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Experiment study on the evolution of permeability and heat recovery efficiency in fractured granite with proppants

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Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Hydraulic fractures in enhanced geothermal system (EGS) are main channels for geothermal exploitation from hot dry rock. However, due to the in-situ stress and chemical effects, the hydraulic fractures will close gradually, which will cause rapid reduction of permeability and heat recovery efficiency in EGS. Hydraulic fracturing proppant treatment is effective to decrease fracture closing and maintain fluid circulation in geothermal exploitation. In this paper, a self-developed triaxial seepage test device was used to accommodate granite samples with single artificial fracture and study the effects of proppants on rock permeability and heat recovery efficiency during geothermal energy extraction. In the experiment, the rock sample temperature was between 100 and 280 °C, and the confining pressure was between 26 and 35 MPa. The experimental results showed that both permeability and heat recovery efficiency of samples decreased with the increase of rock temperature and confining pressure. The addition of proppants was unable to prevent the reduction of permeability and heat recovery efficiency in the samples with the increase of confining pressure and temperature, but could effectively reduce the negative influence. The further analysis reveals the pressure dissolution and water weakening effects on fracture were the main reason for the decrease of permeability and net heat extraction rate in EGS, which could give a better understanding on geothermal reservoir reconstruction.

Article Highlights

  1. 1.

    Continuous experimental performance of permeability with elevated temperature (100 °C–280 °C) and pressure (26 MPa–35 MPa).

  2. 2.

    The evolution of heat recovery efficiency with different conditions during the heat recovery.

  3. 3.

    The effect of proppant on permeability and heat recovery efficiency compared with non-proppant condition.

  4. 4.

    Explaining the reason for the decline of fracture aperture.

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 51674247] and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China University of Mining and Technology [Grant Number 2015XKZD06].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory for Geomechanics and Deep Underground Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, China

    Yan Zhang, Yu Wu, Yi Teng & Shuhua Peng

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

    Yan Zhang, Yu Wu, Yi Teng & Shuhua Peng

  3. School of Mechanics and Optoelectronics Physics, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, 232001, Anhui, China

    Pan Li

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  1. Yan Zhang
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  2. Yu Wu
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Correspondence to Yu Wu.

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Zhang, Y., Wu, Y., Teng, Y. et al. Experiment study on the evolution of permeability and heat recovery efficiency in fractured granite with proppants. Geomech. Geophys. Geo-energ. Geo-resour. 8, 3 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-021-00306-w

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