Study on the Influence of Hydraulic Fracturing on Productivity of Steam‐Assisted Gravity Drainage in Horizontal Wells of Heavy Oil Reservoirs

A numerical model for fractured dual‐horizontal‐well steam‐assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) in heavy oil reservoirs was established under thermo‐hydro‐mechanical coupling effects, and the influence law of fracturing on productivity in heavy oil reservoirs with interlayers was investigated. Results indicate that hydraulic fracturing provides effective flow channels for fluid migration and enhances steam chamber development, increasing the peak daily production of SAGD in interlayer‐bearing reservoirs by ≈14 times. Further research reveals the influence of fracture parameters on productivity: fracture height exerts a decisive effect on daily production, with a significant increase observed once fractures penetrate the interlayers; daily production rises with increasing fracture half‐length, but the growth rate diminishes when the half‐length exceeds 50% of the interlayer width; in the early production stage, fracture conductivity correlates positively with daily production while fracture spacing correlates negatively, yet both have negligible effects on productivity in the middle‐late stages. Finally, grey relational analysis shows the order of fracture parameters influencing daily production (from strongest to weakest): fracture spacing > fracture height > fracture conductivity > fracture half‐length. These findings are of great significance for the efficient development of interlayer‐bearing heavy oil reservoirs.