- Title
- Testing the suitability of Modflow for interpreting pump tests in a hydraulically fractured well
- Creator
- Morgan, Huw; Willgoose, Garry
- Relation
- Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium 2012. Proceedings of the 34th Hydrology & Water Resources Symposium (Sydney, Australia 19-22 November, 2012) p. 68-75
- Relation
- http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=904361076156941;res=IELENG
- Publisher
- Engineers Australia
- Resource Type
- conference paper
- Date
- 2012
- Description
- Hydraulic fracturing is used in the coal seam gas industry to stimulate a well to improve seam-to-well flow. This study involves a pump test investigation using Modflow (ModelMuse interface) to simulate a hydraulic fracture in coal. The investigation aimed to determine how Modflow responded to the presence of a fracture. This was achieved by comparing changes in pump test drawdown in response to changes in the dimensions and hydraulic properties of the coal and fracture using the oil industry "Fracture Conductivity" formula. The flow profile of the simulation was also compared with theoretical pump test drawdown equations to determine if, within the model, the flow around the well changed from radial to linear. The investigation found that the flow profile created in Modflow was neither linear nor radial, and instead created an ellipsoidal radial flow profile. Simulations with equal Fracture Conductivity values but different fracture dimensions produced different drawdown curves. This may be due to the model using Darcy flow within the fracture, while Fracture Conductivity assumes flow between two plates, resulting in a different head gradient-discharge relationship within a fracture. These results suggest that the complex nature of a fracture is beyond the capabilities of Modflow.
- Subject
- Modflow; ModelMuse interface; drawdown; coal seam gas
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1308704
- Identifier
- uon:21706
- Identifier
- ISBN:9781922107626
- Language
- eng
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