Creation of a Data-Calibrated Discrete Fracture Network of the Utah FORGE Site

TitleCreation of a Data-Calibrated Discrete Fracture Network of the Utah FORGE Site
Publication TypeConference Paper
Year of Publication2023
AuthorsCao, M., and M. M. Sharma
Conference Name57th US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium
Date Published06/2023
PublisherAmerican Rock Mechanics Association
Conference LocationAtlanta, Georgia, USA, 25-28 June 2023
Other NumbersARMA 23-0822
Abstract

Three single-cluster hydraulic fracture stages were pumped at the Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) site in Milford, Utah. Our goal was to develop a robust model to accurately represent the formation of fracture networks in this naturally fractured geothermal reservoir. To begin this process, we used geological and geophysical data and data from one-dimensional Fullbore Formation MicroImager (FMI) to build a discrete fracture network model for the natural fractures. The natural fracture network (DFN) was built stochastically with areal density, length, and orientation distribution of natural fractures. We then took one-dimensional synthetic cores to ensure that the number and density of fractures per unit length of the core matched with the actual measurements (for each fracture set) until the best statistical description of natural fractures was found. The length distribution of natural fractures was simulated using a power law distribution.