Using percolation-based effective-medium approximation to determine
effective permeability in fractured reservoirs
Abstract
Fractures play an important role in transport in unconventional
formations. Both matrix and fracture network in fractured media
contribute to the effective permeability (keff). In this
study, we investigate the interaction between matrix and fracture
permeabilities (km and kf) via the
percolation-based effective-medium approximation (P-EMA). We
theoretically determine the keff value at different
fracture densities and compare our results with two- and
three-dimensional numerical simulations. We found that the P-EMA
estimated the effective permeability accurately in the matrix-fracture
systems studied here. Further investigations are needed to better
understand how the parameters of the P-EMA including scaling exponent
and critical fracture density might vary from one fractured reservoir to
another.