A semi-analytical model for coupled flow in stress-sensitive multi-scale shale reservoirs with fractal characteristics

A large number of nanopores and complex fracture structures in shale reservoirs results in multi-scale flow of oil. With the development of shale oil reservoirs, the permeability of multi-scale media undergoes changes due to stress sensitivity, which plays a crucial role in controlling pressure propagation and oil flow. This paper proposes a multi-scale coupled flow mathematical model of matrix nanopores, induced fractures, and hydraulic fractures. In this model, the micro-scale effects of shale oil flow in fractal nanopores, fractal induced fracture network, and stress sensitivity of multi-scale media are considered. We solved the model iteratively using Pedrosa transform, semi-analytic Segmented Bessel function, Laplace transform. The results of this model exhibit good agreement with the numerical solution and field production data, confirming the high accuracy of the model. As well, the influence of stress sensitivity on permeability, pressure and production is analyzed. It is shown that the permeability and production decrease significantly when induced fractures are weakly supported. Closed induced fractures can inhibit interporosity flow in the stimulated reservoir volume (SRV). It has been shown in sensitivity analysis that hydraulic fractures are beneficial to early production, and induced fractures in SRV are beneficial to middle production. The model can characterize multi-scale flow characteristics of shale oil, providing theoretical guidance for rapid productivity evaluation.

A synthetical geoengineering approach to evaluate the largest hydraulic fracturing-induced earthquake in the East Shale Basin, Alberta

On 2019-03-04,the largest induced earthquake(ML4.18)occurred in the East Shale Basin,Alberta,and the underlying physical mechanisms have not been fully understood.This paper proposes a synthetical geoengineering methodology to comprehensively characterize this earthquake caused by hydraulic fracturing.Based on 3D structural,petrophysical,and geomechanical models,an unconventional fracture model is constructed by considering the stress shadow between adjacent hydraulic fractures and the interactions between hydraulic and natural fractures.Coupled poroelastic simulations are conducted to reveal the triggering mechanisms of induced seismicity.It is found that four vertical basement-rooted faults were identified via focal mechanisms analysis.The brittleness index(BI)along two horizontal wells has a high magnitude(BI>0.5),indicating the potential susceptibility of rock brittleness.Due to the presence of overpressure,pre-existing faults in the Duvernay Formation are highly susceptible to fault reactivation.The occurrence of the earthquake clusters has been attributed to the fracturing fluid injection during the west 38^(th)-39^(th) stage and east 38^(th) stage completions.Rock brittleness,formation overpressure,and large fracturing job size account for the nucleation of earthquake clusters,and unconventional natural-hydraulic fracture networks provide fluid flow pathways to cause fault reactivation.This workflow can be used to mitigate potential seismic risks in unconventional reservoirs in other fields.

Enhanced recovery of tight reservoirs after fracturing by natural gas huff-n-puff: Underlying mechanisms and influential factors

Tight oil resources are abundant in the world.It is very important to strengthen the research on the development theory and technology of tight oil reservoirs for ensuring national energy security.Natural gas huff-n-puff can effectively improve the oil recovery of tight oil reservoirs.However,the pore-scale oil production characteristics and the mechanisms of natural gas huff-n-puff in matrix-fracture cores are poorly understood.The influence degree of important factors on oil recovery is not clear and the interactions between factors are rarely considered.In this paper,the oil production characteristics and mechanisms of natural gas huff-n-puff in tight cores with different fracture lengths were quantitatively analyzed by combining nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)with numerical simulation technology.The influencing factors and their interactions were evaluated by the response surface method(RSM).The results show that tight cores mainly consist of medium pores(0.1–1μm)and small pores(0.01–0.1μm).The fracture mainly increases the proportion of macro-pores(1–10μm)and medium pores.In the natural gas huff-n-puff process,crude oil from macro-pores(1–10μm)and medium pores is mainly developed,and the contribution percentage of crude oil in medium pores to oil recovery is the largest,up to 98.28%.The position of gas–oil contact(GOC)moves deeper as the number of huff-n-puff cycles increases.The contents of CH_(4) and CO_(2) in the oil phase remain at a high level within the GOC,while between the GOC and the component sweep front,the contents of CH_(4) and CO_(2) in the oil phase decrease with the increase in dimensionless distance.The gas component sweep volume is increasing with the increase in fracture length.Moreover,the injected natural gas mainly extracts C_(3)–C_(10) components from crude oil.The reduction law of crude oil viscosity is consistent with the migration laws of CH_(4) components along the path.Compared with soaking time and gas diffusion coefficient,the injection pressure is the most significant factor underlying the recovery of natural gas huff-n-puff in tight cores.Besides the influence of single-factor,the interaction effects of gas injection pressure and diffusion also should be considered to determine the huff-n-puff parameters in the field implementation of natural gas huff-n-puff in tight reservoirs after fracturing.