An integrated approach to simulate fracture permeability and flow characteristics using regenerated rock fracture from 3-D scanning: A numerical study

Abstract

Fluid flow in a rock fracture bounded by two rock surfaces with surface asperities is a complex phenomenon to study. However, precise knowledge of the flow characteristics through a real rock fracture is essential in order to design and estimate the efficiency and production of unconventional oil and gas exploration and geothermal energy extraction projects. The aim of this numerical study, is therefore to incorporate a rock fracture in the modelling platform using a pre-processing procedure and to couple it with the flow parameters. 3-D scanning technology was used to obtain the rock fracture surfaces and to generate the fracture profile in a grid matrix form. In addition, the generated fra..