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Gas shale hydraulic fracturing: a numerical investigation of the fracturing network evolution in the Silurian Longmaxi formation in the southeast of Sichuan Basin, China, using a coupled FSD approach

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Abstract

This paper presents state-of-the-art modeling of complex hydraulic fracture network evolution in a naturally fractured formation with pre-existing bedding and cross joints, in the Silurian Longmaxi formation, southeast of Sichuan Basin, China. A flow-stress-damage coupling approach has been used in an initial attempt toward how reservoir responds to perforation angle, injection rate, in situ stress, cohesive and frictional strength of natural fractures. A detailed sensitivity study reveals a number of interesting observations resulting from these parameters on the fracturing network evolution in naturally fractured system. When the perforation angle is 60°, it gets to the maximum stimulated reservoir area (SRA). Injection rate as an operator parameter, it strongly impacts the interaction between hydraulic fractures and natural fractures, and associated SRA. In addition, in isotropic in situ stress field, fracturing effectiveness is not the best, complexity of SRA is enhanced when pre-existing fractures are oriented at an angle to the maximum stress. Moreover, the morphology of fracturing network and SRA is closely related to the frictional and cohesive strength of natural fractures. This work strongly links the production technology, geomechanical evaluation and aids in the understanding and optimization of hydraulic fracturing simulations in naturally fractured reservoirs.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the editors and the anonymous reviewers for their helpful and constructive suggestions and comments. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants Nos. 41330643, 41227901, 41502294), Bei**g National Science Foundation of China (Grants Nos. 8164070), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Funded Project (Grants Nos. 2015M571118), and the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grants Nos. XDB10030000, XDB10030300, and XDB10050400).

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  1. Key Laboratory of Shale Gas and Geoengineering, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Bei**g, 100029, China

    Y. Wang, X. Li, Y. X. Zhang, Y. S. Wu & B. Zheng

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Correspondence to X. Li.

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This article is part of a Topical Collection in Environmental Earth Sciences on “Subsurface Energy Storage”, guest edited by Sebastian Bauer, Andreas Dahmke, and Olaf Kolditz.

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Wang, Y., Li, X., Zhang, Y.X. et al. Gas shale hydraulic fracturing: a numerical investigation of the fracturing network evolution in the Silurian Longmaxi formation in the southeast of Sichuan Basin, China, using a coupled FSD approach. Environ Earth Sci 75, 1093 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-5696-0

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