Abstract
Unconventional oil and gas reservoirs are normally characterized by low porosity and low permeability and need to be hydraulically fractured to produce fracture networks and achieve the potential for economic production. Reservoir rocks are generally characterized by bedding planes, which have a significant impact on fracture propagation. In this study, a double torsion experiment was used to simulate tensile fracture propagation during hydraulic fracturing. The effect of bedding planes on fracture toughness, fracture morphology, and propagation rate in shale and tight sandstone was studied. Micromechanical mechanisms were analyzed through a microindentation experiment. The results show that as the angle between bedding and a pre-cut plane increases, fracture toughness first decreases and then increases, while the subcritical fracture propagation rate first increases and then decreases. The inflection point for this behavior occurs at an angle of 30° between the bedding and pre-cut plane. The shape of the tensile fractures is mainly influenced by the micromechanical properties of the adjacent bedding plane. When the ratio of elastic modulus between adjacent beds is 0.67, fractures propagate along the bedding plane, while at a ratio of 0.79, fractures extend through the bedding plane. These findings indicate that the angle between bedding and artificial planes as well as the difference in micromechanical properties of adjacent bedding planes are important to judge whether hydraulic fractures can penetrate or spread along a bedding plane.
Highlights
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As the angle between bedding and a pre-cut plane increases, fracture toughness first decreases and then increases, while the subcritical fracture propagation rate first increases and then decreases.
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The shape of the tensile fractures is mainly influenced by the micromechanical properties of the adjacent bedding plane.
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When the ratio of elastic modulus between adjacent beds is 0.67, fractures propagate along the bedding plane, while at a ratio of 0.79, fractures extend through the bedding plane.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to express our gratitude to Yueteng Wei for his help with the microindentation test. This work was financially supported by the Xinjiang conglomerate reservoir laboratory open project (Grant No. 2019D04008) and the Strategic Cooperation Technology Projects of CNPC and CUPB (Grant No. ZLZX2020-01).
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Zhou, W., Shi, G., Wang, J. et al. The Influence of Bedding Planes on Tensile Fracture Propagation in Shale and Tight Sandstone. Rock Mech Rock Eng 55, 1111–1124 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-021-02742-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-021-02742-2