Numerical simulation of surface and downhole deformation induced by hydraulic fracturing

摘要

Tiltmeter mapping technology infers hydraulic fracture geometry by measuring fracture-induced rock deformation, which recorded by highly sensitive tiltmeters placed at the surface and in nearby observation wells. By referencing Okada's linear elastic theory and :4 Green's function method, we simulate and analyze the surface and downhole deformation caused by hydraulic fracturing using the homogeneous elastic half-space model and layered elastic model. Simulation results suggest that there is not much difference in the surface deformation patterns between the two models, but there is a significant difference in the downhole deformation patterns when hydraulic fracturing penetrates a stratum. In such cases, it is not suitable to assume uniform elastic half-space when calculating the downhole deformation. This work may improve the accuracy and reliability of the inversion results of tiltmeter monitoring data.