The law of fracture propagation and intersection in zipper fracturing of deep shale gas wells

In response to the unclear understanding of fracture propagation and intersection interference in zipper fracturing under the factory development model of deep shale gas wells, a coupled hydro-mechanical model for zipper fracturing considering the influence of natural fracture zones was established based on the finite element – discrete element method. The reliability of the model was verified using experimental data and field monitoring pressure increase data. Taking the deep shale gas reservoir in southern Sichuan as an example, the propagation and interference laws of fracturing fractures under the influence of natural fracture zones with different characteristics were studied. The results show that the large approaching angle fracture zone has a blocking effect on the forward propagation of fracturing fractures and the intersection of inter well fractures. During pump shutdown, hydraulic fractures exhibit continued expansion behavior under net pressure driving. Under high stress difference, as the approaching angle of the fracture zone increases, the response well pressure increase and the total length of the fractured fracture show a trend of first decreasing and then increasing, and first increasing and then decreasing, respectively. Compared to small approach angle fracture zones, natural fracture zones with large approach angles require longer time and have greater difficulty to intersect. The width of fractures and the length of natural fractures are negatively and positively correlated with the response well pressure increase, respectively, and positively and negatively correlated with the time required for intersection, the total length of hydraulic fractures, and fracturing efficiency, respectively. As the displacement distance of the well increases, the probability of fracture intersection decreases, but the regularity between displacement distance and the response well pressure increase and the total length of fractures is not obvious.