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Keywords = different hydraulic fracturing

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18 pages, 4232 KiB  
Article
Experimental Investigation on the Influence of Proppant Crushing on the Propped Fracture Conductivity
by Wen Wang, Desheng Zhou, Tuan Gu, Yanhua Yan, Xin Yang and Shucan Xu
Processes 2025, 13(7), 2166; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13072166 - 7 Jul 2025
Viewed by 245
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing is a key stimulation technique for enhancing the productivity of tight sandstone reservoirs, with the conductivity of propped fractures serving as a critical parameter for evaluating stimulation effectiveness. This study investigated the conductivity behavior of propped fractures through laboratory experiments using [...] Read more.
Hydraulic fracturing is a key stimulation technique for enhancing the productivity of tight sandstone reservoirs, with the conductivity of propped fractures serving as a critical parameter for evaluating stimulation effectiveness. This study investigated the conductivity behavior of propped fractures through laboratory experiments using commonly used oilfield proppants. The effects of proppant size, type, concentration, and proppant combination on fracture conductivity were systematically evaluated. Results show that at low closure stress, conductivity differences among various proppant types are negligible. However, under high closure stress, proppants with lower compressive strength exhibit significantly higher crushing rates, resulting in reduced conductivity compared to high-strength proppants. In mixtures of silica sand and ceramic proppant proppants, increasing the ceramic content lowers the overall crushing rate and mitigates conductivity degradation. Additionally, blending proppants of different sizes under high stress reduces breakage, with finer particles contributing to this effect. Higher proppant concentrations also lead to lower crushing rates and improved fracture conductivity. This work provides valuable insights into optimizing proppant selection and design for reservoir stimulation and oil and gas recovery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Energy Systems)
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20 pages, 2412 KiB  
Article
Strength Parameters and Failure Criterion of Granite After High-Temperature and Water-Cooling Treatment
by Jincai Yu, Cheng Cheng, Yuan Xie and Peng Chen
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(13), 7481; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15137481 - 3 Jul 2025
Viewed by 314
Abstract
Granite is the main rock type in hot dry rock reservoirs, and hydraulic fracturing is always required during the process of geothermal production. It is necessary to understand the strength parameters and failure criterion of granite after high-temperature and water-cooling treatment. In this [...] Read more.
Granite is the main rock type in hot dry rock reservoirs, and hydraulic fracturing is always required during the process of geothermal production. It is necessary to understand the strength parameters and failure criterion of granite after high-temperature and water-cooling treatment. In this paper, laboratory uniaxial and triaxial compression experiments are carried out on granite samples after high-temperature and water-cooling treatment. Combined with some experimental data collected from pre-existing studies, the variation behaviors of cohesion (c), the internal friction angle (φ) and tensile strength σt are systematically studied considering the heating and cooling treatment. It is found that c and φ generally show two different types of variation behaviors with the increasing heating temperature. Tensile strength decreases in a similar way for the different granite samples with the increasing treatment temperature. Empirical equations are provided to describe these strength parameters. Finally, a modified Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion with a “tension cut-off” is established for the granite samples, considering the effects of high-temperature and water-cooling treatment. This study should be helpful for understanding the mechanical behavior of hot dry rock during hydraulic fracturing in geothermal production, and the proposed failure criterion can be applied for the numerical modeling of reservoirs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Geotechnical and Geological Engineering)
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15 pages, 5406 KiB  
Article
The Conductivity of Combined Acid and Hydraulic Fracturing in the Fractured Tight Sandstone Reservoir: An Experimental Study
by Fen Peng, Jianxin Peng, Jianping Zhou, Junyan Liu, Qiuqiang Song, Ke Xu and Bo Gou
Processes 2025, 13(7), 2039; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13072039 - 27 Jun 2025
Viewed by 351
Abstract
In fractured tight sandstone reservoirs characterized by high calcium content, the composite stimulation technique that combines acid fracturing and hydraulic fracturing could show great production-enhancing capabilities. Nevertheless, the mechanisms of this composite technique remain unclear, and the field applications exhibit variability. Therefore, this [...] Read more.
In fractured tight sandstone reservoirs characterized by high calcium content, the composite stimulation technique that combines acid fracturing and hydraulic fracturing could show great production-enhancing capabilities. Nevertheless, the mechanisms of this composite technique remain unclear, and the field applications exhibit variability. Therefore, this study carried out fracture conductivity experiments, simulating different stimulation technologies to explore the influence of these techniques on the conductivity of artificial fractures, natural fractures, and reservoir fracture systems. The results indicate that composite stimulation enhances the conductivity of artificial fractures, natural fractures, and fracture networks. For artificial fractures, composite stimulation increases the conductivity to 2.5 times as much as that of sand-supported fractures at a sand concentration of 2 kg/m2. For natural fractures, after acid dissolution, the maximum sand concentration of 70/140 mesh proppants reaches 2 kg/m2, maintaining a conductivity of 4.2 D·cm under 40 MPa closure stress, while the conductivity of acid-etched fractures without proppant nearly vanishes. For fracture networks, when the sand concentration increases to 4 kg/m2, the conductivity reaches 3.5 times that at 2 kg/m2 and 2.8 times that of sand fracturing followed by acidizing. This study can provide guidance for the composite technique design in fractured tight sandstone reservoirs with high calcium content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Energy Systems)
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24 pages, 6478 KiB  
Article
Numerical Simulation of Multi-Cluster Fracture Propagation in Marine Natural Gas Hydrate Reservoirs
by Lisha Liao, Youkeren An, Jinshan Wang, Yiqun Zhang, Lerui Liu, Meihua Chen, Yiming Gao and Jiayi Han
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(7), 1224; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13071224 - 25 Jun 2025
Viewed by 216
Abstract
Natural gas hydrates (NGHs) are promising energy resources, although their marine exploitation is limited by low reservoir permeability and hydrate decomposition efficiency. Multi-cluster fracturing technology can enhance reservoir permeability, yet complex properties of hydrate sediments render the prediction of fracture behavior challenging. Therefore, [...] Read more.
Natural gas hydrates (NGHs) are promising energy resources, although their marine exploitation is limited by low reservoir permeability and hydrate decomposition efficiency. Multi-cluster fracturing technology can enhance reservoir permeability, yet complex properties of hydrate sediments render the prediction of fracture behavior challenging. Therefore, we developed a three-dimensional (3D) fluid–solid coupling model for hydraulic fracturing in NGH reservoirs based on cohesive elements to analyze the effects of sediment plasticity, hydrate saturation, fracturing fluid viscosity, and injection rate, as well as the stress interference mechanisms in multi-cluster simultaneous fracturing under different cluster spacings. Results show that selecting low-plastic reservoirs with high hydrate saturation (SH > 50%) and adopting an optimal combination of fracturing fluid viscosity and injection rate can achieve the co-optimization of stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) and cross-layer risk. In multi-cluster fracturing, inter-fracture stress interference promotes the propagation of fractures along the fracture plane while suppressing it in the normal direction of the fracture plane, and this effect diminishes significantly till 9 m cluster spacing. This study provides valuable insights for the selection of optimal multi-cluster fracturing parameters for marine NGH reservoirs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Geological Oceanography)
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29 pages, 6989 KiB  
Article
Numerical and Fracture Mechanical Evaluation of Safety Monitoring Indexes and Crack Resistance in High RCC Gravity Dams Under Hydraulic Fracture Risk
by Mohamed Ramadan, Jinsheng Jia, Lei Zhao, Xu Li and Yangfeng Wu
Materials 2025, 18(12), 2893; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18122893 - 18 Jun 2025
Viewed by 384
Abstract
High concrete gravity dams, particularly Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) types, face long-term safety challenges due to weak interlayer formation and crack propagation. This study presented a comprehensive evaluation of safety monitoring indexes for the Guxian high RCC dam (currently under construction) using both numerical [...] Read more.
High concrete gravity dams, particularly Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) types, face long-term safety challenges due to weak interlayer formation and crack propagation. This study presented a comprehensive evaluation of safety monitoring indexes for the Guxian high RCC dam (currently under construction) using both numerical and mathematical models. A finite element method (FEM) is employed with a strength reduction approach to assess dam stability considering weak layers. In parallel, a fracture mechanical model is used to investigate the safety of the Guxian dam based on failure assessment diagrams (FADs) for calculating the safety factor and the residual strength curve for calculating critical crack depth for two different crack locations, single-edge and center-through crack, to investigate the high possible risk associated with crack location on the dam safety. Additionally, the Guxian dam’s resistance to hydraulic fracture is assessed under two fracture mechanic failure modes, Mode I (open type) and Mode II (in-plane shear), by computing the ultimate overload coefficient using a proposed novel derived formula. The results show that weak layers reduce the dam’s safety index by approximately 20%, especially in lower sections with extensive interfaces. Single-edge cracks pose greater risk, decreasing the safety factor by 10% and reducing critical crack depth by 40% compared to center cracks. Mode II demonstrates higher resistance to hydraulic fracture due to greater shear strength and fracture energy, whereas Mode I represents the most critical failure scenario. The findings highlight the urgent need to incorporate weak layer behavior and hydraulic fracture mechanisms into dam safety monitoring, and to design regulations for high RCC gravity dams. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Construction and Building Materials)
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18 pages, 4627 KiB  
Article
Study of the Brittle–Ductile Characteristics and Fracture Propagation Laws of Ultra-Deep Tight Sandy Conglomerate Reservoirs
by Xianbo Meng, Zixi Jiao, Haiyan Zhu, Peng Zhao, Shijie Chen, Jun Zhou, Hongyu Xian and Yong Wang
Processes 2025, 13(6), 1880; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13061880 - 13 Jun 2025
Viewed by 352
Abstract
Ultra-deep tight sandy conglomerate reservoirs in the Junggar Basin are characterized by vertically alternating lithologies that include mudstone, sandy conglomerate, and sandstone. High in situ stresses and formation temperatures contribute to a brittle–ductile transition process in the reservoir rocks. However, the brittle behavior [...] Read more.
Ultra-deep tight sandy conglomerate reservoirs in the Junggar Basin are characterized by vertically alternating lithologies that include mudstone, sandy conglomerate, and sandstone. High in situ stresses and formation temperatures contribute to a brittle–ductile transition process in the reservoir rocks. However, the brittle behavior and ductile hydraulic fracture propagation mechanisms under in situ conditions remain inadequately understood. In this study, ultra-deep core samples were subjected to triaxial compression tests under varying confining pressures and temperatures to simulate different burial depths and evaluate their brittleness. A three-dimensional hydraulic fracture propagation model was developed in ABAQUS 2023 finite element software, incorporating a cohesive zone ductile constitutive model. Numerical simulations were conducted, considering interlayer horizontal stress differences, injection rate, and fracturing fluid viscosity, to systematically analyze the influence of geological and engineering factors on ductile fracture propagation. A fracture length–height competition diagram was constructed to illustrate the propagation mechanisms. The results reveal that high temperatures significantly accelerate the brittle–ductile transition, which occurs at confining pressures between 55 and 65 MPa. Following this transition, failure modes shift from single-shear failure to a multi-localized fracture with bulging deformation. Interlayer horizontal stress differences were found to strongly influence fracture penetration, with larger stress differences hindering vertical growth. Increasing injection rates promoted the uniform distribution of lateral fractures and fracture tip development, while medium- to high-viscosity fracturing fluids enhanced fracture width and vertical stimulation uniformity. These findings provide important insights for optimizing fracturing strategies and expanding the effective stimulation volume in the ultra-deep tight sandy conglomerate reservoirs of the Junggar Basin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Fracturing Technology for Oil and Gas Reservoir Stimulation)
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18 pages, 6495 KiB  
Article
Numerical Investigation of Factors Influencing Multiple Hydraulic Fracture Propagation from Directional Long Boreholes in Coal Seam Roofs
by Maolin Yang, Shuai Lv, Yu Meng, Xing Wang, Sicheng Wang and Jiangfu He
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(12), 6521; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15126521 - 10 Jun 2025
Viewed by 300
Abstract
The hanging of hard roofs in coal seams poses a significant threat to the safe mining of coal. Hydraulic fracturing is an important method to achieve the pre-weakening of coal seam roofs. Clarifying the scope of hydraulic fracturing in coal seam roofs and [...] Read more.
The hanging of hard roofs in coal seams poses a significant threat to the safe mining of coal. Hydraulic fracturing is an important method to achieve the pre-weakening of coal seam roofs. Clarifying the scope of hydraulic fracturing in coal seam roofs and its influencing factors is a prerequisite for ensuring the effectiveness of the pre-weakening process. In this paper, we developed a fluid–structure coupling numerical simulation model for hydraulic fracturing based on the element damage theory, and have systematically examined the effects of both engineering parameters and geological factors on the hydraulic fracture propagation behavior of the segmented fracturing of coal seam roofs. Results indicate that increasing the injection rate can significantly enhance fracture propagation length. A larger stress difference directs fractures along the maximum principal stress direction and effectively extends their length. Additionally, increasing the spacing between fracture stages reduces stress interference between clusters, leading to a transition from asymmetric to uniform fracture propagation. To validate the numerical simulation results, we conducted a field test on the hydraulic fracturing of the coal seam roof, and monitored the affected area by using transient electromagnetic and microseismic monitoring techniques. Monitoring results indicated that the effective impact range of field hydraulic fracturing was consistent with the numerical simulation results. Through the systematic monitoring of support resistance and coal body stress, the supporting resistance in the fractured zone decreased by 25.10%, and the coal seam stress in the fractured zone exhibited a 1 MPa reduction. Observations demonstrate the significant effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing in regional control of the coal seam roof. This study combines numerical simulation with engineering practice to investigate hydraulic fracturing performance under varying operational conditions, with the findings providing robust technical support for safe and efficient mining production. Full article
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24 pages, 3887 KiB  
Article
Applying Quantitative Fluorescence Techniques to Investigate the Effectiveness of Deep-Seated Mudstone Caprocks in the Junggar Basin, NW China
by Jiangxiu Qu, Keshun Liu, Hailei Liu, Minghui Zhou, Xiujian Ding and Ming Zha
Geosciences 2025, 15(6), 215; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences15060215 - 10 Jun 2025
Viewed by 2424
Abstract
The Central Depression of the Junggar Basin relies heavily on Permian lacustrine mudstone for deep-seated hydrocarbon sealing. This research investigated how the fluorescence parameters of caprock samples responded to the leakage of palaeo-oil zones based on measurements from SEM, Rock-Eval, and X-ray diffraction [...] Read more.
The Central Depression of the Junggar Basin relies heavily on Permian lacustrine mudstone for deep-seated hydrocarbon sealing. This research investigated how the fluorescence parameters of caprock samples responded to the leakage of palaeo-oil zones based on measurements from SEM, Rock-Eval, and X-ray diffraction analysis. First, two sets of control experiments were conducted to establish the proper grain-size range of 100–140 mesh for testing caprock samples in the research area using quantitative fluorescence technology. Subsequently, based on the examination of the rock pyrolysis parameters and the fluorescence parameters against TOC values, the conjecture was formed that the quantitative fluorescence technology test results were mostly unaffected by the primary hydrocarbons. Lastly, four fluorescence parameters were used to assess seal integrity: quantitative grain fluorescence intensity of the extract (QGF E intensity, the meaning of QGF is the same in this study), QGF spectral peaks (QGF λmax), the ratio of QGF intensity to fluorescence intensity at 300 nm on the QGF spectrum (QGF index), and total scanning fluorescence spectral ratio R1 (TSF R1). The Permian caprock can effectively seal hydrocarbons as evidenced by the decrease of QGF E intensity and QGF index values with depth. When hydraulic fracturing causes caprock failure, it can lead to complete leakage of hydrocarbons from the palaeo-oil zones. As the depth becomes shallower, the QGF E intensity value increases, the QGF index value decreases. Due to the differences in the migration pathways of hydrocarbons in the caprock, those leaked from the Permian palaeo-oil zone into the well PD1 caprock are mainly condensate and light–normal crude oil, while the hydrocarbons from the Carboniferous palaeo-oil zone into the well MS1 caprock consist predominantly of light–normal crude oil and medium–heavy crude oil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Geochemistry)
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23 pages, 11273 KiB  
Article
The In-Plane Compression Response of Thermoplastic Composites: Effects of High Strain Rate and Type of Thermoplastic Matrix
by Svetlana Risteska, Marco Peroni, Sara Srebrenkoska, Vineta Srebrenkoska, Tatjana Glaskova-Kuzmina and Andreas Hornig
J. Compos. Sci. 2025, 9(6), 293; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs9060293 - 7 Jun 2025
Viewed by 519
Abstract
Designing thermoplastic composites for particular uses requires understanding their dynamic mechanical behaviour, which affects how well they operate in practical settings. The Split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) test allows for evaluating these materials’ responses to high strain rates. In this study, an in-situ [...] Read more.
Designing thermoplastic composites for particular uses requires understanding their dynamic mechanical behaviour, which affects how well they operate in practical settings. The Split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) test allows for evaluating these materials’ responses to high strain rates. In this study, an in-situ laser-assisted fibre placement (LAFP) machine has been utilised to produce laminate composites with varied designs, i.e., different angles of layers [0/45/–45/90]4s, using three types of thermoplastic tapes (UD-CF/PPS, UD-CF/PEEK, and UD-CF/PEKK). Using a servo-hydraulic testing machine and SHPB apparatus, we have examined the dynamic compressive behaviour of thermoplastic laminate composites with various matrices (PPS, PEEK, and PEKK) in in-plane directions and at strain rates of approx. 0.001, 0.1, 10, 800, 1800/s. Experimental results indicate that the type of thermoplastic matrix and strain rate significantly affect how the laminate composites behave. The in-plane compressive strength and modulus increase approximately linearly with the strain rate. According to the fracture of morphological pictures, the main failure mechanism of all three types of specimens is shear failure under in-plane compression loads, which is followed by delamination and burst. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Advanced Composites, 2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 4956 KiB  
Article
Effect of Geostress Variation on Hydraulic Fracturing Behavior and Stress Redistribution in Coal Seam Roofs
by Kaikai Zhao, Peng Huang, Yufeng He, Liyin Cui, Peng Liu, Yanjun Feng, Xiaodong Sun and Shuhang Cao
Processes 2025, 13(6), 1732; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13061732 - 1 Jun 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 468
Abstract
A comprehensive understanding of hydraulic fracturing behavior and its impact on regional stress distribution under varying principal stress conditions is essential for preventing dynamic disasters. In this study, true triaxial hydraulic fracturing experiments were conducted using roof sandstone from the Mengcun coal mine. [...] Read more.
A comprehensive understanding of hydraulic fracturing behavior and its impact on regional stress distribution under varying principal stress conditions is essential for preventing dynamic disasters. In this study, true triaxial hydraulic fracturing experiments were conducted using roof sandstone from the Mengcun coal mine. The 3D structure of the hydraulic fractures was reconstructed using CT scanning and numerical simulation to elucidate the effect of intricate geostress conditions on hydraulic fracture propagation. The results indicate that the difference in maximum principal stress plays a crucial role in initiating and propagating hydraulic fractures. Specifically, a greater difference in maximum principal stress increases the likelihood of hydraulic fracture deflection. As this stress difference rises, the angle of hydraulic fracture deflection increases. Additionally, the presence of a hydraulic fracture alters the characteristics of the stress field, leading to stress concentration at the hydraulic fracture tip and stress unloading on both sides. Although the effects of injection rate and rock lithology were not considered in this study, this study remains valuable for optimizing hydraulic fracturing parameters in coal seam roofs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Coal Mine Disaster Prevention Technology)
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25 pages, 6152 KiB  
Article
Impact of Rock Elastic Properties on Fracture Geometry in Potential Enhanced Geothermal Systems in Poland
by Rafał Moska, Krzysztof Labus and Piotr Kasza
Energies 2025, 18(11), 2869; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18112869 - 30 May 2025
Viewed by 415
Abstract
In hot dry rocks (HDRs), hydraulic fracturing is necessary to create enhanced geothermal systems (EGSs) and optimize flow rates between injection and production wells. The geometry of the induced fracture is related to numerous factors, including rock mechanical properties, especially Young’s modulus and [...] Read more.
In hot dry rocks (HDRs), hydraulic fracturing is necessary to create enhanced geothermal systems (EGSs) and optimize flow rates between injection and production wells. The geometry of the induced fracture is related to numerous factors, including rock mechanical properties, especially Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio. In this paper, we show the influence of Young’s and Poisson’s parameters on fracture geometry in selected HDR-type prospective areas in Poland. Parameters were determined in the laboratory based on drill core samples from granite and sandstone formations using both dynamic and static methods. The results obtained reveal strong differences between dynamic and static values in granite and less diverse results in sandstone. Based on these data, numerical simulations of fracture geometry were carried out, taking into account the variability in the rocks’ elastic parameters. Sensitivity analysis showed that relatively high diversity in the elastic parameters led to a relatively slight impact on the fracture geometry of the tested formations. The influence of Young’s modulus did not exceed 6.5% of the reference half-length and width values for sandstone and 7.3% of the half-length for granite. Variability in the fracture width was significant in granite formation and amounted to 46.4%. The influence of Poisson’s ratio was marginal in both tested types of rocks. The research results, which have not been reported previously, can be considered for the design of hydraulic fracturing operations in enhanced geothermal systems in Poland. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Status and Development Trend of Geothermal Resources)
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24 pages, 4545 KiB  
Article
Experimental and Numerical Study of Multi-Cluster Fracturing in Horizontal Wells for Low-Permeability Reservoirs
by Peng Ji, Shoumei Qiu, Hao Zhang, Wang Zhou, Guoqiang Song and Zizhen Wang
Processes 2025, 13(6), 1693; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13061693 - 28 May 2025
Viewed by 440
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing is a crucial technology for developing unconventional oil and gas resources, widely used to enhance low-permeability reservoirs. To clarify the complex fracture propagation behavior in the Shahejie Formation III of the Dagang Oilfield, Bohai Bay Basin, a typical low-permeability reservoir, we [...] Read more.
Hydraulic fracturing is a crucial technology for developing unconventional oil and gas resources, widely used to enhance low-permeability reservoirs. To clarify the complex fracture propagation behavior in the Shahejie Formation III of the Dagang Oilfield, Bohai Bay Basin, a typical low-permeability reservoir, we conducted laboratory experiments using physical models along with numerical simulations based on the cohesive element method. These approaches were used to study the impact of various formation and operational parameters on the fracture morphology of multi-cluster hydraulic fracturing, including formation properties (permeability, elastic modulus, Poisson’s ratio) and operational conditions (in situ stress, perforation cluster number, injection rate, and fracturing fluid viscosity). The results indicate that an increased horizontal stress difference coefficient can induce a transition from symmetric bi-wing fractures to asymmetric multi-branch fractures. Increasing the number of perforation clusters leads to stress interference between fractures, enhancing fracture complexity. Higher fracturing fluid injection rates promote the formation of long and wide main fractures but reduce the complexity of the fracture network, while fracturing fluid viscosity has a weaker influence on fracture morphology. Among the investigated factors, the number of perforation clusters and the injection rate exhibited a strong control on the fracture parameters. Notably, the variation trends of the fracture parameters with respect to the influencing factors in both experiments and numerical simulations were generally consistent. This study provides theoretical support for complex fracture network prediction and fracturing design optimization for low-permeability reservoirs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Energy Systems)
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18 pages, 3541 KiB  
Article
Construction and Application of a Quantitative Perforation Erosion Model Based on Field Experiments
by Bo Wang, Huan Li, Enyu Zhang, Jinglong Ma, Zichen Shang and Xiongfei Liu
Materials 2025, 18(11), 2507; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18112507 - 26 May 2025
Viewed by 377
Abstract
Perforation erosion is one of the critical factors influencing the effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing and the productivity of oil and gas wells. This study developed a mathematical model for perforation erosion based on the field experimental data and theoretical analysis. This model comprehensively [...] Read more.
Perforation erosion is one of the critical factors influencing the effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing and the productivity of oil and gas wells. This study developed a mathematical model for perforation erosion based on the field experimental data and theoretical analysis. This model comprehensively considers the effects of the rate of change in perforation diameter and the flow coefficient. Through field experiments, the values of the perforation diameter correlation coefficient (α) and the flow coefficient correlation coefficient (β) were determined. The wear behavior of perforations under high-pressure sand-carrying fluid conditions was thoroughly investigated, and the primary factors influencing perforation erosion were systematically analyzed. The results indicate that perforation erosion under high-pressure sand-carrying fluid conditions undergoes two distinct stages: the roundness erosion stage, characterized by a sharp pressure drop (greater than 30%) and the diameter erosion stage, marked by a gradual pressure decline (less than 5%), ultimately forming a trumpet-shaped perforation channel. The study further revealed that larger proppants cause significantly severe erosion than smaller proppants, resulting in 18.19% greater perforation diameter enlargement. In comparison tests, ceramic proppants produced 16.87% more diameter expansion than quartz sand under identical erosion conditions. Innovatively, this study proposes a “limited entry and temporary plugging” synergistic composite process. The timing of temporary plugging and the selection criteria for diverter size were clarified and optimized by determining the critical perforation friction for limited-entry failure based on inter-cluster stress differences. Field applications demonstrate that the optimized approach reduces erosion rates by 35–50%, improves fracture uniformity to over 80%, and increases single-well productivity by 18–25%. This research provides a quantitative basis and practical guidance for optimizing fracturing operation parameters, offering significant insights for enhancing the efficiency and productivity of hydraulic fracturing in oil and gas wells. Full article
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14 pages, 2211 KiB  
Article
Discrimination Model of Interaction Between Hydraulic Fracture and Natural Fracture Based on Energy Balance
by Chao Liu, Xinggui Yang, Wenqi Cao, Jin Lin, Yuxuan Liu and Hang Zhang
Processes 2025, 13(6), 1652; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13061652 - 24 May 2025
Viewed by 521
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing technology has been extensively applied for the efficient development of unconventional reservoirs. Influenced by geological discontinuities such as naturally fractured weak planes, the complex interaction behaviors between hydraulic fractures and natural fractures significantly challenge the prediction of hydraulic fracture propagation paths. [...] Read more.
Hydraulic fracturing technology has been extensively applied for the efficient development of unconventional reservoirs. Influenced by geological discontinuities such as naturally fractured weak planes, the complex interaction behaviors between hydraulic fractures and natural fractures significantly challenge the prediction of hydraulic fracture propagation paths. Establishing interaction discrimination models to predict these behaviors proves crucial for characterizing post-stimulation fracture complexity. This study develops a discrimination model for hydraulic-natural fracture interactions based on fracture mechanics theory and energy balance principles. The critical conditions of hydraulic fracture crossing, natural fracture opening, and slippage are quantified, and the interaction propagation behavior of hydraulic fracture and natural fracture under different geological parameters is analyzed. Key findings reveal three interaction modes after fracture intersection: direct hydraulic fracture crossing, natural fracture opening, and natural fracture slippage. However, continuous fluid injection-induced pressure buildup within fractures ultimately drives hydraulic fracture crossing through natural fractures. Threshold effects emerge at specific hydraulic fracture lengths (0.5 m) and fracture toughness values (2 MPa·m0.5), governing the transition between direct crossing and natural fracture opening behaviors. Horizontal stress difference directly modulates the threshold values of natural fracture cohesion, friction coefficient, and approach angle. These three parameters collectively control the temporal sequence of hydraulic fracture crossing behaviors through natural fractures. The interaction discrimination model established in this study provides theoretical guidance for optimizing fracturing parameter design in fractured reservoirs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Fracturing Technology for Oil and Gas Reservoir Stimulation)
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23 pages, 5192 KiB  
Article
Different Sensitivities of Earthquake-Induced Water Level Responses and the Influencing Factors in Fault Zones: Insights from the Dachuan-Shuangshi Fault
by Ju Zhang, Hongbiao Gu, Deyang Zhao, Xuelian Rui, Xiaoming Zhang and Xiansi Huang
Water 2025, 17(11), 1568; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17111568 - 23 May 2025
Viewed by 442
Abstract
The earthquake-induced water level responses in the fault zone may be distinctly different, even when the underground wells are very close. How to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the differences and controlling factors of the groundwater response to earthquakes in the fracture zone is [...] Read more.
The earthquake-induced water level responses in the fault zone may be distinctly different, even when the underground wells are very close. How to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the differences and controlling factors of the groundwater response to earthquakes in the fracture zone is a hot topic in seismic hydrogeology. This study utilizes three adjacent groundwater monitoring wells, located across distinct structural domains of the Dachuan-Shuangshi Fault, to systematically investigate the different sensitivities of earthquake-induced water level responses and their main influencing factors. The statistical results reveal that monitoring wells located on opposing fault blocks demonstrate higher co-seismic sensitivity compared to the well situated within the fault fracture zone. The water level co-seismic responses are governed by multiple controlling factors, rather than being dominated by individual parameters. Therefore, we employed random forest to quantitatively assess the importance of influencing factors related to hydraulic parameters, aquifer confinement, fault architecture, tidal characteristics, and barometric efficiency. The results showed that hydraulic properties and aquifer confinement are the primary factors influencing the differential sensitivity of water level co-seismic responses. In contrast, the influence of barometric efficiency on water level co-seismic responses is relatively minor. These findings provide critical insights into the understanding of the mechanism and characteristics of seismic hydrological responses in fault zones and provide support for optimizing the placement of groundwater monitoring in seismotectonic environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Natural Hazards and Disaster Risks Reduction, 2nd Edition)
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