Physical Simulation Experiments of Hydraulic Fracture Initiation and Propagation under the Influence of Deep Shale Natural Fractures
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Experimental Equipment and Sample
2.2. Experimental Method and Procedure
- (1)
- Polish the irregular residue on the sample surface to make the surface of the samples regular and flat. The installation process of the rock sample can be performed smoothly.
- (2)
- Put the experimental sample into the predetermined position of the triaxial stress loading chamber through the lifting machine. Then install metal cushion blocks between the hydraulic pump and rock sample to make it fully fit with the surface of the sample and ensure uniform stress on the sample.
- (3)
- Add the pre-configured fracturing fluid, which is prepared with glycerin and dye, into the fracturing intermediate container. Then connect the fracturing fluid pipeline outlet with the pressure sensor, and then connect the pipeline with the upper part of the wellbore.
- (4)
- Apply triaxial stress to the rock sample by using the hydraulic pump. In this process, it is necessary to maintain the slow and synchronous loading of three-dimensional stress.
- (5)
- After the triaxial stress of the rock sample reaches the predetermined value, pump fluid into the sample at a small pumping rate to fill the fracturing fluid injection pipeline and wellbore space. When the pipeline pressure has an upward trend, inject fracturing fluid into the wellbore with a pre-designed pumping rate, and record the changes in pumping pressure and pumping rate during fracturing through the data acquisition system. When the pressure curve of the computer acquisition system window shows a sudden drop in pressure, it indicates that the sample has successfully fractured. Then continue to record the change rule of injection pressure with injection displacement.
- (6)
- Stop the pump to complete the test when the predetermined pumping volume is reached. Then remove the sample from the triaxial stress loading chamber with a lifting machine. Use a large cutting machine to cut the sample along the fracture surface, observe and record the space coordinate position of the residual tracer trace from the cutting surface, and determine the shape and extension direction of the crack initiation.
3. Results and Discussion
4. Conclusions
- (1)
- The direction of triaxial principal stress will be deflected by the near-wellbore natural fracture, which causes significant near-wellbore tortuosity propagation of hydraulic fractures. As well, the deflection degree of the triaxial principal stress direction and the probability of hydraulic fractures near-wellbore tortuosity propagation is negatively correlated with the natural fracture dip angle.
- (2)
- The influence of high-dip angle fracture on the maximum and minimum horizontal principal stresses is not obvious. In this case, the propagation of hydraulic fracture is also controlled by the three-dimensional principal stress. With the prefabricated natural fracture dip angle decreasing (from 80° to 60° and then to 40°), the deflection degree of the maximum and minimum horizontal principal stress directions increases. As well, the shape of the hydraulic fracture gradually deviates from the control of maximum and minimum horizontal principal stresses.
- (3)
- The hydraulic fractures will propagate in the direction controlled by triaxial stress in the far-wellbore area after tortuously propagating. For reservoirs with natural fractures, proppant in hydraulic fracturing should be added after the fractures are fully expanded, and the amount of pre-fluid should be increased to prevent sand from plugging in tortuous fractures.
- (4)
- The stress-sensitive effect of natural fractures impacts the permeability of natural fractures and the fracturing fluid leak-off in natural fractures. Natural fractures are easily crossed by hydraulic fractures when their permeability is small. When the difference between the horizontal principal stresses is more than 20 MPa, the spread of fracturing fluid in the natural fracture will be strongly inhibited, and only a part of the natural fracture area in the sample is stained. Therefore, enhancing the permeability of natural fractures with corrosion fracture filler can increase the complexity of the fracture network.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Sample No | Sizes of Rock Sample (mm) | Depth of the Wellbore (mm) | Length of Steel Pipe (mm) | Inner Diameter of Steel Pipe (mm) | Triaxial Principal Stress X-Y-Z (MPa) | Number of Natural Fracture | Natural Fracture Dip Angle (°) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
P1-1 | 300 × 300 × 300 | 150 | 145 | 25 | 50-60-60 | 1 | 80 |
P1-2 | 50-65-65 | 1 | 80 | ||||
P1-3 | 50-70-70 | 1 | 80 | ||||
P2-1 | 50-60-60 | 1 | 60 | ||||
P2-2 | 50-65-65 | 1 | 60 | ||||
P2-3 | 50-70-70 | 1 | 60 | ||||
P3-1 | 50-60-60 | 1 | 40 | ||||
P3-2 | 50-65-65 | 1 | 40 | ||||
P3-3 | 50-70-70 | 1 | 40 | ||||
P4 | 50-65-65 | 2 | 80/80 | ||||
P5 | 50-65-65 | 2 | 80/−80 | ||||
P6 | 50-65-65 | 2 | 40/40 | ||||
P7 | 50-65-65 | 2 | 40/−40 | ||||
P8 | 50-65-65 | 2 | 80/0 |
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Hu, Z.; Chen, P.; Jiang, W.; Yang, Y.; Li, Y.; Zou, L.; Wang, H.; Sun, Y.; Peng, Y. Physical Simulation Experiments of Hydraulic Fracture Initiation and Propagation under the Influence of Deep Shale Natural Fractures. Processes 2023, 11, 1934. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11071934
Hu Z, Chen P, Jiang W, Yang Y, Li Y, Zou L, Wang H, Sun Y, Peng Y. Physical Simulation Experiments of Hydraulic Fracture Initiation and Propagation under the Influence of Deep Shale Natural Fractures. Processes. 2023; 11(7):1934. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11071934
Chicago/Turabian StyleHu, Zhou, Pengfei Chen, Wei Jiang, Yadong Yang, Yizhen Li, Longqing Zou, Huaming Wang, Yuping Sun, and Yu Peng. 2023. "Physical Simulation Experiments of Hydraulic Fracture Initiation and Propagation under the Influence of Deep Shale Natural Fractures" Processes 11, no. 7: 1934. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11071934
APA StyleHu, Z., Chen, P., Jiang, W., Yang, Y., Li, Y., Zou, L., Wang, H., Sun, Y., & Peng, Y. (2023). Physical Simulation Experiments of Hydraulic Fracture Initiation and Propagation under the Influence of Deep Shale Natural Fractures. Processes, 11(7), 1934. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11071934