Visual representation and characterization of three-dimensional hydrofracturing cracks within heterogeneous rock through 3D printing and transparent models

The heterogeneity of unconventional reservoir rock tremendously affects its hydrofracturing behavior. A visual representation and accurate characterization of the three-dimensional （3D） growth and distribution of hydrofracturing cracks within heterogeneous rocks is of particular use to the design and implementation of hydrofracturing stimulation of unconventional reservoirs. However, because of the difficulties involved in visually representing and quantitatively characterizing a 3D hydrofracturing crack-network, this issue remains a challenge. In this paper, a novel method is proposed for physically visualizing and quantitatively characterizing the 3D hydrofracturing crack-network distributed through a heterogeneous structure based on a natural glutenite sample. This method incorporates X-ray microfocus computed tomography （μCT）, 3D printing models and hydrofracturing triaxial tests to represent visually the heterogeneous structure, and the 3D crack growth and distribution within a transparent rock model during hydrofracturing. The coupled effects of material heterogeneity and confining geostress on the 3D crack initiation and propagation were analyzed. The results indicate that the breakdown pressure of a heterogeneous rock model is significantly affected by material heterogeneity and confining geostress. The measured breakdown pressures of heterogeneous models are apparently different from those predicted by traditional theories. This study helps to elucidate the quantitative visualization and characterization of the mechanism and influencing factors that determine the hydrofracturing crack initiation and propagation in heterogeneous reservoir rocks.

FORMATION OF GOLD-BEARING HYDROFRACTURING BRECCIA BODIES IN TECTONIC LENSES: A CASE STUDY ON SHUANGWANG GOLD DEPOSIT, SHAANXI, CHINA

Macro-microscopic tectonic analysis and lithologic features show that the gold-bearing breccia bodies in the Shuangwang gold deposit, for hydrofracturing of the deep-sourced and alkali-rich fluids in the Devonian sodic rock series, are identified as hydrofracturing breccia bodies. Since the Indosinian, intracontinental collisional orogenesis results in multiple fracturings and magmatic emplacements in the Qinling area. Deep-sourced fluids resulting from deep fractures and granitoid magmatic intrusion are of a supercritical nature. Joint action between the fluid-rock system and structures leads to hydrofracturing and ore formation of the gold deposit. Firstly, the progressive coaxial compression caused the competent sodic rock series and the incompetent pelitic rock series to be deformed and partitioned. Lens-like weak-strain domains are hence formed and distributed at the approximate equidistance zones and the linear strong-strain zones, respectively. Subsequently, the progressive non-coaxial shearing and right-lateral and high-angle oblique thrusting lead to the most developed fracture system in the core of the weak-strain domain to turn from compression to extension and to link up with the deep fracture systems. The periodical huge pressure decline in the pumping center causes the deep-sourced confined fluids to develop periodic tectonic pumping, hydrofracturing and precipitation-healing in the sodic rock series. The gold-bearinghydrofracturing breccia bodies are hence ultimately formed at near-equidistance tectonic lenses. On the basis of the above model, the predicted concealed gold-bearing hydrofracturing breccia bodies have been preliminarily validated by latest drillings.

EVOLUTION OF FLUID PRESSURE AND HYDROFRACTURING IN MESOTHERMAL GOLD-QUARTZ DEPOSITS

The formations of many mesothermal gold-quartz deposits are closely re1ated with fluid pressure. In the course of ore-forming of gold deposits, fractures act as values, promoting cyclic fluctuations in fIuid pressure from lithostatic to hydrostatic values. Once the fluid pressure satisfies the condition of hydrofracture: P- q>T, the cracks undergo fracturing and extension. By hydrofracturing, the pre-existing fau1ts reactivate, forming steep or flat dipping shear zones. At the same time, deposition within fau1t veins is attributed to the immediate postfailure discharge phase.Fault self-sealing leads to reaccumulation of fluid pressure and a repetition of the cycle, During fracturing, many structures are formed, such as, banded compound veins, breccia that can be pieced together, and massive quartz veins in the Haopinggou and Woxi gold-quartz deposits.

Differences of polygonal faults related to upper Miocene channels:a case study from the Beijiao sag of Qiongdongnan basin,South China Sea

Deep-water coarse-grained channels are embedded within a polygonal fault tier,and the polygonal faults(PFs)present non-polygonal geometries rather than classic polygonal geometry in plan view.However,PFs present differences when they encounter deep-water(coarse-grained vs.fine-grained)channels with different lithology,which has not been further studied to date.Three-dimensional(3D)seismic data and a drilling well from Beijiao sag of Qiongdongnanbasin,South China Sea were utilized to document the plan view and cross-sectional properties of the PFs and their differences and genetic mechanism were investigated.Results show that,first,PFs can be divided morphologically into channel-segmenting PFs and channel-bounding PFs in plan view.The former virtually cuts or segments the axes of channels in highand low-amplitudes,and the latter nearly parallels the boundaries of the channels.Both are approximately perpendicular to each other.Secondly,channel-bounding PFs that related to low-amplitude channels are much longer than those of high-amplitude ones;channel-segmenting PFs related to low-amplitude channels are slightly longer than the counterparts related to high-amplitude channels.Lastly,the magnitudes(e.g.,heights)of the PFs are proportional to the scales(e.g.,widths and heights)of low-amplitude channels,whereas the magnitudes of the PFs are inversely proportional to the scales of high amplitude channels.Coarse-grained(high amplitude)channels act as a mechanical barrier to the propagation of PFs,whereas fine-grained(low-amplitude)channels are beneficial to the propagation and nucleation of PFs.Additionally,the genetic mechanism of PFs is discussed and reckoned as combined geneses of gravitational spreading and overpressure hydrofracture.The differences of the PFs can be used to reasonably differentiate coarse-grained channels from fine-grained channels.This study provides new insights into understanding the different geometries of the PFs related to coarse-grained and fine-grained channels and their genetic mechanism.

A classification of induced seismicity

In order to adopt the best safety procedures, man-made earthquakes should be differentiated as a function of their origin. At least four different types of settings can be recognized in which anthropogenic activities may generate seismicity:(I) fluid removal from a stratigraphic reservoir in the underground can trigger the compaction of the voids and the collapse of the overlying volume, i.e., graviquakes; the deeper the reservoir, the bigger the volume and the earthquake magnitude;(II) wastewater or gas reinjection provides the reduction of friction in volumes and along fault planes, allowing creep or sudden activation of tectonic discontinuities, i.e., reinjection quakes;(III) fluid injection at supra-lithostatic pressure generates hydrofracturing and micro-seismicity, i.e., hydrofracturing quakes;(IV) fluid extraction or fluid injection,filling or unfilling of artificial lakes modifies the lithostatic load, which is the maximum principal stress in extensional tectonic settings, the minimum principal stress in contractional tectonic settings, and the intermediate principal stress in strike-slip settings, i.e., load quakes; over given pressure values, the increase of the lithostatic load may favour the activation of normal faults, whereas its decrease may favour thrust faults. For example, the filling of an artificial lake may generate normal fault-related seismicity.Therefore, each setting has its peculiarities and the knowledge of the different mechanisms may contribute to the adoption of the appropriate precautions in the various industrial activities.

Failure pressure calculation of fracturing well based on fluid-structure interaction

Failure pressure is a key parameter in reservoir hydrofracturing operation. Existing analytical methods for calculating the failure pressure are based on the assumption that borehole fluid is under two extreme conditions: non-infiltration or complete infiltration. The assumption is not suitable for the actual infiltration process, and this will cause a great error in practical calculation. It shows that during the injection process, the dynamic variation in effective stress-dependent permeability has an influence on the infiltration, and the influence also brings about calculation errors. Based on the fluid-structure interaction and finite element method (FEM), considering partial infiltration during injection process, a numerical model for calculating rock failure pressure is established. According to the analysis of permeability test results and response-surface method, a new variation rule of rock permeability with the change of effective stress is presented, and the relationships among the permeability, confining pressure and pore pressure are proposed. There are some differences between the dynamic value of permeability-effective-stress coefficient observed herein and the one obtained by the classical theory. Combining with the numerical model and the dynamic permeability, a coupling method for calculating failure pressure is developed. Comparison of field data and calculated values obtained by various methods shows that accurate values can be obtained by the coupling method. The coupling method can be widely applied to the calculation of failure pressure of reservoirs and complex wells to achieve effective fracturing operation.

Two－Dimensional Model of Hydraulic Fracturing in Geosciences：Effects of Fluid Buoyancy

Hydraulic fracturing occurs in diverse fields of geosciences. We introduce effects of fluid buoyancy into the CGDD (Christianovich-Geertsma-DeKlerk-Daneshy) model of hydranlic fracturing. In the model, a two-dimensional one-sided crack in impermeable rock propagates from a horizontally lying wellbore or fluid reservoir at depth; the crack plane is inclined at a prescribed angle to the horizontal; incompressible and Newtonian fluid less dense than the surrounding rock is injected consecutively from the wellbore or fluid reservoir into the crack at a given injection rate. A solution of the crack propagation is obtained using lubrication theory for turbulent or laminar film flow and linear elastic fracture mechanics. The solution shows the importance of the buoyancy of the fluid in the crack as a driving force or a resisting force of the crack propagation. For example,when the water injection rate into a vertical fracture is 10-2 m2/s and the vertical length of the propagating fracture exceeds 100 m, the fluid buoyancy is important (1) as a driving force if the fracture is formed by the upward propagation of a vertical crack and (2) as a resisting force if it is formed by the downward propagation.

Analysis and Numerical Simulation of Hydrofracture Crack Propagation in Coal-Rock Bed

In underground coal mines,hydrofracture can cause the increase of breathability in the fractured coal bed.When the hydrofracture crack propagates to the interface between the coal bed and the roof-floor stratum,the crack may enter roof-floor lithology,thus posing a limit on the scope of breathability increase and making it difficult to support the roof and floor board for subsequent coal mining.In this work,a two-dimensional model of coal rock bed that contains hydrofracture crack was constructed.Then an investigation that combines the fracture mechanics and the system of flow and solid in rock failure process analysis(RFPA2D-Flow)were carried out to study the failure mechanism at the interface between rocks and coals,and critical water pressure that hydrofracture crack propagates.The results indicated that the main factors that affect the direction of hydrofracture crack propagation are the angle of intersection between coal-rock interface and horizontal section,horizontal crustal stress difference,tension-shear mixed crack fracture toughness in coal-rock interface and differences in elasticity modulus of coal-rock bed.The possibility of crack directly entering coal-rock interface would increase with the increase in angle of intersection or horizontal crustal stress difference.The trend that crack propagates along the coal-rock interface will become stronger with the decrease of the fracture toughness at the coal-rock interface and the increase of the elasticity modulus difference between the coal bed and the roof strata.The results of this study was to put forward a method of controlling hydrofracture crack,optimize the fracturing well location provides a certain theoretical basis.

Conduit System and formation mechanism of heat fluids in diapiric belt of Yinggehai basin,China

The conduit system of heat fluids in diapiric belt of Yinggehai basin is dominantly vertical faults and fractures . Detailed research on the formation mechanism and their occurrence features shows that the faults and fractures can be classified into three types: intrastratal dispersive hydrofracture, puncturing fault and upwarping-extensional fault. The development of the fault and fracture system not only resulted in the changes of the temperature and pressure fields in the basin, but also affected the hydrocarbon migration in the overpressured system. These faults and fractures constituted the main pathways for vertical hydrocarbon migration, and opening and closing intermittently led to episodic expulsion of overpressured fluid compartment. Thus there formed the pool-forming model of multi-source mixing and ploy-stage migration and accumulation for hydrocarbons in the Yinggehai basin.