Unveiling the Dynamics of Proppant Migration in Fractures Through Numerical Simulation

Abstract The migration of proppant within fractures directly affects the distribution pattern of the proppant, which is closely related to the effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing operations. This paper unveils the dynamics of proppant migration in fractures through numerical simulations and control variable method. The fundamental theoretical model shows the basis of simulation, and the Euler-Euler method is employed as the fundamental numerical calculation technique. The CFD software Fluent is chosen as the numerical simulation tool, and the three-dimensional modeling module is used to construct a fracture model. The turbulent model within Fluent is used, with defined computational methods and parameter settings, including construction parameters and fracturing fluid coefficients, which form the foundation of the entire flow simulation. Comparative experiments are conducted using the controlled variable method to observe the simulated results of experimental groups and study the morphological changes of the sand bed formed by the proppant particles after adjusting the variable parameters. The correlation between proppant particle migration and key factors, including injection plans and fracturing fluid parameters, is comprehensively examined, analyzed, and summarized. These findings unveil migration patterns of proppant particles within fractures, shedding light on the dynamics of proppant migration in fractures.