A review of reservoir damage during hydraulic fracturing of deep and ultra-deep reservoirs

Deep and ultra-deep reservoirs have gradually become the primary focus of hydrocarbon exploration as a result of a series of significant discoveries in deep hydrocarbon exploration worldwide.These reservoirs present unique challenges due to their deep burial depth(4500-8882 m),low matrix permeability,complex crustal stress conditions,high temperature and pressure(HTHP,150-200℃,105-155 MPa),coupled with high salinity of formation water.Consequently,the costs associated with their exploitation and development are exceptionally high.In deep and ultra-deep reservoirs,hydraulic fracturing is commonly used to achieve high and stable production.During hydraulic fracturing,a substantial volume of fluid is injected into the reservoir.However,statistical analysis reveals that the flowback rate is typically less than 30%,leaving the majority of the fluid trapped within the reservoir.Therefore,hydraulic fracturing in deep reservoirs not only enhances the reservoir permeability by creating artificial fractures but also damages reservoirs due to the fracturing fluids involved.The challenging“three-high”environment of a deep reservoir,characterized by high temperature,high pressure,and high salinity,exacerbates conventional forms of damage,including water sensitivity,retention of fracturing fluids,rock creep,and proppant breakage.In addition,specific damage mechanisms come into play,such as fracturing fluid decomposition at elevated temperatures and proppant diagenetic reactions at HTHP conditions.Presently,the foremost concern in deep oil and gas development lies in effectively assessing the damage inflicted on these reservoirs by hydraulic fracturing,comprehending the underlying mechanisms,and selecting appropriate solutions.It's noteworthy that the majority of existing studies on reservoir damage primarily focus on conventional reservoirs,with limited attention given to deep reservoirs and a lack of systematic summaries.In light of this,our approach entails initially summarizing the current knowledge pertaining to the types of fracturing fluids employed in deep and ultra-deep reservoirs.Subsequently,we delve into a systematic examination of the damage processes and mechanisms caused by fracturing fluids within the context of hydraulic fracturing in deep reservoirs,taking into account the unique reservoir characteristics of high temperature,high pressure,and high in-situ stress.In addition,we provide an overview of research progress related to high-temperature deep reservoir fracturing fluid and the damage of aqueous fracturing fluids to rock matrix,both artificial and natural fractures,and sand-packed fractures.We conclude by offering a summary of current research advancements and future directions,which hold significant potential for facilitating the efficient development of deep oil and gas reservoirs while effectively mitigating reservoir damage.

Evaluating the stability and volumetric flowback rate of proppant packs in hydraulic fractures using the lattice Boltzmann-discrete element coupling method

The stability and mobility of proppant packs in hydraulic fractures during hydrocarbon production are numerically investigated by the lattice Boltzmann-discrete element coupling method(LB-DEM).This study starts with a preliminary proppant settling test,from which a solid volume fraction of 0.575 is calibrated for the proppant pack in the fracture.In the established workflow to investigate proppant flowback,a displacement is applied to the fracture surfaces to compact the generated proppant pack as well as further mimicking proppant embedment under closure stress.When a pressure gradient is applied to drive the fluid-particle flow,a critical aperture-to-diameter ratio of 4 is observed,above which the proppant pack would collapse.The results also show that the volumetric proppant flowback rate increases quadratically with the fracture aperture,while a linear variation between the particle flux and the pressure gradient is exhibited for a fixed fracture aperture.The research outcome contributes towards an improved understanding of proppant flowback in hydraulic fractures,which also supports an optimised proppant size selection for hydraulic fracturing operations.

Extreme massive hydraulic fracturing in deep coalbed methane horizontal wells:A case study of the Linxing Block,eastern Ordos Basin,NW China

Deep coal seams show low permeability,low elastic modulus,high Poisson’s ratio,strong plasticity,high fracture initiation pressure,difficulty in fracture extension,and difficulty in proppants addition.We proposed the concept of large-scale stimulation by fracture network,balanced propagation and effective support of fracture network in fracturing design and developed the extreme massive hydraulic fracturing technique for deep coalbed methane(CBM)horizontal wells.This technique involves massive injection with high pumping rate+high-intensity proppant injection+perforation with equal apertures and limited flow+temporary plugging and diverting fractures+slick water with integrated variable viscosity+graded proppants with multiple sizes.The technique was applied in the pioneering test of a multi-stage fracturing horizontal well in deep CBM of Linxing Block,eastern margin of the Ordos Basin.The injection flow rate is 18 m^(3)/min,proppant intensity is 2.1 m^(3)/m,and fracturing fluid intensity is 16.5 m^(3)/m.After fracturing,a complex fracture network was formed,with an average fracture length of 205 m.The stimulated reservoir volume was 1987×10^(4)m^(3),and the peak gas production rate reached 6.0×10^(4)m^(3)/d,which achieved efficient development of deep CBM.

Influences of clean fracturing fluid viscosity and horizontal in-situ stress difference on hydraulic fracture propagation and morphology in coal seam

The viscosity of fracturing fluid and in-situ stress difference are the two important factors that affect the hydraulic fracturing pressure and propagation morphology. In this study, raw coal was used to prepare coal samples for experiments, and clean fracturing fluid samples were prepared using CTAB surfactant. A series of hydraulic fracturing tests were conducted with an in-house developed triaxial hydraulic fracturing simulator and the fracturing process was monitored with an acoustic emission instrument to analyze the influences of fracturing fluid viscosity and horizontal in-situ stress difference on coal fracture propagation. The results show that the number of branched fractures decreased, the fracture pattern became simpler, the fractures width increased obviously, and the distribution of AE event points was concentrated with the increase of the fracturing fluid viscosity or the horizontal in-situ stress difference. The acoustic emission energy decreases with the increase of fracturing fluid viscosity and increases with the increase of horizontal in situ stress difference. The low viscosity clean fracturing fluid has strong elasticity and is easy to be compressed into the tip of fractures, resulting in complex fractures. The high viscosity clean fracturing fluids are the opposite. Our experimental results provide a reference and scientific basis for the design and optimization of field hydraulic fracturing parameters.

Hydraulic fracturing behaviors of shale under coupled stress and temperature conditions simulating different burial depths

Fracture propagation in shale under in situ conditions is a critical but poorly understood mechanical process in hydraulic fracturing for deep shale gas reservoirs. To address this, hydraulic fracturing experiments were conducted on hollow double-wing crack specimens of the Longmaxi shale under conditions simulating the ground surface(confining pressure σ_(cp)=0, room temperature(Tr)) and at depths of 1600 m(σ_(cp)=40 MPa, Ti=70 ℃) and 3300 m(σ_(cp)=80 MPa, high temperature Ti=110 ℃) in the study area.High in situ stress was found to significantly increase fracture toughness through constrained microcracking and particle frictional bridging mechanisms. Increasing the temperature enhances rather than weakens the fracture resistance because it increases the grain debonding length, which dissipates more plastic energy and enlarges grains to close microdefects and generate compressive stress to inhibit microcracking. Interestingly, the fracture toughness anisotropy in the shale was found to be nearly constant across burial depths, despite reported variations with increasing confining pressure. Heated water was not found to be as important as the in situ environment in influencing shale fracture. These findings emphasize the need to test the fracture toughness of deep shales under coupled in situ stress and temperature conditions rather than focusing on either in situ stress or temperature alone.

Implications for fault reactivation and seismicity induced by hydraulic fracturing

Evaluating the physical mechanisms that link hydraulic fracturing(HF) operations to induced earthquakes and the anticipated form of the resulting events is significant in informing subsurface fluid injection operations. Current understanding supports the overriding role of the effective stress magnitude in triggering earthquakes, while the impact of change rate of effective stress has not been systematically addressed. In this work, a modified critical stiffness was brought up to investigate the likelihood, impact,and mitigation of induced seismicity during and after hydraulic fracturing by developing a poroelastic model based on rate-and-state fraction law and linear stability analysis. In the new criterion, the change rate of effective stress was considered a key variable to explore the evolution of this criterion and hence the likelihood of instability slip of fault. A coupled fluid flow-deformation model was used to represent the entire hydraulic fracturing process in COMSOL Multiphysics. The possibility of triggering an earthquake throughout the entire hydraulic fracturing process, from fracturing to cessation, was investigated considering different fault locations, orientations, and positions along the fault. The competition between the effects of the magnitude and change rate of effective stress was notable at each fracturing stage. The effective stress magnitude is a significant controlling factor during fracturing events, with the change rate dominating when fracturing is suddenly started or stopped. Instability dominates when the magnitude of the effective stress increases(constant injection at each fracturing stage) and the change rate of effective stress decreases(the injection process is suddenly stopped). Fracturing with a high injection rate, a fault adjacent to the hydraulic fracturing location and the position of the junction between the reservoir and fault are important to reduce the Coulomb failure stress(CFS) and enhance the critical stiffness as the significant disturbance of stresses at these positions in the coupled process. Therefore,notable attention should be given to the injection rate during fracturing, fault position, and position along faults as important considerations to help reduce the potential for induced seismicity. Our model was verified and confirmed using the case of the Longmaxi Formation in the Sichuan Basin, China, in which the reported microseismic data were correlated with high critical stiffness values. This work supplies new thoughts of the seismic risk associated with HF engineering.

Effect mechanism of seepage force on the hydraulic fracture propagation

The flow of fluid through the porous matrix of a reservoir rock applies a seepage force to the solid rock matrix.Although the seepage force exerted by fluid flow through the porous matrix of a reservoir rock has a notable influence on rock deformation and failure,its effect on hydraulic fracture(HF)propagation remains ambiguous.Therefore,in this study,we improved a traditional fluid–solid coupling method by incorporating the role of seepage force during the fracturing fluid seepage,using the discrete element method.First,we validated the simulation results of the improved method by comparing them with an analytical solution of the seepage force and published experimental results.Next,we conducted numerical simulations in both homogeneous and heterogeneous sandstone formations to investigate the influence of seepage force on HF propagation.Our results indicate that fluid viscosity has a greater impact on the magnitude and extent of seepage force compared to injection rate,and that lower viscosity and injection rate correspond to shorter hydraulic fracture lengths.Furthermore,seepage force influences the direction of HF propagation,causing HFs to deflect towards the side of the reservoir with weaker cementation and higher permeability.

Using fracture-based continuum modeling of coupled geomechanical-hydrological processes for numerical simulation of hydraulic fracturing

This paper describes numerical simulation of hydraulic fracturing using fracture-based continuum modeling(FBCM)of coupled geomechanical-hydrological processes to evaluate a technique for high-density fracturing and fracture caging.The simulations are innovative because of modeling discrete fractures explicitly in continuum analysis.A key advantage of FBCM is that fracture initiation and propagation are modeled explicitly without changing the domain grid(i.e.no re-meshing).Further,multiple realizations of a preexisting fracture distribution can be analyzed using the same domain grid.The simulated hydraulic fracturing technique consists of pressurizing multiple wells simultaneously:initially without permeating fluids into the rock,to seed fractures uniformly and at high density in the wall rock of the wells;followed by fluid injection to propagate the seeded fracture density hydraulically.FBCM combines the ease of continuum modeling with the potential accuracy of modeling discrete fractures and fracturing explicitly.Fractures are modeled as piecewise planar based on intersections with domain elements;fracture geometry stored as continuum properties is used to calculate parameters needed to model individual fractures;and rock behavior is modeled through tensorial aggregation of the behavior of discrete fractures and unfractured rock.Simulations are presented for previously unfractured rock and for rock with preexisting fractures of horizontal,shallow-dipping,steeply dipping,or vertical orientation.Simulations of a single-well model are used to determine the pattern and spacing for a multiple-well design.The results illustrate high-density fracturing and fracture caging through simultaneous fluid injection in multiple wells:for previously unfractured rock or rock with preexisting shallow-dipping or horizontal fractures,and in situ vertical compressive stress greater than horizontal.If preexisting fractures are steeply dipping or vertical,and considering the same in situ stress condition,well pressurization without fluid permeation appears to be the only practical way to induce new fractures and contain fracturing within the target domain.

Stress tensor determination by modified hydraulic tests on pre-existing fractures:Method and stress constraints

The hydraulic testing of pre-existing fractures(HTPF)is one of the most promising in situ stress measurement methods,particularly for three-dimensional stress tensor determination.However,the stress tensor determination based on the HTPF method requires at least six tests or a minimum of 14-15 tests(under different conditions)for reliable results.In this study,we modified the HTPF method by considering the shear stress on each pre-existing fracture,which increased the number of equations for the stress tensor determination and decreased the number of tests required.Different shear stresses were attributed to different fractures by random sampling;therefore,the stress tensors were obtained by searching for the optimal solution using the least squares criterion based on the Monte Carlo method.Thereafter,we constrained the stress tensor based on the tensile strength criterion,compressive strength criterion,and vertical stress constraints.The inverted stress tensors were presented and analyzed based on the tensorial nature of the stress using the Euclidean mean stress tensor.Two stress-measurement campaigns in Weifang(Shandong Province,China)and Mercantour road tunnel(France)were implemented to highlight the validity and efficiency of the modified HTPF(M-HTPF)method.The results showed that the M-HTPF method can be applied for stress tensor inversion using only three to four tests on pre-existing fractures,neglecting the stress gradient.The inversion results were confined to relatively small distribution dispersions and were significantly reliable and stable due to the shear stresses on the fractures and the stress constraints employed.The M-HTPF method is highly feasible and efficient for complete stress tensor determination in a single borehole.

Multistage hydraulic fracturing of a horizontal well for hard roof related coal burst control:Insights from numerical modelling to field application

Multistage hydraulic fracturing of horizontal wells(MFHW)is a promising technology for controlling coal burst caused by thick and hard roofs in China.However,challenges remain regarding the MFHW control mechanism of coal burst and assessment of the associated fracturing effects.In this study,these challenges were investigated through numerical modelling and field applications,based on the actual operating parameters of MFHW for hard roofs in a Chinese coal mine.A damage parameter(D)is proposed to assess the degree of hydraulic fracturing in the roof.The mechanisms and effects of MFHW for controlling coal burst are analyzed using microseismic(MS)data and front-abutment stress distribution.Results show that the degree of fracturing can be categorized into lightly-fractured(D≤0.3),moderately fractured(0.3<D≤0.6),well-fractured(0.6<D≤0.9),and over-fractured(0.9<D≤0.95).A response stage in the fracturing process,characterized by a slowdown in crack development,indicates the transition to a wellfractured condition.After MFHW,the zone range and peak value of the front-abutment stress decrease.Additionally,MS events shift from near the coal seam to the fractured roof layers,with the number of MS events increases while the average MS energy decreases.The MFHW control mechanisms of coal bursts involve mitigating mining-induced stress and reducing seismic activity during longwall retreat,ensuring stresses remain below the ultimate stress level.These findings provide a reference for evaluating MFHW fracturing effects and controlling coal burst disasters in engineering.

Physical and numerical investigations of target stratum selection for ground hydraulic fracturing of multiple hard roofs

Ground hydraulic fracturing plays a crucial role in controlling the far-field hard roof,making it imperative to identify the most suitable target stratum for effective control.Physical experiments are conducted based on engineering properties to simulate the gradual collapse of the roof during longwall top coal caving(LTCC).A numerical model is established using the material point method(MPM)and the strain-softening damage constitutive model according to the structure of the physical model.Numerical simulations are conducted to analyze the LTCC process under different hard roofs for ground hydraulic fracturing.The results show that ground hydraulic fracturing releases the energy and stress of the target stratum,resulting in a substantial lag in the fracturing of the overburden before collapse occurs in the hydraulic fracturing stratum.Ground hydraulic fracturing of a low hard roof reduces the lag effect of hydraulic fractures,dissipates the energy consumed by the fracture of the hard roof,and reduces the abutment stress.Therefore,it is advisable to prioritize the selection of the lower hard roof as the target stratum.

Numerical analysis of hydraulic fracture propagation in deep shale reservoir with different injection strategies

Deep shale reservoirs are characterized by elevated breakdown pressures,diminished fracture complexity,and reduced modified volumes compared to medium and shallow reservoirs.Therefore,it is urgent to investigate particular injection strategies that can optimize breakdown pressure and fracturing efficiency to address the increasing demands for deep shale reservoir stimulation.In this study,the efficiency of various stimulation strategies,including multi-cluster simultaneous fracturing,modified alternating fracturing,alternating shut-in fracturing,and cyclic alternating fracturing,was evaluated.Subsequently,the sensitivity of factors such as the cycle index,shut-in time,cluster spacing,and horizontal permeability was investigated.Additionally,the flow distribution effect within the wellbore was discussed.The results indicate that relative to multi-cluster simultaneous fracturing,modified alternating fracturing exhibits reduced susceptibility to the stress shadow effect,which results in earlier breakdown,extended hydraulic fracture lengths,and more consistent propagation despite an increase in breakdown pressure.The alternating shut-in fracturing benefits the increase of fracture length,which is closely related to the shut-in time.Furthermore,cyclic alternating fracturing markedly lowers breakdown pressure and contributes to uniform fracture propagation,in which the cycle count plays an important role.Modified alternating fracturing demonstrates insensitivity to variations in cluster spacing,whereas horizontal permeability is a critical factor affecting fracture length.The wellbore effect restrains the accumulation of pressure and flow near the perforation,delaying the initiation of hydraulic fractures.The simulation results can provide valuable numerical insights for optimizing injection strategies for deep shale hydraulic fracturing.

Extended finite element-based cohesive zone method for modeling simultaneous hydraulic fracture height growth in layered reservoirs

In this study,a fully coupled hydromechanical model within the extended finite element method(XFEM)-based cohesive zone method(CZM)is employed to investigate the simultaneous height growth behavior of multi-cluster hydraulic fractures in layered porous reservoirs with modulus contrast.The coupled hydromechanical model is first verified against an analytical solution and a laboratory experiment.Then,the fracture geometry(e.g.height,aperture,and area)and fluid pressure evolutions of multiple hydraulic fractures placed in a porous reservoir interbedded with alternating stiff and soft layers are investigated using the model.The stress and pore pressure distributions within the layered reservoir during fluid injection are also presented.The simulation results reveal that stress umbrellas are easily to form among multiple hydraulic fractures’tips when propagating in soft layers,which impedes the simultaneous height growth.It is also observed that the impediment effect of soft layer is much more significant in the fractures suppressed by the preferential growth of adjoining fractures.After that,the combined effect of in situ stress ratio and fracturing spacing on the multi-fracture height growth is presented,and the results elucidate the influence of in situ stress ratio on the height growth behavior depending on the fracture spacing.Finally,it is found that the inclusion of soft layers changes the aperture distribution of outmost and interior hydraulic fractures.The results obtained from this study may provide some insights on the understanding of hydraulic fracture height containment observed in filed.

A phase-field model for simulating the propagation behavior of mixed-mode cracks during the hydraulic fracturing process in fractured reservoirs

A novel phase-field model for the propagation of mixed-mode hydraulic fractures,characterized by the formation of mixed-mode fractures due to the interactions between fluids and solids,is proposed.In this model,the driving force for the phase field consists of both tensile and shear components,with the fluid contribution primarily manifesting in the tension driving force.The displacement and pressure are solved simultaneously by an implicit method.The numerical solution's iterative format is established by the finite element discretization and Newton-Raphson(NR)iterative methods.The correctness of the model is verified through the uniaxial compression physical experiments on fluid-pressurized rocks,and the limitations of the hydraulic fracture expansion phase-field model,which only considers mode I fractures,are revealed.In addition,the influence of matrix mode II fracture toughness value,natural fracture mode II toughness value,and fracturing fluid injection rate on the hydraulic fracture propagation in porous media with natural fractures is studied.

Numerical Analysis of Perforation during Hydraulic Fracture Initiation Based on Continuous-Discontinuous Element Method

Perforation is a pivotal technique employed to establish main flow channels within the reservoir formation at the outset of hydraulic fracturing operations.Optimizing perforation designs is critical for augmenting the efficacy of hydraulic fracturing and boosting oil or gas production.In this study,we employ a hybrid finite-discrete element method,known as the continuous–discontinuous element method(CDEM),to simulate the initiation of post-perforation hydraulic fractures and to derive enhanced design parameters.The model incorporates the four most prevalent perforation geometries,as delineated in an engineering technical report.Real-world perforations deviate from the ideal cylindrical shape,exhibiting variable cross-sectional profiles that typically manifest as an initial constriction followed by an expansion,a feature consistent across all four perforation types.Our simulations take into account variations in perforation hole geometries,cross-sectional diameters,and perforation lengths.The findings show that perforations generated by the 39g DP3 HMX perforating bullet yield the lowest breakdown pressure,which inversely correlates with increases in sectional diameter and perforation length.Moreover,this study reveals the relationship between breakdown pressure and fracture degree,providing valuable insights for engineers and designers to refine perforation strategies.

Integrated numerical simulation of hydraulic fracturing and production in shale gas well considering gas-water two-phase flow

Based on the displacement discontinuity method and the discrete fracture unified pipe network model,a sequential iterative numerical method was used to build a fracturing-production integrated numerical model of shale gas well considering the two-phase flow of gas and water.The model accounts for the influence of natural fractures and matrix properties on the fracturing process and directly applies post-fracturing formation pressure and water saturation distribution to subsequent well shut-in and production simulation,allowing for a more accurate fracturing-production integrated simulation.The results show that the reservoir physical properties have great impacts on fracture propagation,and the reasonable prediction of formation pressure and reservoir fluid distribution after the fracturing is critical to accurately predict the gas and fluid production of the shale gas wells.Compared with the conventional method,the proposed model can more accurately simulate the water and gas production by considering the impact of fracturing on both matrix pressure and water saturation.The established model is applied to the integrated fracturing-production simulation of practical horizontal shale gas wells.The simulation results are in good agreement with the practical production data,thus verifying the accuracy of the model.

Influence of High-Density Bedding Plane Characteristics on Hydraulic Fracture Propagation in Shale Oil Reservoir

The existence of high-density bedding planes is a typical characteristic of shale oil reservoirs.Understanding the behavior of hydraulic fracturing in high-density laminated rocks is significant for promoting shale oil production.In this study,a hydraulic fracturing model considering tensile failure and frictional slip of the bedding planes is established within the framework of the unified pipe-interface element method(UP-IEM).The model developed for simulating the interaction between the hydraulic fracture and the bedding plane is validated by comparison with experimental results.The hydraulic fracturing patterns in sealed and unsealed bedding planes are compared.Additionally,the effects of differential stress,bedding plane permeability,spacing,and the friction coefficient of the bedding plane are investigated.The results showed that a single main fracture crossing the bedding planes is more likely to form in sealed bedding planes under high differential stress.The decrease in bedding plane permeability and the increase in the friction coefficient also promote the fracture propagating perpendicular to the bedding planes.Shale with high-density bedding planes has a poorer fracturing effect than that with low-density bedding planes,as the hydraulic fracture is prone to initiate and propagate along the bedding planes.Moreover,higher injection pressure is needed to maintain fracture propagation along the bedding.An increase in bedding density will lead to a smaller fracturing area.Fracturing fluid seepage into the bedding planes slows shale fracturing.It is recommended that increasing the injection flow rate,selecting alternative fracturing fluids,and employing multi-well/multi-cluster fracturing may be efficient methods to improve energy production in shale oil reservoirs.

Mutual impact of true triaxial stress, borehole orientation and bedding inclination on laboratory hydraulic fracturing of Lushan shale

Unconventional resources like shale gas has been the focus of intense research and development for two decades. Apart from intrinsic geologic factors that control the gas shale productivity (e.g. organic matter content, bedding planes, natural fractures, porosity and stress regime among others), external factors like wellbore orientation and stimulation design play a role. In this study, we present a series of true triaxial hydraulic fracturing experiments conducted on Lushan shale to investigate the interplay of internal factors (bedding, natural fractures and in situ stress) and external factors (wellbore orientation) on the growth process of fracture networks in cubic specimens of 200 mm in length. We observe relatively low breakdown pressure and fracture propagation pressure as the wellbore orientation and/or the maximum in situ stress is subparallel to the shale bedding plane. The wellbore orientation has a more prominent effect on the breakdown pressure, but its effect is tapered with increasing angle of bedding inclination. The shale breakdown is followed by an abrupt response in sample displacement, which reflects the stimulated fracture volume. Based on fluid tracer analysis, the morphology of hydraulic fractures (HF) is divided into four categories. Among the categories, activation of bedding planes (bedding failure, BF) and natural fractures (NF) significantly increase bifurcation and fractured areas. Under the same stress regime, a horizontal wellbore is more favorable to enhance the complexity of hydraulic fracture networks. This is attributed to the relatively large surface area in contact with the bedding plane for the horizontal borehole compared to the case with a vertical wellbore. These findings provide important references for hydraulic fracturing design in shale reservoirs.

An unequal fracturing stage spacing optimization model for hydraulic fracturing that considers cementing interface integrity

Determining reasonable fracturing stage spacing is the key to horizontal well fracturing.Different from traditional stage spacing optimization methods based on the principle of maximum stimulated reservoir volume,in this paper,by considering the integrity of the wellbore interface,a fracture propagation model was established based on displacement discontinuity method and the competition mechanism of multifracture joint expansion,leading to the proposal of an unequal stage spacing optimization model.The results show that in the first stage,the interfacial fractures spread symmetrically along the axis of the central point during that stage,while in the second and subsequent stages,the interfacial fractures of each cluster extend asymmetrically along the left and right sides.There are two kinds of interface connectivity behaviour:in one,the existing fractures first extend and connect within the stage,and in the other,the fractures first extend in the direction close to the previous stage,with the specific behaviour depending on the combined effect of stress shadow and flow competition during hydraulic fracture expansion.The stage spacing is positively correlated with the number of fractures and Young’s modulus of the cement and formation and is negatively correlated with the cluster spacing and horizontal principal stress difference.The sensitivity is the strongest when the Young’s modulus of the cement sheath is 10-20 GPa,and the sensitivity of the horizontal principal stress difference is the weakest.

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.