This paper pointed out that the simulation accuracy of original embedded discrete fracture model (EDFM) during early-time production of multi-stage fractured horizontal well is low due to the linear pressure distribution assumption in matrix cells containing fracture cells. To resolve the above limitation of original EDFM, a modified EDFM is presented by adding multi-layer virtual cells adjacent and parallel to fracture cells and changing the connections between cells. This modified EDFM can make the same function like LGR technique, and does not bring any complexity to pre-processing algorithm of EDFM, especially for its 3D implementations. A test case and an application example for complex fracture network are implemented to verify that this modified EDFM can significantly improve the early-time simulation accuracy to greatly eliminate the errors of the original EDFM.

Keywords:
complex reservoir, EDFM, oil production rate, transmissibility, hydraulic fracturing, pre-process algorithm, virtual cell, discrete fracture model, Upstream Oil & Gas, simulation accuracy
Subjects:
Hydraulic Fracturing, Unconventional and Complex Reservoirs, Multistage fracturing, Naturally-fractured reservoirs
Copyright 2019, Society of Petroleum Engineers
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