Peculiarities of hydraulic fracture propagation in media with heterogeneous toughness: The energy balance, elastic battery and fluid backflow

This paper investigates hydraulic fracture in a medium with periodic heterogeneous toughness. Results for the plane-strain (KGD) model are analysed. The energy distribution as the fracture propagates is examined, along with the evolution of the crack geometry. It is shown that the solid layer acts as an elastic battery, discharging to promote rapid propagation through weaker material layers. The limiting case of an infinite-length crack is discussed. The velocity of the fluid throughout the crack length is also considered. For fractures in high-toughness material it is shown that fluid backflow can occur, with its profile dependent on the toughness distribution. The implications of these findings are discussed.