Borehole deformation based in situ stress estimation using televiewer data

The knowledge of in situ stress is critical in safe and optimised extraction of minerals and energy resources.In situ stresses are either measured directly(e.g.overcoring)or estimated indirectly(e.g.borehole breakouts).Borehole breakout analysis for in situ stress estimation is considered a relatively simple and cost-efficient technique.This technique,however,poses certain limitations such as complexities with progressive formation of breakouts and it requires inputs such as rock failure parameters that are not often available.As a result,significant effort has been made to develop new indirect methods for in situ stress estimation.Borehole deformation analysis using four-arm caliper has been recently proposed for in situ stress estimation and has shown promising results.In this study,we demonstrate a new methodology that analyses the borehole televiewer data with the technique of borehole deformation analysis to estimate the in situ stresses through a field case study.The advantages and challenges of using borehole televiewer data for stress estimation based on borehole deformation analysis are discussed and the best practice to obtain the reliable results is explained.The limitations of using fourarm caliper and borehole deformation analysis for in situ stress estimation are also discussed and it is shown how televiewer data can overcome such limitations.Finally,the in situ stress results obtained from televiewer data and borehole deformation analysis are compared with independent in situ stress measurements to show the robustness and reliability of the proposed methodology.

Interaction between in situ stress states and tectonic faults:A comment

Understanding the in situ stress state is crucial in many engineering problems and earth science research.The present article presents new insights into the interaction mechanism between the stress state and faults.In situ stresses can be influenced by various factors,one of the most important being the existence of faults.A fault could significantly affect the value and direction of the stress components.Reorientation and magnitude changes in stresses exist adjacent to faults and stress jumps/discontinuities across the fault.By contrast,the change in the stress state may lead to the transformation of faulting type and potential fault reactivation.Qualitative fault reactivation assessment using characteristic parameters under the current stress environment provides a method to assess the slip tendency of faults.The correlation between in situ stresses and fault properties enhances the ability to predict the fault slip tendency via stress measurements,which can be used to further refine the assessment of the fault reactivation risk.In the future,stress measurements at greater depths and long-term continuous real-time stress monitoring near/on key parts of faults will be essential.In addition,much attention needs to be paid to distinguishing the genetic mechanisms of abnormal stress states and the type and scale of stress variations and exploring the mechanisms of pre-faulting anomaly and fault reactivation.

Formulation and procedure for in situ stress back-analysis from borehole strain changes measured during nearby underground excavation

Estimation of in situ stresses based on back-analysis of measured stress changes and displacements has become an alternative to the direct stress measurement methods.In order to help users conduct own measurement and analysis,this paper presents in detail a field stress back-analysis approach directly from borehole strain changes measured during nearby underground excavation.Essential formulations in major steps and the procedure for the entire analysis process are provided to allow users to follow.The instrument for borehole strain change measurement can be the CSIR or CSIRO stress cells and other borehole strain cells that can measure strains on borehole walls.Strain changes corresponding to the stress changes at a borehole location are calculated in borehole environment.The stress changes due to nearby excavation can be calculated by an analytical model for a single circular opening and simulated by a numerical model for non-circular and multiple openings.These models are based on isotropic,homogeneous and linear elastic assumptions.The analysis of borehole strain changes is accomplished by multiple linear regression based on error minimization and an integrated process provides the best-fit solution directly to the in situ stresses.A statistical technique is adopted for screening outliers in the measurement data,checking measurement compatibility and evaluating the reliability of analysis results.An application example is included to demonstrate the practical application and the analysis procedure.

Piezomagnetic In-situ Stress Monitoring and its Application in the Longmenshan Fault Zone

The relative change of in-situ stress is an inevitable outcome of differential movement among the crust plates. Conversely, changes of in-situ stress can also lead to deformation and instability of crustal rock mass, trigger activity of faults, and induce earthquakes. Hence, monitoring real-time change of in-situ stress is of great significance. Piezomagnetic in-situ stress monitoring has good and longtime applications in large engineering constructions and geoscience study fields in China. In this paper, the new piezomagnetic in-situ stress monitoring system is introduced and it not only has overall improvements in measuring cell＇s structure and property, stressing and orienting way, but also enhances integration and intelligence of control and data transmission system, in general, which greatly promotes installing efficiency of measuring probe and quality of monitoring data. This paper also discusses the responses of new piezomagnetic system in large earthquake events of in-situ stress monitoring station at Qiaoqi of Baoxing and Wenxian of Gansu. The monitoring data reflect adjustments and changes of tectonic stress field at the southwestern segment of and the northern area near the Longmenshan fault zone, which shows that the new system has a good performance and application prospect in the geoscience field. Data of the Qiaoqi stress-monitoring station manifest that the Lushan Earthquake did not release stress of the southwestern segment of the Longmenshan fault zone adequately and there still probably exists seismic risk in this region in the future. Combined with absolute in-situ stress measurement, carrying out long-term in-situ stress monitoring in typical tectonic position of important regions is of great importance for researchers to assess and study regional crust stability.

Estimation of the three-dimensional in situ stress field around a large deep underground cavern group near a valley

Understanding three-dimensional(3D)in situ stress field is of key importance for estimating the stability of large deep underground cavern groups near valleys.However,the complete 3D in situ stress fields around large deep underground cavern groups are difficult to determine based on in situ stress data from a limited number of measuring points due to the insufficient representativeness and unreliability of such measurements.In this study,an integrated approach for estimating the 3D in situ stress field around a large deep underground cavern group near a valley is developed based on incomplete in situ stress measurements and the stress-induced failures of tunnels excavated prior to the step excavation of the cavern group.This integrated approach is implemented via four interrelated and progressive basic steps,i.e.inference of the regional tectonic stress field direction,analyses of in situ stress characteristics and measurement reliability,regression-based in situ stress field analysis and reliability assessment,and modified in situ stress field analysis and reliability verification.The orientations and magnitudes of the 3D in situ stress field can be analyzed and obtained at a strategic level following these four basic steps.First,the tectonic stress field direction around the cavern group is deduced in accordance with the regional tectonic framework and verified using a regional crustal deformation velocity map.Second,the reliability of the in situ stress measurements is verified based on the locations and depths of stressinduced brittle failures in small tunnels(such as exploratory tunnels and pilot tunnels)within the excavation range of the cavern group.Third,considering the influences of the valley topography and major geological structures,the 3D in situ stress field is regressed using numerical simulation and multiple linear regression techniques based on the in situ stress measurements.Finally,the regressed in situ stress field is further modified and reverified based on the stress-induced brittle failures of small tunnels and the initial excavation of the cavern group.A case study of the Shuangjiangkou underground cavern group demonstrates that the proposed approach is reliable for estimating the 3D in situ stress fields of large deep underground cavern groups near valleys,thus contributing to the optimization of practical excavation and design of mitigating the instability of the surrounding rock masses during step excavations.

In Situ Stress Measurements in the Lhasa Terrane,Tibetan Plateau,China

the India and Eurasia plates. Knowledge of the stress state is critical to evaluate the crustal stability and the design of underground excavations. Because of the limitations imposed by natural conditions, little research has been performed on the present crustal in situ stress in the Tibetan Plateau, and further study is imperative. In this study, hydraulic fracturing measurements were conducted in Nyching County （LZX） and Lang County （LX）, Lhasa terrane to characterize the shallow crustal stress state. The results indicate that the stress state in the LZX borehole is markedly different from that in the LX borehole, in both magnitude and orientation. At the same measurement depths, the magnitudes of horizontal principal stresses in the LX borehole are 1.5–3.0 times larger than those in the LZX borehole. The stress regime in the LX borehole favors reverse faulting characterized by SH〉Sh〉Sv, where SH, Sh, and Sv are maximum horizontal, minimum horizontal, and vertical principal stresses, respectively. The SH and Sh values are approximately three and two times greater than Sv. Fracture impression results reveal that SH in the LX borehole are predominantly N–S, while in the LZX borehole the maximum horizontal principal stress is mainly in the NNE-direction. The heterogeneity of the regional stress state might be a result of the population and distribution of local structures and seismic activities. The stress state in the LX borehole has exceeded the critical state of failure equilibrium, and there is an optimally orientated pre-existing fault near the borehole. It can be concluded that the optimally orientated fault is likely to be active when the stress has built up sufficiently to destroy the frictional equilibrium; it is suggested that research focus should be placed on this in future. The stress states in boreholes LZX and LX indicate uniformity of the regional stress field and diversity of the local stress fields resulting from the interactions among regional dynamic forces, tectonic stress field, and geological structures.

Time-sensitivity of the Kaiser effect of acoustic emission in limestone and its application to measurements of in-situ stress

Measuring in-situ stress by using the Kaiser effect in rocks has such advantages as timeefficiency, low cost and little limitation, but the precision of the method is dependent on rock properties and delay time of the measurement. In this paper, experiments on the Kaiser effect in limestones were performed, and it was found that the limestones had good ability to retain a memory of their recent stress history and high time-sensitivity. The longer the experiment was delayed from the extraction of the stone, the larger the Felicity ratio was. As the Felicity ratio approached l, significant Kaiser effect was observed. In-situ stress should be determined by the limestone measurements when the delay time was 40-120 days. Finally, the in-situ stress in a limestone formation could be successfully measured in practice.

Preliminary Results of In-situ Stress Measurements along the Longmenshan Fault Zone after the Wenchuan M_s 8.0 Earthquake

Four months after the Wenchuan Ms 8 earthquake in western Sichuan, China, in situ stress measurements were carried out along the Longmenshan fault zone with the purpose of obtaining stress parameters for earthquake hazard assessment. In-situ stresses were measured in three new boreholes by using overcoring with the piezomagnetic stress gauges for shallow depths and hydraulic fracturing for lower depths. The maximum horizontal stress in shallow depths （-20 m） is about 4.3 MPa, oriented N19°E, in the epicenter area at Yingxiu Town, about 9.7 MPa, oriented N51°W, at Baoxing County in the southwestern Longmenshan range, and about 2.6 MPa, oriented N39°E, near Kangding in the southernmost zone of the Longmenshan range. Hydraulic fracturing at borehole depths from 100 to 400 m shows a tendency towards increasing stress with depth. A comparison with the results measured before the Wenchuan earthquake along the Longmenshan zone and in the Tibetan Plateau demonstrates that the stress level remains relatively high in the southwestern segment of the Longmenshan range, and is still moderate in the epicenter zone. These results provide a key appraisal for future assessment of earthquake hazards of the Longmenshan fault zone and the aftershock occurrences of the Wenchuan earthquake.

Three-Dimensional In Situ Stress-Field Simulations of Shale Gas Formations:A Case Study of the 5th Member of the Xujiahe Formation in the Xinchang Gas Field,West Sichuan Depression

This work established a geological model for the 5th member of the Xujiahe Formation（X5 member） in the Xinchang gas field of the West Sichuan Depression based on the lithological, structural and depositional properties, as well as logging and well completion data and drill-core observations. Rock mechanical parameters were calculated according to rock mechanic experiments and rock mechanic interpretations from logging data. We also calculated the magnitudes and orientations of the in situ stresses based on acoustic emission tests, differential strain tests, fracturing behaviour and logging interpretations as well as anisotropy logging tests, borehole-breakout measurements and well-log data. Additionally, the present stress field of the X5 member was simulated using finite element numerical（FEM） simulation methods. The numerical simulation results indicate that the distributions of lithology and fractures are key factors that influence the present stress field. The stress field in the study area is discontinuous as a result of fractures and faults in the central and eastern areas. Stress is concentrated at the end sections and bends of faults, but dissipates with distance away from both sides of the faults. A longitudinal profile clearly demonstrates the zonality and continuity of the stress field and an increase with depth. The differential stress distribution is relatively uniform; however, large deviations occur in fracture zones.

DDM regression analysis of the in-situ stress field in a non-linear fault zone

A multivariable regression analysis of the in-situ stress field, which considers the non-linear deformation behavior of faults in practical projects, is presented based on a newly developed three-dimensional displacement discontinuity method （DDM） program. The Bar- ton-Bandis model and the Kulhaway model are adopted as the normal and the tangential deformation model of faults, respectively, where the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion is satisfied. In practical projects, the values of the mechanical parameters of rock and faults are restricted in a bounded range for in-situ test, and the optimal mechanical parameters are obtained from this range by a loop. Comparing with the traditional finite element method （FEM）, the DDM regression results are more accurate.

Predicting the present-day in situ stress distribution within the Yanchang Formation Chang 7 shale oil reservoir of Ordos Basin, central China

The Yanchang Formation Chang 7 oil-bearing layer of the Ordos Basin is important in China for producing shale oil.The present-day in situ stress state is of practical implications for the exploration and development of shale oil;however,few studies are focused on stress distributions within the Chang 7 reservoir.In this study,the present-day in situ stress distribution within the Chang 7 reservoir was predicted using the combined spring model based on well logs and measured stress data.The results indicate that stress magnitudes increase with burial depth within the Chang 7 reservoir.Overall,the horizontal maximum principal stress(SHmax),horizontal minimum principal stress(Shmin) and vertical stress(Sv) follow the relationship of Sv≥SHmax>Shmin,indicating a dominant normal faulting stress regime within the Chang 7 reservoir of Ordos Basin.Laterally,high stress values are mainly distributed in the northwestern parts of the studied region,while low stress values are found in the southeastern parts.Factors influencing stress distributions are also analyzed.Stress magnitudes within the Chang 7 reservoir show a positive linear relationship with burial depth.A larger value of Young's modulus results in higher stress magnitudes,and the differential horizontal stress becomes higher when the rock Young's modulus grows larger.

Impact of elliptical boreholes on in situ stress estimation from leak-off test data

We developed an inversion technique to determine in situ stresses for elliptical boreholes of arbitrary trajectory. In this approach, borehole geometry, drilling-induced fracture information, and other available leak-off test data were used to construct a mathematical model, which was in turn applied to finding the inverse of an overdetermined system of equations.The method has been demonstrated by a case study in the Appalachian Basin, USA. The calculated horizontal stresses are in reasonable agreement with the reported regional stress study of the area, although there are no field measurement data of the studied well for direct calibration. The results also indicate that 2% of axis difference in the elliptical borehole geometry can cause a 5% difference in minimum horizontal stress calculation and a 10% difference in maximum horizontal stress calculation.

Advance of in-situ stress measurement in China

In-situ stress is an essential parameter for design and construction of most engineering projects that involve excavation in rocks. Progress in in-situ stress measurement from the 1950s in China is briefly introduced. Stress relief by overcoring technique and hydraulic fracturing： technique are the two main techniques for in-situ stress measurement in China at present. To make them suitable for application at great depth and to increase their measuring reliability and accuracy, a series of techniques have been developed. Applications and achievements of in-situ stress measurement in Chinese rock engineering, including mining, geotechnical and hydropower engineering, and earthquake prediction, are introduced. Suggestions for further development of in-situ stress measurement are also proposed.

3D numerical simulation of heterogeneous in situ stress field in low-permeability reservoirs

Analysis of the in situ stress orientation and magnitude in the No.4 Structure of Nanpu Sag was performed on the basis of data obtained from borehole breakout and acoustic emission measurements.On the basis of mechanical experiments,logging interpretation,and seismic data,a 3 D geological model and heterogeneous rock mechanics field of the reservoir were constructed.Finite element simulation techniques were then used for the detailed prediction of the 3 D stress field.The results indicated that the maximum horizontal stress orientation in the study area was generally NEE-SWW trending,with significant changes in the in situ stress orientation within and between fault blocks.Along surfaces and profiles,stress magnitudes were discrete and the in situ stress belonged to theⅠa-type.Observed inter-strata differences were characterized as five different types of in situ stress profile.Faults were the most important factor causing large distributional differences in the stress field of reservoirs within the complex fault blocks.The next important influence on the stress field was the reservoir’s rock mechanics parameters,which impacted on the magnitudes of in situ stress magnitudes.This technique provided a theoretical basis for more efficient exploration and development of low-permeability reservoirs within complex fault blocks.

Measurement and study of the distributing law of in-situ stresses in rock mass at great depth

To solve the technical cruxes of the conventional system in deep rock mass, an automatic testing system for hydraulic fracturing that includes a single tube for hydraulic loop, a pressure-relief valve, central-tubeless packers, and a multichannel real-time data acquisition system was used for in-situ stresses measurement at great depths （over 1000 m） in a coalfield in Juye of Northern China. The values and orientations of horizontal principal stresses were determined by the new system. The virgin stress field and its distributing law were decided by the linear regression from the logged 37 points in seven boreholes. Besides, the typical boreholes arranged in both the adjacent zone and far away zone of the faults were analyzed, respectively. The results show that a stress concentration phenomenon and a deflection in the orientation of the maximal horizontal stress exist in the adjacent zone of the faults, which further provides theoretical basis for design and optimization of mining.

New development of hydraulic fracturing technique for in-situ stress measurement at great depth of mines

In-situ stress measurement using the hydraulic fracturing technique was made at Wanfu Coal Mine in Shandong Province, China. To solve problems caused by great measuring depth and extra thick overburden soil layers in the mine, a series of improved techniques were developed for the traditional hydraulic fracturing technique and equipment to increase their pressure-enduring ability and to ensure safe and flexible removal of the sealing packers with other experimental apparatus. Successful in-situ stress measurement at 37 points within 7 boreholes, which were mostly over 1000 m deep, was completed. Through the measurement, detailed information of in-situ stress state has been provided for mining design of the mine. The improved hydraulic fracturing technique and equipment also provide reliable tools for in-situ stress measurement at great depth of other mines.

Techniques for in-situ stress measurement at great depth

Reliable information of in--situ stress state is necessary for the design andconstruction of most important rock projects. As most rock projects are getting deeper and deeper,traditional techniques of in--situ stress measurement are not very suitable. The current techniquesof in--situ stress measurement and their insufficiency for use at great depth are analyzed. Somebasic ideas of the development of new techniques and the improvement of current techniques for useat great depth are provided.

Measures for controlling large deformations of underground caverns under high in-situ stress condition--A case study of JinpingⅠhydropower station

The Jinping I hydropower station is a huge water conservancy project consisting of the highest concrete arch dam to date in the world and a highly complex and large underground powerhouse cavern. It is located on the right bank with extremely high in-situ stress and a few discontinuities observed in surrounding rock masses. The problems of rock mass deformation and failure result in considerable challenges related to project design and construction and have raised a wide range of concerns in the fields of rock mechanics and engineering. During the excavation of underground caverns, high in-situ stress and relatively low rock mass strength in combination with large excavation dimensions lead to large deformation of the surrounding rock mass and support. Existing experiences in excavation and support cannot deal with the large deformation of rock mass effectively, and further studies are needed. In this paper, the geological conditions, layout of caverns, and design of excavation and support are first introduced, and then detailed analyses of deformation and failure characteristics of rocks are presented. Based on this, the mechanisms of deformation and failure are discussed, and the support adjustments for controlling rock large deformation and subsequent excavation procedures are proposed. Finally, the effectiveness of support and excavation adjustments to maintain the stability of the rock mass is verified. The measures for controlling the large deformation of surrounding rocks enrich the practical experiences related to the design and construction of large underground openings, and the construction of caverns in the Jinping I hydropower station provides a good case study of large-scale excavation in highly stressed ground with complex geological structures, as well as a reference case for research on rock mechanics.

Analysis on method for effective in-situ stress measurement in hot dry rock reservoir

With the rapid increase of energy demand and the increasingly highlighted environmental problems, clean, safe and widely distributed geothermal resources have become a hot spot for renewable resources development. The state of in-situ stress is a major control parameter for multiple links including well location, fracture inspiration and reservoir assessment, so how to determine the accurate state of in-situ stress in the deep thermal reservoir becomes a core problem drawing widely attention and urgent to be solved. Based on features of hot dry rock reservoir in terms of temperature and pressure and the comparison analysis, this article proposes the method of Anelastic Strain Recovery(ASR) as an effective method for determining the state of in-situ stress in the area with HDR resources distributed and explains the availability of ASR method by application examples.

Effects of in situ stress measurement uncertainties on assessment of predicted seismic activity and risk associated with a hypothetical industrial-scale geologic CO_2 sequestration operation

Carbon capture and storage(CCS) in geologic formations has been recognized as a promising option for reducing carbon dioxide(CO) emissions from large stationary sources.However,the pressure buildup inside the storage formation can potentially induce slip along preexisting faults,which could lead to felt seismic ground motion and also provide pathways for brine/COleakage into shallow drinking water aquifers.To assess the geomechanical stability of faults,it is of crucial importance to know the in situ state of stress.In situ stress measurements can provide some information on the stresses acting on faults but with considerable uncertainties.In this paper,we investigate how such uncertainties,as defined by the variation of stress measurements obtained within the study area,could influence the assessment of the geomechanical stability of faults and the characteristics of potential injection-induced seismic events.Our modeling study is based on a hypothetical industrial-scale carbon sequestration project assumed to be located in the Southern San Joaquin Basin in California,USA.We assess the stability on the major(25 km long) fault that bounds the sequestration site and is subjected to significant reservoir pressure changes as a result of 50 years of COinjection.We present a series of geomechanical simulations in which the resolved stresses on the fault were varied over ranges of values corresponding to various stress measurements performed around the study area.The simulation results are analyzed by a statistical approach.Our main results are that the variations in resolved stresses as defined by the range of stress measurements had a negligible effect on the prediction of the seismic risk(maximum magnitude),but an important effect on the timing,the seismicity rate(number of seismic events) and the location of seismic activity.