氧化爆裂提高页岩气采收率的前景

Prospect of shale gas recovery enhancement by oxidation-induced rock burst

水平井分段压裂技术利用水力作用打碎页岩,形成缝网,以提高页岩气井的产量,但压裂液滞留造成的水相圈闭会影响改造效果。为此,考虑页岩中有机质、黄铁矿等组分易氧化的特征,基于"矛盾转化,变害为利"的思路,探讨了将压裂液滞留这一不利因素转化为改变气体赋存状态、激发页岩破裂的有利条件的方法,并分析了该方法在解决页岩气层水力压裂液滞留量大、损害潜力大、气井产量递减快、页岩气采收率低等问题中的应用前景。页岩有机质、黄铁矿氧化后会产生大量溶蚀孔缝,提升基块孔喉向裂缝系统的供气能力,同时氧化过程释放热量、增加孔隙压力可使岩石爆裂,诱发页岩微裂缝扩展、延伸,增加泄流面积、缩短基块内气体传输路径,从而达到解除损害、提高采收率的目的。该方法在现有水力压裂液中加入氧化流体,不仅可以利用现有水力压裂技术的水力作用"打碎"页岩,而且还可以利用氧化化学作用"爆裂页岩"。结论认为,该方法可以对页岩气藏传统的水力压裂方法形成有益的补充,在实现降本增效、页岩气井高产稳产与提高页岩气采收率方面具有广阔的应用前景。

By multi-staged fracturing technology for horizontal wells, shale rocks can be broken to form fracture networks via hydraulic force and increase the production rate of shale gas wells. Nonetheless, the fracturing stimulation effect may be offset by the water trap caused by water retention. In this paper, a technique in transferring the negative factor of fracturing fluid retention into a positive factor of changing the gas existence state and facilitating shale cracking was discussed using the easy oxidation characteristics of organic matter, pyrite and other minerals in shale rocks. Furthermore, the prospect of this technique in tackling the challenges of large retention volume of hydraulic fracturing fluid in shale gas reservoirs, high reservoir damage risks, sharp production decline rate of gas wells and low gas recovery, was analyzed. The organic matter and pyrite in shale rocks can produce a large number of dissolved pores and seams to improve the gas deliverability of the matrix pore throats to the fracture systems. Meanwhile, in the oxidation process, released heat and increased ,pore pressure will make shale rock burst, inducing expansion and extension of shale micro-fractures, increasing the drainage area and shortening the gas flowing path in matrix, and ultimately, removing reservoir damage and improving gas recovery. To sum up, the tech- nique discussed in the paper can be used to ＂break＂ shale rocks via hydraulic force and to ＂burst＂ shale rocks via chemical oxidation by adding oxidizing fluid to the hydraulic fracturing fluid. It can thus be concluded that this method can be a favorable supplementation for the conventional hydraulic fracturing of shale gas reservoirs. It has a broad application future in terms of reducing costs and increasing profits, maintaining plateau shale gas production and improving shale gas recovery.