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Experimental and Model Studies on Loading Path-Dependent and Nonlinear Gas Flow Behavior in Shale Fractures

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Abstract

Interest in shale gas as an energy source is growing worldwide. Because the rock’s natural fracture system can contribute to gas production, it is important to understand the flow behavior of natural fractures in shale. Previous studies on the flow characteristics in shale fractures were limited and did not consider the effect of nonlinearity. To understand the basic mechanics of the gas flow behavior in shale fractures, laboratory investigations with consideration of the fluid pressure gradient, the confining stress, the loading history and the fracture geometry were conducted in this paper. Izbash’s equation was used to analyze the nonlinearity of the flow. The results show that the behavior of the friction factors is similar to that shown in flow tests in smooth and rough pipes. The increase of the confining stress and the irreversible damage to the shale decreased the hydraulic aperture and increased the relative roughness. Thus, turbulent flow could appear at a low Reynolds number, resulting in a significant pressure loss. The limits of the cubic law and the existing correction factor for transmissivity are discussed. It is found that the previous friction models overestimate the friction factor in the laminar regime and underestimate the friction factor in the turbulent regime. For this reason, a new friction model based on a linear combination of the Reynolds number and the relative roughness was developed.

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Acknowledgements

The work is jointly supported by the National Key Basic Research Program of China (No. 2014CB239206), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (51404045), the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University of China (No. IRT13043) and Chongqing Research Program of Basic Research and Frontier Technology (No. CSTC2017JCYJB0252).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China

    Honglian Li, Yiyu Lu, Lei Zhou, Jiren Tang, Shuaibin Han & Xiang Ao

  2. National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Gas Drainage in Complex Coal Seam, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China

    Honglian Li, Yiyu Lu, Lei Zhou, Jiren Tang, Shuaibin Han & Xiang Ao

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  1. Honglian Li
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  2. Yiyu Lu
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  3. Lei Zhou
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  4. Jiren Tang
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  5. Shuaibin Han
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Correspondence to Jiren Tang.

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Li, H., Lu, Y., Zhou, L. et al. Experimental and Model Studies on Loading Path-Dependent and Nonlinear Gas Flow Behavior in Shale Fractures. Rock Mech Rock Eng 51, 227–242 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-017-1296-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-017-1296-x

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