Hydraulic Fracture Propagation in Strike-Slip Regime With Weak Interfaces

With the increasingly extended application of hydraulic stimulation for unconventional reservoirs, and the production of hydrocarbons thereof, it became clear that weak interfaces, with a range of geological origins and various degrees of resistance, could play a significant role. These weak interfaces typically lay on horizontal or sub-horizontal planes. They often interact with a growing hydraulic fracture, acting as a barrier for height growth or allowing for the development of a complex fracture network. The development of methods for the simulation of hydraulic fracturing under these conditions is central for a suitable assessment of the effect of the many parameters involved. In the present work, we study the effect of weak interfaces on the propagation of the hydraulic fracture. We explore the effect of remote stresses, fracture energy and friction coefficient of the interfaces and comment on the application done on a real field operation. Results remark the importance of effectively assessing remote stresses and the mechanical characterization of this weak layers.