The exploitation of shale gas is promising due to depletion of the conventional energy and intensification of the greenhouse effect.In this paper,we proposed a heat-fluid-solid coupling damage model of supercritical C...The exploitation of shale gas is promising due to depletion of the conventional energy and intensification of the greenhouse effect.In this paper,we proposed a heat-fluid-solid coupling damage model of supercritical CO_(2)(SC-CO_(2))compound fracturing which is expected to be an efficient and environmentally friendly way to develop shale gas.The coupling model is solved by the finite element method,and the results are in good agreement with the analytical solutions and fracturing experiments.Based on this model,the fracture propagation characteristics at the two stages of compound fracturing are studied and the influence of pressurization rate,in situ stress,bedding angle,and other factors are considered.The results show that at the SC-CO_(2)fracturing stage,a lower pressurization rate is conducive to formation of the branches around main fractures,while a higher pressurization rate inhibits formation of the branches around main fractures and promotes formation of the main fractures.Both bedding and in situ stress play a dominant role in the fracture propagation.When the in situ stress ratio(δ_(x)/δ_(y))is 1,the presence of bedding can reduce the initiation pressure and failure pressure.Nevertheless,it will cause the fracture to propagate along the bedding direction,reducing the fracture complexity.In rocks without bedding,hydraulic fracturing has the lengthening and widening effects for SC-CO_(2)induced fracture.In shale,fractures induced at the hydraulic fracturing stage are more likely to be dominated by in situ stresses and have a shorter reorientation radius.Therefore,fracture branches propagating along the maximum principal stress direction may be generated around the main fractures induced by SC-CO_(2)at the hydraulic fracturing stage.When the branches converge with the main fractures,fracture zones are easily formed,and thus the fracture complexity and damage area can be significantly increased.The results are instructive for the design and application of SC-CO_(2)compound fracturing.展开更多
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 not...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.展开更多
Indirect fracturing in the roof of broken soft coal seams has been demonstrated to be a feasible technology.In this work,the No.5 coal seam in the Hancheng block was taken as the research object.Based on the findings ...Indirect fracturing in the roof of broken soft coal seams has been demonstrated to be a feasible technology.In this work,the No.5 coal seam in the Hancheng block was taken as the research object.Based on the findings of true triaxial hydraulic fracturing experiments and field pilot under this technology and the cohesive element method,a 3D numerical model of indirect fracturing in the roof of broken soft coal seams was established,the fracture morphology propagation and evolution law under different conditions was investigated,and analysis of main controlling factors of fracture parameters was conducted with the combination weight method,which was based on grey incidence,analytic hierarchy process and entropy weight method.The results show that“士”-shaped fractures,T-shaped fractures,cross fractures,H-shaped fractures,and“干”-shaped fractures dominated by horizontal fractures were formed.Different parameter combinations can form different fracture morphologies.When the coal seam permeability is lower and the minimum horizontal principal stress difference between layers and fracturing fluid injection rate are both larger,it tends to form“士”-shaped fractures.When the coal seam permeability and minimum horizontal principal stress between layers and perforation position are moderate,cross fractures are easily generated.Different fracture parameters have different main controlling factors.Engineering factors of perforation location,fracturing fluid injection rate and viscosity are the dominant factors of hydraulic fracture shape parameters.This study can provide a reference for the design of indirect fracturing in the roof of broken soft coal seams.展开更多
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 parti...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.展开更多
This study conducted temporary plugging and diversion fracturing(TPDF)experiments using a true triaxial fracturing simulation system within a laboratory setting that replicated a lab-based horizontal well completion w...This study conducted temporary plugging and diversion fracturing(TPDF)experiments using a true triaxial fracturing simulation system within a laboratory setting that replicated a lab-based horizontal well completion with multi-cluster sand jetting perforation.The effects of temporary plugging agent(TPA)particle size,TPA concentration,single-cluster perforation number and cluster number on plugging pressure,multi-fracture diversion pattern and distribution of TPAs were investigated.A combination of TPAs with small particle sizes within the fracture and large particle sizes within the segment is conducive to increasing the plugging pressure and promoting the diversion of multi-fractures.The addition of fibers can quickly achieve ultra-high pressure,but it may lead to longitudinal fractures extending along the wellbore.The temporary plugging peak pressure increases with an increase in the concentration of the TPA,reaching a peak at a certain concentration,and further increases do not significantly improve the temporary plugging peak pressure.The breaking pressure and temporary plugging peak pressure show a decreasing trend with an increase in single-cluster perforation number.A lower number of single-cluster perforations is beneficial for increasing the breaking pressure and temporary plugging peak pressure,and it has a more significant control on the propagation of multi-cluster fractures.A lower number of clusters is not conducive to increasing the total number and complexity of artificial fractures,while a higher number of clusters makes it difficult to achieve effective plugging.The TPAs within the fracture is mainly concentrated in the complex fracture areas,especially at the intersections of fractures.Meanwhile,the TPAs within the segment are primarily distributed near the perforation cluster apertures which initiated complex fractures.展开更多
Hydraulic fracturing is widely used in geothermal resource exploitation, and many natural fractures exist in hot dry rock reservoirs due to in-situ stress and faults. However, the infuence of natural fractures on hydr...Hydraulic fracturing is widely used in geothermal resource exploitation, and many natural fractures exist in hot dry rock reservoirs due to in-situ stress and faults. However, the infuence of natural fractures on hydraulic fracture propagation is not considered in the current study. In this paper, based on the phase feld model, a thermo-hydro-mechanical coupled hydraulic fracture propagation model was established to reveal the infuence of injection time, fracturing method, injection fow rate, and natural fracture distribution on the fracture propagation mechanism. The results show that fracture complexity increases with an increase in injection time. The stress disturbance causes the fracture initiation pressure of the second cluster signifcantly higher than that of the frst and third clusters. The zipper-type fracturing method can reduce the degree of stress disturbance and increase fracture complexity by 7.2% compared to simultaneous hydraulic fracturing. Both low and high injection fow rate lead to a decrease in fracture propagation time, which is not conducive to an increase in fracture complexity. An increase in the natural fracture angle leads to hydraulic fracture crossing natural fracture, but has a lesser efect on fracture complexity. In this paper, we analyzed the infuence of diferent factors on initiation pressure and fracture complexity, providing valuable guidance for the exploitation of geothermal resources.展开更多
In this paper,a viscoelasticity-plastic damage constitutive equation for naturally fractured shale is deduced,coupling nonlinear tensile-shear mixed fracture mode.Dynamic perforation-erosion on fluid re-distribution a...In this paper,a viscoelasticity-plastic damage constitutive equation for naturally fractured shale is deduced,coupling nonlinear tensile-shear mixed fracture mode.Dynamic perforation-erosion on fluid re-distribution among multi-clusters are considered as well.DFN-FEM(discrete fracture network combined with finite element method)was developed to simulate the multi-cluster complex fractures propagation within temporary plugging fracturing(TPF).Numerical results are matched with field injection and micro-seismic monitoring data.Based on geomechanical characteristics of Weiyuan deep shale gas reservoir in Sichuan Basin,SW China,a multi-cluster complex fractures propagation model is built for TPF.To study complex fractures propagation and the permeability-enhanced region evolution,intersecting and competition mechanisms between the fractures before and after TPF treatment are revealed.Simulation results show that:fracture from middle cluster is restricted by the fractures from side-clusters,and side-clusters plugging is benefit for multi fractures propagation in uniformity;optimized TPF timing should be delayed within a higher density or strike of natural fractures;Within a reservoir-featured natural fractures distribution,optimized TPF timing for most clustered method is 2/3 of total fluid injection time as the optimal plugging time under different clustering modes.展开更多
This paper establishes a 3D multi-well pad fracturing numerical model coupled with fracture propagation and proppant migration based on the displacement discontinuity method and Eulerian-Eulerian frameworks,and the fr...This paper establishes a 3D multi-well pad fracturing numerical model coupled with fracture propagation and proppant migration based on the displacement discontinuity method and Eulerian-Eulerian frameworks,and the fracture propagation and proppant distribution during multi-well fracturing are investigated by taking the actual multi-well pad parameters as an example.Fracture initiation and propagation during multi-well pad fracturing are jointly affected by a variety of stress interference mechanisms such as inter-cluster,inter-stage,and inter-well,and the fracture extension is unbalanced among clusters,asymmetric on both wings,and dipping at heels.Due to the significant influence of fracture morphology and width on the migration capacity of proppant in the fracture,proppant is mainly placed in the area near the wellbore with large fracture width,while a high-concentration sandwash may easily occur in the area with narrow fracture width as a result of quick bridging.On the whole,the proppant placement range is limited.Increasing the well-spacing can reduce the stress interference of adjacent wells and promote the uniform distribution of fractures and proppant on both wings.The maximum stimulated reservoir volume or multi-fracture uniform propagation can be achieved by optimizing the well spacing.Although reducing the perforation-cluster spacing also can improve the stimulated reservoir area,a too low cluster spacing is not conducive to effectively increasing the propped fracture area.Since increasing the stage time lag is beneficial to reduce inter-stage stress interference,zipper fracturing produces more uniform fracture propagation and proppant distribution.展开更多
A fracture propagation model of radial well fracturing is established based on the finite element-meshless method.The model considers the coupling effect of fracturing fluid flow and rock matrix deformation.The fractu...A fracture propagation model of radial well fracturing is established based on the finite element-meshless method.The model considers the coupling effect of fracturing fluid flow and rock matrix deformation.The fracture geometries of radial well fracturing are simulated,the induction effect of radial well on the fracture is quantitatively characterized,and the influences of azimuth,horizontal principle stress difference,and reservoir matrix permeability on the fracture geometries are revealed.The radial wells can induce the fractures to extend parallel to their axes when two radial wells in the same layer are fractured.When the radial wells are symmetrically distributed along the direction of the minimum horizontal principle stress with the azimuth greater than 15,the extrusion effect reduces the fracture length of radial wells.When the radial wells are symmetrically distributed along the direction of the maximum horizontal principal stress,the extrusion increases the fracture length of the radial wells.The fracture geometries are controlled by the rectification of radial borehole,the extrusion between radial wells in the same layer,and the deflection of the maximum horizontal principal stress.When the radial wells are distributed along the minimum horizontal principal stress symmetrically,the fracture length induced by the radial well decreases with the increase of azimuth;in contrast,when the radial wells are distributed along the maximum horizontal principal stress symmetrically,the fracture length induced by the radial well first decreases and then increases with the increase of azimuth.The fracture length induced by the radial well decreases with the increase of horizontal principal stress difference.The increase of rock matrix permeability and pore pressure of the matrix around radial wells makes the inducing effect of the radial well on fractures increase.展开更多
This paper presents an integrated study from fracture propagation modeling to gas flow modeling and a correlation analysis to explore the key controlling factors of intensive volume fracturing.The fracture propagation...This paper presents an integrated study from fracture propagation modeling to gas flow modeling and a correlation analysis to explore the key controlling factors of intensive volume fracturing.The fracture propagation model takes into account the interaction between hydraulic fracture and natural fracture by means of the displacement discontinuity method(DDM)and the Picard iterative method.The shale gas flow considers multiple transport mechanisms,and the flow in the fracture network is handled by the embedded discrete fracture model(EDFM).A series of numerical simulations are conducted to analyze the effects of the cluster number,stage spacing,stress difference coefficient,and natural fracture distribution on the stimulated fracture area,fractal dimension,and cumulative gas production,and their correlation coefficients are obtained.The results show that the most influential factors to the stimulated fracture area are the stress difference ratio,stage spacing,and natural fracture density,while those to the cumulative gas production are the stress difference ratio,natural fracture density,and cluster number.This indicates that the stress condition dominates the gas production,and employing intensive volume fracturing(by properly increasing the cluster number)is beneficial for improving the final cumulative gas production.展开更多
Frac-packing technology has been introduced to improve the development effect of weakly consolidated sandstone.It has double effects on increasing production and sand control.However,determining operation parameters o...Frac-packing technology has been introduced to improve the development effect of weakly consolidated sandstone.It has double effects on increasing production and sand control.However,determining operation parameters of frac-packing is the key factor due to the particularity of weakly consolidated sandstone.In order to study the mechanisms of hydraulic fracture propagation and reveal the effect of fracturing parameters on fracture morphology in weakly consolidated sandstone,finite element numerical model of fluid-solid coupling is established to carry out numerical simulation to analyze influences of mechanical characteristics,formation permeability,fracturing fluid injection rate and viscosity on fracture propagation.The result shows that lower elastic modulus is favorable for inducing short and wide fractures and controls the fracture length while Poisson ratio has almost no effect.Large injection rate and high viscosity of fracturing fluid are advantageous to fracture initiation and propagation.Suitable fractures are produced when the injection rate is approximate to3–4m3/min and fluid viscosity is over100mPa?s.The leak-off of fracturing fluid to formation is rising with the increase of formation permeability,which is adverse to fracture propagation.The work provides theoretical reference to determine the construction parameters for the frac-packing design in weakly consolidated reservoirs.展开更多
Unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs in layered formations,such as tight sandstones and shales,are continually being developed.Hydraulic fracturing is a critical technology for the high-efficiency development of hydr...Unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs in layered formations,such as tight sandstones and shales,are continually being developed.Hydraulic fracturing is a critical technology for the high-efficiency development of hydrocarbon reservoirs.Understanding the stress field and stability of the formation interface is vital to understanding stress propagation,preferably before the growing hydraulic fracture contacts the formation interface.In this study,models are developed for computing the stress field of hydraulic fracture propagation near the formation interface,and the stress fields within and at the two sides of the formation interface are analyzed.Four failure modes of the interface under the impact of hydraulic fracture propagation in its vicinity are identified,and the corresponding failure criteria are proposed.By simulating the magnitude and direction of peak stress at different parameters,the failure mode and stability of the formation interface are analyzed.Results reveal that when the interface strength is weak,the formation interface fails before the growing hydraulic fracture contacts it,and its stability is significantly related to a variety of factors,including the type of formation interface,rock mechanical properties,far-field stress,structural parameters,distance between the hydraulic fracture and formation interface,and fracturing execution parameters.展开更多
Intra-stage multi-cluster temporary plugging and diverting fracturing(ITPF)is one of the fastest-growing techniques to obtain uniform reservoir stimulation in shale gas reservoirs.However,propagation geometries of mul...Intra-stage multi-cluster temporary plugging and diverting fracturing(ITPF)is one of the fastest-growing techniques to obtain uniform reservoir stimulation in shale gas reservoirs.However,propagation geometries of multiple fractures during ITPF are not clear due that the existing numerical models cannot capture the effects of perforation plugging.In this paper,a new three-dimensional FEM based on CZM was developed to investigate multiple planar fracture propagation considering perforation plugging during ITPF.Meanwhile,the fluid pipe element and its subroutine were first developed to realize the flux partitioning before or after perforation plugging.The results showed that the perforation plugging changed the original distribution of the number of perforations in each fracture,thus changing the flux partitioning after perforation plugging,which could eliminate the effect of stress interference between multiple fractures and promote a uniform fluid distribution.The standard deviation of fluid distribution in the perforation plugging case was only 8.48%of that in the non-diversion case.Furthermore,critical plugging parameters have been investigated quantitatively.Specifically,injecting more diverters will create a higher fluid pressure rise in the wellbore,which will increase the risk of wellbore integrity.Comprehensively considering pressure rise and fluid distribution,the number of diverters should be 50%of the total number of perforations(N_(pt)),whose standard deviation of fluid distribution of multiple fractures was lower than those in the cases of injecting 10%N_(pt),30%N_(pt)and 70%N_(pt).The diverters should be injected at an appropriate timing,i.e.40%or 50%of the total fracturing time(tft),whose standard deviation of the fluid distribution was only about 20%of standard deviations in the cases of injecting at20%tftor 70%tft.A single injection with all diverters can maintain high bottom-hole pressure for a longer period and promote a more uniform fluid distribution.The standard deviation of the fluid distribution in the case of a single injection was 43.62%-55.41%of the other cases with multiple injection times.This study provides a meaningful perspective and some optimal plugging parameters on the field design during IPTF.展开更多
The main area of the Jiaoshiba anticline of the Fuling shale gas field was taken as the research object,laboratory rock mechanical experiments and direct shear experiments were conducted to clarify the mechanical anis...The main area of the Jiaoshiba anticline of the Fuling shale gas field was taken as the research object,laboratory rock mechanical experiments and direct shear experiments were conducted to clarify the mechanical anisotropy characteristics and parameters of rock samples with rich beddings.Based on the experimental results,a 3D fracture propagation model of the target reservoir taking mechanical anisotropy,weak bedding plane and vertical stress difference into account was established by the discrete element method to analyze distribution patterns of hydraulic fractures under different bedding densities,mechanical properties,and fracturing engineering parameters(including perforation clusters,injection rates and fracturing fluid viscosity).The research results show that considering the influence of the weak bedding plane and longitudinal stress difference,the interlayer stress difference 3–4 MPa in the study area can control the fracture height within the zone of stress barrier,and the fracture height is less than 40 m.If the influence of the weak bedding plane is not considered,the simulation result of fracture height is obviously higher.Although the opening of high-density bedding fractures increases the complexity of hydraulic fractures,it significantly limited the propagation of fracture height.By reducing the number of clusters,increasing the injection rate,and increasing the volume and proportion of high-viscosity fracturing fluid in the pad stage,the restriction on fracture height due to the bedding plane and vertical stress difference can be reduced,and the longitudinal propagation of fractures can be promoted.The fracture propagation model was used to simulate one stage of Well A in Fuling shale gas field,and the simulation results were consistent with the micro-seismic monitoring results.展开更多
In accordance with the fracturing and producing mechanism in coalbed methane well, and combining the knowledge of fluid mechanics, linear elastic fracture mechanics, thermal transfer, computing mathematics and softwar...In accordance with the fracturing and producing mechanism in coalbed methane well, and combining the knowledge of fluid mechanics, linear elastic fracture mechanics, thermal transfer, computing mathematics and software engineering, the three-dimensional hydraulic fracture propagating and dynamical production predicting models for coalbed methane well is put forward. The fracture propagation model takes the variation of rock mechanical properties and in-situ stress distribution into consideration. The dynamic performance prediction model takes the gas production mechanism into consideration. With these models, a three-dimensional hydraulic fracturing optimum design software for coalbed methane well is developed, and its practicality and reliability have been proved by ex-ample computation.展开更多
This paper theoretically analyzed and discussed the fractures’ initiation, propagation and arrest of grooved borehole blasting under the function of explosion, and provided the optimistic values of blasting parameter...This paper theoretically analyzed and discussed the fractures’ initiation, propagation and arrest of grooved borehole blasting under the function of explosion, and provided the optimistic values of blasting parameters. The stress intensity factor and velocity of crack propagation were measured through dynamic caustics measuring system.展开更多
As the ultra-heavy oil reservoirs developed by steam assisted gravity drainage(SAGD)in the Fengcheng oilfield,Xinjiang have problems such as huge steam usage,long preheating period,low production,and inaccessible rese...As the ultra-heavy oil reservoirs developed by steam assisted gravity drainage(SAGD)in the Fengcheng oilfield,Xinjiang have problems such as huge steam usage,long preheating period,low production,and inaccessible reserve in local parts.Based on the rock mechanics and porosity/permeability characteristics of heavy oil reservoir and interlayer,a series of true triaxial experiments and CT tests considering the fracturing fluid injection rate,viscosity,perforation density and location of fracture initiation were conducted to disclose the propagation behavior of micro-and macro-fractures in the reservoirs and mudstone interlayers.These experiments show that fracturing in the heavy oil reservoirs only generates microfractures that cannot break the interlayer.In contrast,when fracturing in the interlayer,the higher the injection rate(greater than 0.6 m^3/min),the lower the viscosity,the easier it is to form macro-fractures in the interlayers,and the further the fractures will propagate into the reservoirs.Also,increasing perforation density tends to create complex macro-fracture network in the interbedded reservoirs and mudstone interlayers.The findings of this study can provide scientific guidance for the selection of fracturing layer and the optimization of parameters in the interlayer fracturing of heavy oil reservoirs.展开更多
Methane in-situ explosion fracturing(MISEF)enhances permeability in shale reservoirs by detonating desorbed methane to generate detonation waves in perforations.Fracture propagation in bedding shale under varying expl...Methane in-situ explosion fracturing(MISEF)enhances permeability in shale reservoirs by detonating desorbed methane to generate detonation waves in perforations.Fracture propagation in bedding shale under varying explosion loads remains unclear.In this study,prefabricated perforated shale samples with parallel and vertical bedding are fractured under five distinct explosion loads using a MISEF experimental setup.High-frequency explosion pressure-time curves were monitored within an equivalent perforation,and computed tomography scanning along with three-dimensional reconstruction techniques were used to investigate fracture propagation patterns.Additionally,the formation mechanism and influencing factors of explosion crack-generated fines(CGF)were clarified by analyzing the morphology and statistics of explosion debris particles.The results indicate that methane explosion generated oscillating-pulse loads within perforations.Explosion characteristic parameters increase with increasing initial pressure.Explosion load and bedding orientation significantly influence fracture propagation patterns.As initial pressure increases,the fracture mode transitions from bi-wing to 4–5 radial fractures.In parallel bedding shale,radial fractures noticeably deflect along the bedding surface.Vertical bedding facilitates the development of transverse fractures oriented parallel to the cross-section.Bifurcation-merging of explosioninduced fractures generated CGF.CGF mass and fractal dimension increase,while average particle size decreases with increasing explosion load.This study provides valuable insights into MISEF technology.展开更多
Fracture propagation under mixed-mode loading conditions prevails in many natural geological processes and deep engineering projects,while the corresponding numerical simulation is very challenging in rock mechanics,e...Fracture propagation under mixed-mode loading conditions prevails in many natural geological processes and deep engineering projects,while the corresponding numerical simulation is very challenging in rock mechanics,especially in 3D cases.In most previous studies,the complexity of 3D fracture geometry was over-simplified,and model III loading was often not considered.In this study,we propose to use an efficient stress-based Sch€ollmann criterion combined with Displacement Discontinuity Method(DDM)to model 3D fracture propagation under arbitrary I+II+III mixed-mode loading conditions.A novel curve-smoothing algorithm is developed to smoothen the fracture front during propagation,which significantly enhances the model's ability in dealing with complex 3D fracture geometry.In particular,we adopt two different solution schemes,namely staggered and monolithic,to simulate mode I fracture propagation in the case of hydraulic fracturing.The accuracy,efficiency and convergency of the two solution schemes are compared in detail.Our research findings suggest that the degree of coupling between fracture aperture and fluid pressure in hydraulic fracturing lies somewhere between one-way and two-way,which favors the staggered solution scheme.To further test our new model,we provide three additional numerical examples associated with 3D fracture propagation under various mixed-mode loading conditions.Our model shows excellent performance in efficiently locating the new fracture front and reliably capturing the complex 3D fracture geometry.This study provides a generic algorithm to model high-fidelity 3D fracture propagation without simplifying fracture geometry or loading conditions,making it widely applicable to fracture-propagation-related problems.展开更多
Karst fracture-cavity carbonate reservoirs,in which natural cavities are connected by natural fractures to form cavity clusters in many circumstances,have become significant fields of oil and gas exploration and explo...Karst fracture-cavity carbonate reservoirs,in which natural cavities are connected by natural fractures to form cavity clusters in many circumstances,have become significant fields of oil and gas exploration and exploitation.Proppant fracturing is considered as the best method for exploiting carbonate reservoirs;however,previous studies primarily focused on the effects of individual types of geological formations,such as natural fractures or cavities,on fracture propagation.In this study,true-triaxial physical simulation experiments were systematically performed under four types of stress difference conditions after the accurate prefabrication of four types of different fracture-cavity distributions in artificial samples.Subsequently,the interaction mechanism between the hydraulic fractures and fracture-cavity structures was systematically analyzed in combination with the stress distribution,cross-sectional morphology of the main propagation path,and three-dimensional visualization of the overall fracture network.It was found that the propagation of hydraulic fractures near the cavity was inhibited by the stress concentration surrounding the cavity.In contrast,a natural fracture with a smaller approach angle(0°and 30°)around the cavity can alleviate the stress concentration and significantly facilitate the connection with the cavity.In addition,the hydraulic fracture crossed the natural fracture at the 45°approach angle and bypassed the cavity under higher stress difference conditions.A new stimulation effectiveness evaluation index was established based on the stimulated reservoir area(SRA),tortuosity of the hydraulic fractures(T),and connectivity index(CI)of the cavities.These findings provide new insights into the fracturing design of carbonate reservoirs.展开更多
基金the funding support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52274093 and 52004236).
文摘The exploitation of shale gas is promising due to depletion of the conventional energy and intensification of the greenhouse effect.In this paper,we proposed a heat-fluid-solid coupling damage model of supercritical CO_(2)(SC-CO_(2))compound fracturing which is expected to be an efficient and environmentally friendly way to develop shale gas.The coupling model is solved by the finite element method,and the results are in good agreement with the analytical solutions and fracturing experiments.Based on this model,the fracture propagation characteristics at the two stages of compound fracturing are studied and the influence of pressurization rate,in situ stress,bedding angle,and other factors are considered.The results show that at the SC-CO_(2)fracturing stage,a lower pressurization rate is conducive to formation of the branches around main fractures,while a higher pressurization rate inhibits formation of the branches around main fractures and promotes formation of the main fractures.Both bedding and in situ stress play a dominant role in the fracture propagation.When the in situ stress ratio(δ_(x)/δ_(y))is 1,the presence of bedding can reduce the initiation pressure and failure pressure.Nevertheless,it will cause the fracture to propagate along the bedding direction,reducing the fracture complexity.In rocks without bedding,hydraulic fracturing has the lengthening and widening effects for SC-CO_(2)induced fracture.In shale,fractures induced at the hydraulic fracturing stage are more likely to be dominated by in situ stresses and have a shorter reorientation radius.Therefore,fracture branches propagating along the maximum principal stress direction may be generated around the main fractures induced by SC-CO_(2)at the hydraulic fracturing stage.When the branches converge with the main fractures,fracture zones are easily formed,and thus the fracture complexity and damage area can be significantly increased.The results are instructive for the design and application of SC-CO_(2)compound fracturing.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(51934005,U23B2089)Shaanxi Provincial Natural Science Basic Research Program Project(2024JC-YBQN-0554).
文摘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.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(11672333).
文摘Indirect fracturing in the roof of broken soft coal seams has been demonstrated to be a feasible technology.In this work,the No.5 coal seam in the Hancheng block was taken as the research object.Based on the findings of true triaxial hydraulic fracturing experiments and field pilot under this technology and the cohesive element method,a 3D numerical model of indirect fracturing in the roof of broken soft coal seams was established,the fracture morphology propagation and evolution law under different conditions was investigated,and analysis of main controlling factors of fracture parameters was conducted with the combination weight method,which was based on grey incidence,analytic hierarchy process and entropy weight method.The results show that“士”-shaped fractures,T-shaped fractures,cross fractures,H-shaped fractures,and“干”-shaped fractures dominated by horizontal fractures were formed.Different parameter combinations can form different fracture morphologies.When the coal seam permeability is lower and the minimum horizontal principal stress difference between layers and fracturing fluid injection rate are both larger,it tends to form“士”-shaped fractures.When the coal seam permeability and minimum horizontal principal stress between layers and perforation position are moderate,cross fractures are easily generated.Different fracture parameters have different main controlling factors.Engineering factors of perforation location,fracturing fluid injection rate and viscosity are the dominant factors of hydraulic fracture shape parameters.This study can provide a reference for the design of indirect fracturing in the roof of broken soft coal seams.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(Grant Nos.42377156,42077251 and 42202305).
文摘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.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51974332).
文摘This study conducted temporary plugging and diversion fracturing(TPDF)experiments using a true triaxial fracturing simulation system within a laboratory setting that replicated a lab-based horizontal well completion with multi-cluster sand jetting perforation.The effects of temporary plugging agent(TPA)particle size,TPA concentration,single-cluster perforation number and cluster number on plugging pressure,multi-fracture diversion pattern and distribution of TPAs were investigated.A combination of TPAs with small particle sizes within the fracture and large particle sizes within the segment is conducive to increasing the plugging pressure and promoting the diversion of multi-fractures.The addition of fibers can quickly achieve ultra-high pressure,but it may lead to longitudinal fractures extending along the wellbore.The temporary plugging peak pressure increases with an increase in the concentration of the TPA,reaching a peak at a certain concentration,and further increases do not significantly improve the temporary plugging peak pressure.The breaking pressure and temporary plugging peak pressure show a decreasing trend with an increase in single-cluster perforation number.A lower number of single-cluster perforations is beneficial for increasing the breaking pressure and temporary plugging peak pressure,and it has a more significant control on the propagation of multi-cluster fractures.A lower number of clusters is not conducive to increasing the total number and complexity of artificial fractures,while a higher number of clusters makes it difficult to achieve effective plugging.The TPAs within the fracture is mainly concentrated in the complex fracture areas,especially at the intersections of fractures.Meanwhile,the TPAs within the segment are primarily distributed near the perforation cluster apertures which initiated complex fractures.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52174024).
文摘Hydraulic fracturing is widely used in geothermal resource exploitation, and many natural fractures exist in hot dry rock reservoirs due to in-situ stress and faults. However, the infuence of natural fractures on hydraulic fracture propagation is not considered in the current study. In this paper, based on the phase feld model, a thermo-hydro-mechanical coupled hydraulic fracture propagation model was established to reveal the infuence of injection time, fracturing method, injection fow rate, and natural fracture distribution on the fracture propagation mechanism. The results show that fracture complexity increases with an increase in injection time. The stress disturbance causes the fracture initiation pressure of the second cluster signifcantly higher than that of the frst and third clusters. The zipper-type fracturing method can reduce the degree of stress disturbance and increase fracture complexity by 7.2% compared to simultaneous hydraulic fracturing. Both low and high injection fow rate lead to a decrease in fracture propagation time, which is not conducive to an increase in fracture complexity. An increase in the natural fracture angle leads to hydraulic fracture crossing natural fracture, but has a lesser efect on fracture complexity. In this paper, we analyzed the infuence of diferent factors on initiation pressure and fracture complexity, providing valuable guidance for the exploitation of geothermal resources.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52192622,52204005,U20A20265)Sichuan Outstanding Young Scientific and Technological Talents Project(2022JDJQ0007).
文摘In this paper,a viscoelasticity-plastic damage constitutive equation for naturally fractured shale is deduced,coupling nonlinear tensile-shear mixed fracture mode.Dynamic perforation-erosion on fluid re-distribution among multi-clusters are considered as well.DFN-FEM(discrete fracture network combined with finite element method)was developed to simulate the multi-cluster complex fractures propagation within temporary plugging fracturing(TPF).Numerical results are matched with field injection and micro-seismic monitoring data.Based on geomechanical characteristics of Weiyuan deep shale gas reservoir in Sichuan Basin,SW China,a multi-cluster complex fractures propagation model is built for TPF.To study complex fractures propagation and the permeability-enhanced region evolution,intersecting and competition mechanisms between the fractures before and after TPF treatment are revealed.Simulation results show that:fracture from middle cluster is restricted by the fractures from side-clusters,and side-clusters plugging is benefit for multi fractures propagation in uniformity;optimized TPF timing should be delayed within a higher density or strike of natural fractures;Within a reservoir-featured natural fractures distribution,optimized TPF timing for most clustered method is 2/3 of total fluid injection time as the optimal plugging time under different clustering modes.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(51974332)Strategic Cooperation Project Between PetroChina and China University of Petroleum(Beijing)(ZLZX2020-07).
文摘This paper establishes a 3D multi-well pad fracturing numerical model coupled with fracture propagation and proppant migration based on the displacement discontinuity method and Eulerian-Eulerian frameworks,and the fracture propagation and proppant distribution during multi-well fracturing are investigated by taking the actual multi-well pad parameters as an example.Fracture initiation and propagation during multi-well pad fracturing are jointly affected by a variety of stress interference mechanisms such as inter-cluster,inter-stage,and inter-well,and the fracture extension is unbalanced among clusters,asymmetric on both wings,and dipping at heels.Due to the significant influence of fracture morphology and width on the migration capacity of proppant in the fracture,proppant is mainly placed in the area near the wellbore with large fracture width,while a high-concentration sandwash may easily occur in the area with narrow fracture width as a result of quick bridging.On the whole,the proppant placement range is limited.Increasing the well-spacing can reduce the stress interference of adjacent wells and promote the uniform distribution of fractures and proppant on both wings.The maximum stimulated reservoir volume or multi-fracture uniform propagation can be achieved by optimizing the well spacing.Although reducing the perforation-cluster spacing also can improve the stimulated reservoir area,a too low cluster spacing is not conducive to effectively increasing the propped fracture area.Since increasing the stage time lag is beneficial to reduce inter-stage stress interference,zipper fracturing produces more uniform fracture propagation and proppant distribution.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51827804)CNPC Strategic Cooperation Science and Technology Major Project(ZLZX2020-01-05)Open Fund of State Key Laboratory of Rock Mechanics and Engineering(SKLGME021024).
文摘A fracture propagation model of radial well fracturing is established based on the finite element-meshless method.The model considers the coupling effect of fracturing fluid flow and rock matrix deformation.The fracture geometries of radial well fracturing are simulated,the induction effect of radial well on the fracture is quantitatively characterized,and the influences of azimuth,horizontal principle stress difference,and reservoir matrix permeability on the fracture geometries are revealed.The radial wells can induce the fractures to extend parallel to their axes when two radial wells in the same layer are fractured.When the radial wells are symmetrically distributed along the direction of the minimum horizontal principle stress with the azimuth greater than 15,the extrusion effect reduces the fracture length of radial wells.When the radial wells are symmetrically distributed along the direction of the maximum horizontal principal stress,the extrusion increases the fracture length of the radial wells.The fracture geometries are controlled by the rectification of radial borehole,the extrusion between radial wells in the same layer,and the deflection of the maximum horizontal principal stress.When the radial wells are distributed along the minimum horizontal principal stress symmetrically,the fracture length induced by the radial well decreases with the increase of azimuth;in contrast,when the radial wells are distributed along the maximum horizontal principal stress symmetrically,the fracture length induced by the radial well first decreases and then increases with the increase of azimuth.The fracture length induced by the radial well decreases with the increase of horizontal principal stress difference.The increase of rock matrix permeability and pore pressure of the matrix around radial wells makes the inducing effect of the radial well on fractures increase.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52274038,5203401042174143)+1 种基金the Taishan Scholars Project(No.tsqnz20221140)the Open Fund of State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation(Southwest Petroleum University)of China(No.PLN2020-5)。
文摘This paper presents an integrated study from fracture propagation modeling to gas flow modeling and a correlation analysis to explore the key controlling factors of intensive volume fracturing.The fracture propagation model takes into account the interaction between hydraulic fracture and natural fracture by means of the displacement discontinuity method(DDM)and the Picard iterative method.The shale gas flow considers multiple transport mechanisms,and the flow in the fracture network is handled by the embedded discrete fracture model(EDFM).A series of numerical simulations are conducted to analyze the effects of the cluster number,stage spacing,stress difference coefficient,and natural fracture distribution on the stimulated fracture area,fractal dimension,and cumulative gas production,and their correlation coefficients are obtained.The results show that the most influential factors to the stimulated fracture area are the stress difference ratio,stage spacing,and natural fracture density,while those to the cumulative gas production are the stress difference ratio,natural fracture density,and cluster number.This indicates that the stress condition dominates the gas production,and employing intensive volume fracturing(by properly increasing the cluster number)is beneficial for improving the final cumulative gas production.
基金Project(2016ZX05058-002-006)supported by National Science and Technology Major Projects of ChinaProject(2018CXTD346)supported by Innovative Research Team Program of Natural Science Foundation of Hainan Province,China
文摘Frac-packing technology has been introduced to improve the development effect of weakly consolidated sandstone.It has double effects on increasing production and sand control.However,determining operation parameters of frac-packing is the key factor due to the particularity of weakly consolidated sandstone.In order to study the mechanisms of hydraulic fracture propagation and reveal the effect of fracturing parameters on fracture morphology in weakly consolidated sandstone,finite element numerical model of fluid-solid coupling is established to carry out numerical simulation to analyze influences of mechanical characteristics,formation permeability,fracturing fluid injection rate and viscosity on fracture propagation.The result shows that lower elastic modulus is favorable for inducing short and wide fractures and controls the fracture length while Poisson ratio has almost no effect.Large injection rate and high viscosity of fracturing fluid are advantageous to fracture initiation and propagation.Suitable fractures are produced when the injection rate is approximate to3–4m3/min and fluid viscosity is over100mPa?s.The leak-off of fracturing fluid to formation is rising with the increase of formation permeability,which is adverse to fracture propagation.The work provides theoretical reference to determine the construction parameters for the frac-packing design in weakly consolidated reservoirs.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (51704251)National Science and Technology Major Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2016ZX05006-002)。
文摘Unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs in layered formations,such as tight sandstones and shales,are continually being developed.Hydraulic fracturing is a critical technology for the high-efficiency development of hydrocarbon reservoirs.Understanding the stress field and stability of the formation interface is vital to understanding stress propagation,preferably before the growing hydraulic fracture contacts the formation interface.In this study,models are developed for computing the stress field of hydraulic fracture propagation near the formation interface,and the stress fields within and at the two sides of the formation interface are analyzed.Four failure modes of the interface under the impact of hydraulic fracture propagation in its vicinity are identified,and the corresponding failure criteria are proposed.By simulating the magnitude and direction of peak stress at different parameters,the failure mode and stability of the formation interface are analyzed.Results reveal that when the interface strength is weak,the formation interface fails before the growing hydraulic fracture contacts it,and its stability is significantly related to a variety of factors,including the type of formation interface,rock mechanical properties,far-field stress,structural parameters,distance between the hydraulic fracture and formation interface,and fracturing execution parameters.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52174045,No.52104011)Natural Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region(2022D01B77)。
文摘Intra-stage multi-cluster temporary plugging and diverting fracturing(ITPF)is one of the fastest-growing techniques to obtain uniform reservoir stimulation in shale gas reservoirs.However,propagation geometries of multiple fractures during ITPF are not clear due that the existing numerical models cannot capture the effects of perforation plugging.In this paper,a new three-dimensional FEM based on CZM was developed to investigate multiple planar fracture propagation considering perforation plugging during ITPF.Meanwhile,the fluid pipe element and its subroutine were first developed to realize the flux partitioning before or after perforation plugging.The results showed that the perforation plugging changed the original distribution of the number of perforations in each fracture,thus changing the flux partitioning after perforation plugging,which could eliminate the effect of stress interference between multiple fractures and promote a uniform fluid distribution.The standard deviation of fluid distribution in the perforation plugging case was only 8.48%of that in the non-diversion case.Furthermore,critical plugging parameters have been investigated quantitatively.Specifically,injecting more diverters will create a higher fluid pressure rise in the wellbore,which will increase the risk of wellbore integrity.Comprehensively considering pressure rise and fluid distribution,the number of diverters should be 50%of the total number of perforations(N_(pt)),whose standard deviation of fluid distribution of multiple fractures was lower than those in the cases of injecting 10%N_(pt),30%N_(pt)and 70%N_(pt).The diverters should be injected at an appropriate timing,i.e.40%or 50%of the total fracturing time(tft),whose standard deviation of the fluid distribution was only about 20%of standard deviations in the cases of injecting at20%tftor 70%tft.A single injection with all diverters can maintain high bottom-hole pressure for a longer period and promote a more uniform fluid distribution.The standard deviation of the fluid distribution in the case of a single injection was 43.62%-55.41%of the other cases with multiple injection times.This study provides a meaningful perspective and some optimal plugging parameters on the field design during IPTF.
基金Supported by the China National Science and Technology Major Project(2016ZX05060001-032)
文摘The main area of the Jiaoshiba anticline of the Fuling shale gas field was taken as the research object,laboratory rock mechanical experiments and direct shear experiments were conducted to clarify the mechanical anisotropy characteristics and parameters of rock samples with rich beddings.Based on the experimental results,a 3D fracture propagation model of the target reservoir taking mechanical anisotropy,weak bedding plane and vertical stress difference into account was established by the discrete element method to analyze distribution patterns of hydraulic fractures under different bedding densities,mechanical properties,and fracturing engineering parameters(including perforation clusters,injection rates and fracturing fluid viscosity).The research results show that considering the influence of the weak bedding plane and longitudinal stress difference,the interlayer stress difference 3–4 MPa in the study area can control the fracture height within the zone of stress barrier,and the fracture height is less than 40 m.If the influence of the weak bedding plane is not considered,the simulation result of fracture height is obviously higher.Although the opening of high-density bedding fractures increases the complexity of hydraulic fractures,it significantly limited the propagation of fracture height.By reducing the number of clusters,increasing the injection rate,and increasing the volume and proportion of high-viscosity fracturing fluid in the pad stage,the restriction on fracture height due to the bedding plane and vertical stress difference can be reduced,and the longitudinal propagation of fractures can be promoted.The fracture propagation model was used to simulate one stage of Well A in Fuling shale gas field,and the simulation results were consistent with the micro-seismic monitoring results.
文摘In accordance with the fracturing and producing mechanism in coalbed methane well, and combining the knowledge of fluid mechanics, linear elastic fracture mechanics, thermal transfer, computing mathematics and software engineering, the three-dimensional hydraulic fracture propagating and dynamical production predicting models for coalbed methane well is put forward. The fracture propagation model takes the variation of rock mechanical properties and in-situ stress distribution into consideration. The dynamic performance prediction model takes the gas production mechanism into consideration. With these models, a three-dimensional hydraulic fracturing optimum design software for coalbed methane well is developed, and its practicality and reliability have been proved by ex-ample computation.
文摘This paper theoretically analyzed and discussed the fractures’ initiation, propagation and arrest of grooved borehole blasting under the function of explosion, and provided the optimistic values of blasting parameters. The stress intensity factor and velocity of crack propagation were measured through dynamic caustics measuring system.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51404281)
文摘As the ultra-heavy oil reservoirs developed by steam assisted gravity drainage(SAGD)in the Fengcheng oilfield,Xinjiang have problems such as huge steam usage,long preheating period,low production,and inaccessible reserve in local parts.Based on the rock mechanics and porosity/permeability characteristics of heavy oil reservoir and interlayer,a series of true triaxial experiments and CT tests considering the fracturing fluid injection rate,viscosity,perforation density and location of fracture initiation were conducted to disclose the propagation behavior of micro-and macro-fractures in the reservoirs and mudstone interlayers.These experiments show that fracturing in the heavy oil reservoirs only generates microfractures that cannot break the interlayer.In contrast,when fracturing in the interlayer,the higher the injection rate(greater than 0.6 m^3/min),the lower the viscosity,the easier it is to form macro-fractures in the interlayers,and the further the fractures will propagate into the reservoirs.Also,increasing perforation density tends to create complex macro-fracture network in the interbedded reservoirs and mudstone interlayers.The findings of this study can provide scientific guidance for the selection of fracturing layer and the optimization of parameters in the interlayer fracturing of heavy oil reservoirs.
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2020YFA0711800)the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars(No.51925404)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.12372373)the Postgraduate Research&Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province(No.KYCX24_2909)the Graduate Innovation Program of China University of Mining and Technology(No.2024WLKXJ134)。
文摘Methane in-situ explosion fracturing(MISEF)enhances permeability in shale reservoirs by detonating desorbed methane to generate detonation waves in perforations.Fracture propagation in bedding shale under varying explosion loads remains unclear.In this study,prefabricated perforated shale samples with parallel and vertical bedding are fractured under five distinct explosion loads using a MISEF experimental setup.High-frequency explosion pressure-time curves were monitored within an equivalent perforation,and computed tomography scanning along with three-dimensional reconstruction techniques were used to investigate fracture propagation patterns.Additionally,the formation mechanism and influencing factors of explosion crack-generated fines(CGF)were clarified by analyzing the morphology and statistics of explosion debris particles.The results indicate that methane explosion generated oscillating-pulse loads within perforations.Explosion characteristic parameters increase with increasing initial pressure.Explosion load and bedding orientation significantly influence fracture propagation patterns.As initial pressure increases,the fracture mode transitions from bi-wing to 4–5 radial fractures.In parallel bedding shale,radial fractures noticeably deflect along the bedding surface.Vertical bedding facilitates the development of transverse fractures oriented parallel to the cross-section.Bifurcation-merging of explosioninduced fractures generated CGF.CGF mass and fractal dimension increase,while average particle size decreases with increasing explosion load.This study provides valuable insights into MISEF technology.
基金support from National Natural Science Foundation of China under grant No.41877217General Research Fund of the Research Grants Council (Hong Kong)under grant No.17200721Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province under grant No.2019A1515010999.
文摘Fracture propagation under mixed-mode loading conditions prevails in many natural geological processes and deep engineering projects,while the corresponding numerical simulation is very challenging in rock mechanics,especially in 3D cases.In most previous studies,the complexity of 3D fracture geometry was over-simplified,and model III loading was often not considered.In this study,we propose to use an efficient stress-based Sch€ollmann criterion combined with Displacement Discontinuity Method(DDM)to model 3D fracture propagation under arbitrary I+II+III mixed-mode loading conditions.A novel curve-smoothing algorithm is developed to smoothen the fracture front during propagation,which significantly enhances the model's ability in dealing with complex 3D fracture geometry.In particular,we adopt two different solution schemes,namely staggered and monolithic,to simulate mode I fracture propagation in the case of hydraulic fracturing.The accuracy,efficiency and convergency of the two solution schemes are compared in detail.Our research findings suggest that the degree of coupling between fracture aperture and fluid pressure in hydraulic fracturing lies somewhere between one-way and two-way,which favors the staggered solution scheme.To further test our new model,we provide three additional numerical examples associated with 3D fracture propagation under various mixed-mode loading conditions.Our model shows excellent performance in efficiently locating the new fracture front and reliably capturing the complex 3D fracture geometry.This study provides a generic algorithm to model high-fidelity 3D fracture propagation without simplifying fracture geometry or loading conditions,making it widely applicable to fracture-propagation-related problems.
基金sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants Nos.52104046 and 52104010).
文摘Karst fracture-cavity carbonate reservoirs,in which natural cavities are connected by natural fractures to form cavity clusters in many circumstances,have become significant fields of oil and gas exploration and exploitation.Proppant fracturing is considered as the best method for exploiting carbonate reservoirs;however,previous studies primarily focused on the effects of individual types of geological formations,such as natural fractures or cavities,on fracture propagation.In this study,true-triaxial physical simulation experiments were systematically performed under four types of stress difference conditions after the accurate prefabrication of four types of different fracture-cavity distributions in artificial samples.Subsequently,the interaction mechanism between the hydraulic fractures and fracture-cavity structures was systematically analyzed in combination with the stress distribution,cross-sectional morphology of the main propagation path,and three-dimensional visualization of the overall fracture network.It was found that the propagation of hydraulic fractures near the cavity was inhibited by the stress concentration surrounding the cavity.In contrast,a natural fracture with a smaller approach angle(0°and 30°)around the cavity can alleviate the stress concentration and significantly facilitate the connection with the cavity.In addition,the hydraulic fracture crossed the natural fracture at the 45°approach angle and bypassed the cavity under higher stress difference conditions.A new stimulation effectiveness evaluation index was established based on the stimulated reservoir area(SRA),tortuosity of the hydraulic fractures(T),and connectivity index(CI)of the cavities.These findings provide new insights into the fracturing design of carbonate reservoirs.