Modeling of crack initiation and propagation in porous samples due to fluid pressure using Abacus software

Given the high importance of hydraulic failure in the oil and gas industry in order to stimulate and increase the capacity of oil reservoirs, the analysis of crack propagation in these environments during this process is very important. Although the amount of porosity in such reservoirs may be low, but these porosities and cracks, are considered as weaknesses and discontinuities of the environment and a determining factor in the number and propagation path of the cracks. In the present paper, using the linear elastic fracture mechanics, initiation, propagation and spread of cracks in porous samples are modeled by the finite element method (XFEM) developed in Abacus software, based on the criterion of the maximum principle stress and the criterion of independent of the failure. In order to validate the proposed method,, the results were compared with the KGD method and with an error of 0.04% in the maximum crack opening size and 4.87% in the maximum crack length, an acceptable agreement was obtained. The results showed that the use of spring elements as elastic support to simulate the elastic properties of the environment can be useful and effective. The hydraulic fracture modeling process is performed on microscopy-CT scan images of three real sandstone samples and the crack growth path is analyzed. Also, the amount of energy absorbed per unit length in each sample is calculated and the final path of crack propagation with increasing injection pressure is presented. Then, by calculating the percentage of empty space before and after failure in each sample, absolute and relative failures in each case are calculated and the results are compared with each other. The results show that due to compression and reduction of porosity, the absorbed energy per unit length decreases and a lower level of the sample is affected by hydraulic failure.