Experimental Study on Fracture Pressure,  Permeability Enhancement and Fracture Propagation using Different Fracture Fluids

JunHyung Choi; Hyun Suk Lee; Do Young Kim; Jung Hun Nam; Dae Sung Lee

doi:10.7474/TUS.2021.31.1.041

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2021 Vol.31, Issue 1 Preview Page Next Page

Original Article

Experimental Study on Fracture Pressure, Permeability Enhancement and Fracture Propagation using Different Fracture Fluids 다양한 파쇄 유체별 파쇄압력, 투과도 증진 및 균열전파에 관한 실험적 연구

28 February 2021. pp. 41-51

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Abstract

The hydraulic fracturing developed to improve permeability of tight reservoir is one of key stimulation technologies for developing unconventional resources such as shale gas and deep geothermal energy. The experimental study was conducted to improve disadvantage of hydraulic fracturing which has simple fracture pattern and poor fracturing efficiency. The fracturing experiments was conducted for tight rock using various fracturing fluids, water, N₂, and CO₂ and the created fracture pattern and fracturing efficiency was analyzed depending on fracturing fluids. The borehole pressure increased rapidly and then made fractures for hydraulic fracturing with constant injection rate, however, gas fracturing shows slowly increased pressure and less fracture pressure. The 3D tomography technic was used to generate images of induced fracture using hydraulic and gas fracturing. The stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) was estimated increment of 5.71% (water), 12.72% (N₂), and 43.82% (CO₂) respectively compared to initial pore volume. In addition, permeability measurement was carried out before and after fracturing experiments and the enhanced permeability by gas fracturing showed higher than hydraulic fracturing. The fracture conductivity was measured by increasing confining stress to consider newly creating fracture and closing induced fracture right after fracturing. When the confining stress was increased from 2MPa to 10MPa, the initial permeability was decreased by 89% (N₂) and 50% (CO₂) respectively. This study shows that the gas fracturing makes more permeability enhancement and less reduction of induced fracture conductivity than hydraulic fracturing.

Keywords

Hydraulic Fracturing

Shale Gas

Fracture Pressure

Permeability

Fracture Conductivity

치밀 저류층의 투과도 증진을 위해 개발된 수압파쇄 기술은 셰일가스와 같은 비전통자원과 심부지열 개발에 필수적인 기술 중 하나이다. 파쇄형태가 단순하고 파쇄효율이 좋지 않은 수압파쇄를 개선하기 위해 다양한 파쇄유체를 이용한 실험적 연구가 진행되었다. 물, N₂, CO₂ 가스를 파쇄유체로 사용하여 치밀 암석에 대한 파쇄형태와 효율성을 분석하였다. 파쇄유체로 물을 일정 주입속도로 주입한 경우 순간적으로 압력이 상승하여 파쇄가 발생하였으나, 파쇄유체로 가스를 주입한 경우 서서히 압력이 증가되면서 물보다 낮은 파쇄압력을 보였다. 3D 단층촬영 기법을 이용하여 물과 가스 주입으로 생성된 균열을 관찰한 결과는 기존 공극부피 대비 파쇄 자극부피가 각각 5.71%(물), 12.72%(N₂), 43.82%(CO₂) 증가되었다. 또한 파쇄유체의 파쇄 효율성을 검정하기 위한 파쇄 전후 투과도 변화 실험에서는 가스 파쇄에 의해 증가되는 투과도 증가 값이 물을 이용한 파쇄보다 훨씬 높게 측정되었다. 파쇄 이후 인공균열의 생성과 주변응력에 의해 다시 균열이 닫히는 현상을 고려하여 생성된 인공균열에 구속압을 단계별로 증가시켜 투과도 변화를 측정하였다. 구속압이 2MPa에서 10MPa로 증가시켰을 경우 초기 투과도 대비 각각 89%(N₂), 50%(CO₂) 감소하였다. 본 연구는 가스파쇄기술이 수압파쇄보다 투과도 증진 효과가 크고 이후 주변 응력에 의한 투과도 감소가 적은 것으로 나타났다.

키워드

수압파쇄

셰일가스

파쇄압력

투과도

균열전도도

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Information

Publisher :Korean Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering
Publisher(Ko) :한국암반공학회
Journal Title :Tunnel and Underground Space
Journal Title(Ko) :터널과 지하공간
Volume : 31
No :1
Pages :41-51
Received Date : 2021-01-25
Revised Date : 2021-02-10
Accepted Date : 2021-02-10
DOI :https://doi.org/10.7474/TUS.2021.31.1.041

Tunnel and Underground Space ISSN:1225-1275(Print) 2287-1748(Online) 터널과 지하공간

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