Development of an Embedded Discrete Fracture Model for Multi-Phase Flow in Fractured Reservoir

Considering the discontinuities of the phase saturations and pressure gradients at the matrix-fracture interface, a modified algorithm for the embedded discrete fracture model is proposed. In this algorithm, the exchange rate between fracture and matrix on two sides of the interface are calculated separately. To avoid the problem for defining the physical variables on the matrix grid blocks overlaid by fracture, the Neumann boundary conditions are instead in the calculations of other matrix grid blocks. The numerical examples show that the simulation results of the proposed algorithm agree very well with those of the discrete fracture model. In reservoir with high matrix capillary pressure, the grids must be enough refined in the neighborhood of the matrix-fracture interface to achieve high numerical accuracy.