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Analysis of Fracture Network Formation Mechanisms and Main Controlling Factors of Methane Explosion Fracturing in Deep Shale Reservoir

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Abstract

Methane in situ explosion fracturing can induce intricate fracture networks by detonating methane desorbed from deep shale reservoirs. Elucidating the fracture propagation mechanisms under high-pressure gas explosive loading, along with the predominant controlling factors and interactions between different factors, remains imperative for optimizing fracturing efficacy. This study first established a method for calculating the explosion characteristic parameters in the in situ reservoir environment and determined the dynamic constitutive model parameters for Wufeng–Longmaxi shale. Then numerical simulation model of methane explosion fracturing in the in situ shale reservoir was established. Then response surface methodology was used to design numerical experiments and analyze the effects of explosive loading, in situ stress, and stress difference on the fracturing efficiency. A dimensionless factor Fmef was proposed for the comprehensive evaluation of the fracturing efficiency to elucidate the control mechanisms of the three factors. Lastly, the influence mechanisms of various factors on fracture growth are discussed from the perspective of coupled interactions between methane explosion loads and in situ stresses. The results demonstrate that the fracturing network can be delineated into smash district, damage zone, fracture zone, and vibration zone under gas explosive loading. With peak explosive pressure lower than the shale dynamic compressive strength, no smash district or damage zones appear, and increasing explosive loading markedly enlarges the extent of smash, damage, and fracture zones. The explosive loading predominantly affects the smash district and damage zone, whereas the stress state primarily influences the fracture zone. The response surface analysis with Fmef reveals convex surfaces for both the in situ stress-explosive loading interaction and the stress differential–explosive loading interaction, due to the quadratic effect of the explosive loading. Increasing explosive loading initially positively influences fracturing efficiency, transitioning to a negative impact, while in situ stress and stress differential show a monotonically decreasing trend. Stress analysis showed that the in situ stress significantly suppresses fracture propagation induced by the explosion. Differential stress induces concentration in both vertical and horizontal directions around the wellbore, resulting in longer fracture length and stable propagation time along the maximum principal stress direction. The difference between the primary controls for compressive–shear failure in smash district and tensile failure in fracture zone is explained by the coupled interactions of dynamic loads and in situ stresses. By correlating reservoir pressure and stress state with stimulation success, the constructed response surface model offers a theoretically sound basis for identifying optimal formations for methane explosion fracturing.

Highlights

  • A methane in-situ explosion fracturing technique by detonating methane desorbed from in-situ shale reservoirs is proposed.

  • Established a calculation method for methane-oxygen explosion characteristic parameters under high-temperature and high-pressure reservoir conditions.

  • Calibrated the dynamic constitutive model parameters for Wufeng-Longmaxi shale in the major shale gas producing zones in China

  • The fracturing efficacy in shale reservoirs first increases and then decreases with rising methane explosive loading.

  • The fracturing efficacy of methane explosion fracturing in shale reservoirs is inversely correlated with the in-situ stress and stress difference.

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Data Availability

The data used to support the fndings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

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Acknowledgements

This work is funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No.2020YFA0711800), the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.12372373), the Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province(Grant No.KYCX23_2845), and the Graduate Innovation Program of China University of Mining and Technology(Grant No.2023WLKXJ135). This support is gratefully acknowledged.

Funding

The National Key Research and Development Program of China, No.2020YFA0711800, Cheng Zhai, the Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province, KYCX23_2845, Yu WANG, the Graduate Innovation Program of China University of Mining and Technology, 2023WLKXJ135, Yu WANG, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, 12372373, Ning LUO

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Safety Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, China

    Yu Wang, Cheng Zhai, Ting Liu, Xu Yu, Jizhao Xu, Yong Sun, Yuzhou Cong, Wei Tang & Yangfeng Zheng

  2. National Engineering Research Center for Coal Gas Control, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, China

    Yu Wang, Cheng Zhai, Ting Liu, Xu Yu, Jizhao Xu, Yong Sun, Yuzhou Cong, Wei Tang & Yangfeng Zheng

  3. School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, China

    Ning Luo

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  1. Yu Wang
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Yu Wang: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Software, Formal analysis, Writing-original draft; Cheng Zhai: Funding acquisition, Supervision, Writing-review and editing; Ting Liu: Investigation, Supervision, Validation, Writing-review and editing; Xu Yu: Supervision, Writing-review and editing; Jizhao Xu: Supervision, Writing-review and editing; Yong Sun: Supervision, Writing-review and editing; Yuzhou Cong: Validation, Writing-review and editing; Wei Tang: Data curation, Writing-review and editing; Yangfeng Zheng: Validation, Writing-review and editing; Ning Luo: Supervision.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cheng Zhai.

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Wang, Y., Zhai, C., Liu, T. et al. Analysis of Fracture Network Formation Mechanisms and Main Controlling Factors of Methane Explosion Fracturing in Deep Shale Reservoir. Rock Mech Rock Eng (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-024-03908-4

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