
30
180 0
(b) Fracture network map
(c) Grid system
210
330
240
270
300
Oil producer
Fig. 3. (a) Rose diagram, (b) fracture network map, and (c) grid system
of an outcrop at Bridger Gap, Wyoming.
(a) Connected fractures
(b) No fracture
Fig. 4. Gas saturation at 730 days (fractured and unfractured systems).
Significance
A numerical simulator was developed in this work
that allows direct input and simulation of discrete
fracture networks. This work solved the problem
of how to grid fracture intersections. We now have
the capability of modeling connected fracture
networks thus bypassing conventional dual porosity
simulation.
Crisman Annual Report 2009
69