水压致裂试验过程中的地电效应研究

本文总结了在水压致裂试验现场多台电法仪器测量和记录到的加压过程中的地电效应,并得到一些能反映岩石破裂情况的有意义的结果:（1）随着压力增加,电阻率明显上升.当压力超过岩石临界应力的一半以后,电阻率即很快地下降,卸压后又逐步回升,其变化椭圆的长轴方向与岩石破裂面的延伸方向是一致的;（2）以压力孔为中心的自然电位及ZK2,ZK14孔的井下电位都伴随着加压过程而变化,强烈反映了过滤电场与孔隙水压力的相关性.      

Fracture Toughness Evaluation Based on Tension-softening Model and its Application to Hydraulic Fracturing

This paper discusses the applicability of the tension-softening model in the determination of the fracture toughness of rocks, where the fracture toughness evaluated based on the tension-softening model is compared with the crack growth resistance deduced from laboratory-scale hydraulic fracturing tests. It is generally accepted that the fracture process is dominated by the growth of a fracture process zone for most types of rocks. In this study, the J-integral based technique is employed to determine the fracture toughness of Iidate granite on the basis of the tension-softening model, where compact tension specimens of different dimensions were tested in order to examine the specimen size effect on the measured fracture toughness. It was shown that the tension-softening relation deduced from the J-integral based technique allowed us to determine the specimen size independent fracture toughness K_c of Iidate granite. Laboratory-scale hydraulic fracturing tests were performed on cubic specimens (up to a 10 m sized specimen), where cyclic pressurization was conducted using a rubber-made straddle packer to observe the extent of the hydraulically induced crack. The experimental results of pressure and crack length were then used to construct the crack growth resistance curve based on the stress intensity factor K. The crack growth resistance obtained from the hydraulic fracturing tests was observed to initially increase and then level off, giving a constant K value for a long crack extension stage. The plateau K value in the crack growth resistance curve was found to be in reasonable agreement with the fracture toughness K_c deduced from the tension-softening relation. It was demonstrated that the tension-softening model provides a useful tool to determine the appropriate fracture toughness of rocks, which may be applicable for the analysis of the process of large-scale crack extension in rock masses.     

Interpretation of Microseismicity Resulting from Gel and Water Fracturing of Tight Gas Reservoirs

We provide a comparative analysis of the spatio-temporal dynamics of hydraulic fracturing-induced microseismicity resulting from gel and water treatments. We show that the growth of a hydraulic fracture and its corresponding microseismic event cloud can be described by a model which combines geometry- and diffusion-controlled processes. It allows estimation of important parameters of fracture and reservoir from microseismic data, and contributes to a better understanding of related physical processes. We further develop an approach based on this model and apply it to data from hydraulic fracturing experiments in the Cotton Valley tight gas reservoir. The treatments were performed with different parameters such as the type of treatment fluid, the injection flow rate, the total volume of fluid and of proppant. In case of a gel-based fracturing, the spatio-temporal evolution of induced microseismicity shows signatures of fracture volume growth, fracturing fluid loss, as well as diffusion of the injection pressure. In contrast, in a water-based fracturing the volume creation growth and the diffusion controlled growth are not clearly separated from each other in the space-time diagram of the induced event cloud. Still, using the approach presented here, the interpretation of induced seismicity for the gel and the water treatments resulted in similar estimates of geometrical characteristics of the fractures and hydraulic properties of the reservoir. The observed difference in the permeability of the particular hydraulic fractures is probably caused by the different volume of pumped proppant.     

Brittle crack growth in rocks

Fracture phenomena in rocks are associated with mainly mode I crack growth, sometimes superposed by shear or torsion. The present paper contributes to a fracture mechanics analysis of mode I and mixed mode crack propagation, by presenting reliable fracture toughness data for some rocks which include the effect of induced crack propagation rate, and the influence of effective pressure, and by numerical calculations on fracture propagation in layered rock formations. Empirical relations between fracture toughness,K _Ic' and induced crack opening displacement rate, as well as effective pressure, are given. The observedK _Ic pressure relation supports a theoretical model which takes into account the existence of microcracks in the crack tip region. Finite element calculations of fracture propagation in layered rock formations demonstrate the important effect of mixed mode crack growth. The numerical approach is particularly applied to single crack growth in hydraulic fracturing and in three point bending tests on layered single edge crack specimens.     

油气田典型岩石三轴压缩变形破坏与声发射活动特征——四川盆地震旦系白云岩及页岩的破坏过程

随着二氧化碳地质封存、深部地热开采、地下储气库建设、页岩气开发、二次驱油/驱气等工业应用的快速发展,与地下流体注入有关的诱发地震活动呈现一定的增加趋势.利用声发射实验观测油气田典型岩石在三轴压缩条件下变形破坏过程与声发射活动特征,对研究注水诱发地震过程有着重要意义.本文利用四川盆地现场采集的震旦系白云岩及页岩,采用实验室声发射技术观测研究岩石三轴压缩变形破坏过程中地震波速度等物性参数及声发射事件时空分布特征.实验结果表明:震旦系白云岩及页岩在变形破坏过程中均有一定的声发射活动.根据声发射定位结果,声发射主要集中在破坏前后的较短时间内,页岩的层理面为结构弱面,控制最终破坏面的形态及声发射特征.根据应力-应变结果,白云岩在压缩的后期阶段有一定的扩容现象,但页岩在整个压缩阶段均没有明显扩容现象.研究结果表明四川盆地较古老的白云岩及页岩具有脆性破坏特征,地下流体注入容易诱发微震活动,形成裂缝,有利于页岩气压裂开采.微震活动有利于监测裂缝的发生发展,但同时在页岩气开发及二氧化碳地质封存时应采取相应的预防控制措施进行安全合理的储盖层管理,避免灾害性诱发地震的发生.     

基于非监督学习的水力压裂裂缝平面识别

在水力压裂施工中,如何有效获取压裂过程中产生的裂缝形态以及裂缝的动态扩展过程一直是困扰学术界和工业界的问题.目前,常规利用微地震事件定位结果进行分析的方法存在需要人工干预、散点信息表示能力不足等问题;采用数值模拟分析的方法往往因复杂的地下介质情况而引入计算偏差.本文基于非监督学习算法,通过提取微地震事件的空间和时间信息...     

水力压裂对速度场及微地震定位的影响

水力压裂是页岩气开发过程中的核心增产技术,微地震则广泛用于压裂分析、水驱前缘监测和储层描述.微地震反演过程中,用于反演的速度模型往往基于测井、地震或标定炮资料构建,忽略了压裂过程中裂缝及孔隙流体压力变化对地层速度的影响.本文首先基于物质守恒、渗流理论和断裂力学模拟三维水力压裂过程,得到地下裂缝发育特征和孔隙压力分布.继而根据Coates-Schoenberg方法和裂缝柔量参数计算裂缝和孔隙压力对速度场的影响,得到压裂过程中的实时速度模型.最后利用三维射线追踪方法正演微地震走时和方位信息,并采用常规微地震定位方法反演震源位置及进行误差分析.数值模拟结果表明,检波器空间分布影响定位精度,常规方法的定位误差随射线路径在压裂带中传播距离增加而变大,且不同压裂阶段的多点反演法与单点极化法精度相当.     

Formation of conical fractures in sedimentary basins: Experiments involving pore fluids and implications for sandstone intrusion mechanisms

Large sand intrusions often exhibit conical morphologies analogous to magmatic intrusions such as saucer-shaped or cup-shaped sills. Whereas some physical processes may be similar, we show with scaled experiments that the formation of conical sand intrusions may be favoured by the pore-pressure gradients prevailing in the host rock before sand injection. Our experiments involve injecting air into a permeable and cohesive analogue material to produce hydraulic fractures while controlling the pore pressure field. We control the state of overpressure in the overburden by applying homogeneous basal pore pressure, and then adding a second local pore pressure field by injecting air via a central injector to initiate hydraulic fractures near the injection point. In experiments involving small vertical effective stresses (small overburden, or high pore fluid overpressure), the fracturing pressure (λ_fract) is supralithostatic and two dipping fractures are initiated at the injection point forming a conical structure. From theoretical considerations, we predict that high values of λ_fract are due to strong cohesion or high pore fluid overpressure distributed in the overburden. Such conditions are favoured by the pore pressure/stress coupling induced by both pore pressure fields. The dips of cones can be accounted for elastic-stress rotation occurring around the source. Contrary to magmatic chamber models, the aqueous fluid overpressure developed in a parent sandbody (and prevailing before the formation of injectites) may diffuse into the surrounding overburden, thus favouring stress rotation and the formation of inclined sheets far from the parent source. For experiments involving higher vertical effective stresses (thick overburden or low pore fluid overpressure), the fracturing pressure is lower than the lithostatic stress, and a single fracture is opened in mode I which then grows vertically. At a critical depth, the fracture separates into two dilatant branches forming a flat cone. We make use of a P.I.V. (Particle Imaging Velocimetry) technique to analyse plastic deformation, showing that these inclined fractures are opened in mixed modes. Close to the surface, they change into steep shear bands where fluids can infiltrate. The final morphology of the fracture network is very similar to the common tripartite architecture of various injection complexes, indicating that different mechanisms may be involved in the formation of dykes. Feeder dykes under the sill zones may open as tensile fractures, while overlying dykes may be guided by the deformation induced by the growth of sills. These deformation conditions may also favour the formation of fluid escape structures and pockmarks.     

流体-地质力学耦合建模表征水力压裂诱发地震:以加拿大Fox Creek地区为例

随着水力压裂技术在页岩气开发中的广泛应用,加拿大西部盆地的诱发地震活动显著增加.目前对于诱发地震的综合表征方法还不成熟.本文采用一种综合地质、岩石力学及流体力学的研究方法,对Fox Creek地区2015年2月8日发生的M3.0诱发地震事件进行了综合表征.首先,利用高分辨率三维反射地震资料,采用蚂蚁体追踪技术识别潜在断...     

Source mechanism of volcanic tremor: fluid-driven crack models and their application to the 1963 kilauea eruption

We propose a model for the mechanism of magma transport based on a fluid-filled tensile crack driven by the excess pressure of fluid. Such a transport mechanism can generate seismic waves by a succession of jerky crack extensions, if the fracture strength of rock varies in space, or if there is a difference between the dynamic and static values of the critical stress intensity factor. We also find that the opening and closing of a narrow channel connecting two fluid-filled cracks may be a source of seismic waves. Using the finite-difference method, we calculated the vibration of dry and fluid-filled cracks generated by: (1) a jerky extension at one end or at both ends and (2) a jerky opening of a narrow channel connecting two cracks. We then calculated the far-field and near-field radiation from these vibrating cracks. The spectra show peaked structures, but interestingly, most high-frequency peaks are only present in the near-field and cannot be transmitted to the far-field. The spectral features described above are often observed for volcanic tremors and in some cases for seismic signals associated with hydraulic fracturing experiments.We first consider as a model of volcanic tremor randomly occurring jerky crack extensions, and derive a formula relating the tremor amplitude to the excess pressure in the magma, the incremental area in each extension, and the frequency of extensions. These parameters are also constrained by other observations, such as the rate of magma flow.Our model was tested quantitatively against observations made in one of the best-described case histories of volcanic tremor: the October 5–6, 1963 Kilauea flank eruption. We found that a single, long crack extending from the summit to the eruptive site cannot explain the observations. The model of a steadily expanding crack ran into difficulties when quantitative comparisons were made with observations. The extension of crack area needed to explain the amplitude of volcanic tremor should accompany a large increase in tremor period which was not observed.Our second model is a chain of cracks connected by narrow channels which open and close. The length of each crack is around 1 km, the channel area connecting neighboring cracks is about 10³m², and the channel opens jerkily with the magmatic excess pressure of about 20 bars. The frequency of jerky opening of each channel is about once in 15 seconds. The channel is closed after each jerky opening, as soon as magma is moved through the channel.     

Instability of exogenous lava lobes during intense rainfall

On many volcanoes, there is evidence of a relationship between dome collapse and periods of high precipitation. We propose a mechanism for this relationship and investigate the conditions that optimize failure by this process. Observations of elongate lobes that evolve through exogenous growth of lava domes reveal that they commonly develop tensile fractures perpendicular to the direction of motion. These cracks can increase in depth by localized cooling and volumetric contraction. During periods of high rainfall, water can fill these cracks, and the increase in fluid pressure on the base of the lobes and within the crack can trigger the collapse of the hot exogenous lava domes. Using limit-equilibrium analysis, it is possible to calculate the water and vapor forces acting on the rear and base of the potentially unstable part of the lobe. The model presented is rectangular in cross-section, with material properties representative of andesitic dome rocks. Vapor pressures at the base of cracks are sealed by the penetrating rainfall, which forms a saturated cap within the lobe. This leads to an increase in fluid pressurization both through the underlying gas pressure and the downslope component of the liquid water cap. Fluid pressurization increases as the penetration depth increases. This rainfall penetration depth is dependent on the thermal properties of the rocks, antecedent temperature, lobe geometry, and the intensity and duration of precipitation. Dominant parameters influencing the stability of the lobe are principally lobe thickness, duration and intensity of rainfall, and antecedent lobe temperature. Our modeling reveals that thicker lobes are intrinsically more unstable due to the amplification of downslope forces in comparison to cohesive strength. The increase in the duration and intensity of rainfall events also increases the potential for collapse, as it leads to deeper liquid penetration. Deeper penetration depths are also achieved through lower antecedent temperatures since less fluid is lost through vaporization. Thus, the potential for rain-triggered collapse increases with time from emplacement.Editorial responsibility: D. Dingwell     

Numerical evaluation of the effect of fracture network connectivity in naturally fractured shale based on FSD model

In this paper, the effect of pre-existing discrete fracture network (DFN) connectivity on hydraulic fracturing is numerically investigated in a rock mass subjected to in-situ stress. The simulation results show that DFN connectivity has a significant influence on the hydraulic fracture (HF) & DFN interaction and hydraulic fracturing effectiveness, which can be characterized by the total interaction area, stimulated DFN length, stimulated HF length, leak-off ratio, and stimulated total length. In addition, even at the same fluid injection rate, simulation models exhibit different responses that are strongly affected by the DFN connectivity. At a low injection rate, total interaction area decreases with increasing DFN connectivity; at a high injection rate, total interaction area increases with the increase of DFN connectivity. However, for any injection rate, the stimulated DFN length increases and stimulated HF length decreases with the increase of connectivity. Generally, this work shows that the DFN connectivity plays a crucial role in the interaction between hydraulic fractures, the pre-existing natural fractures and hydraulic fracturing effectiveness; in return, these three factors affect treating pressure, created microseismicity and corresponding stimulated volume. This work strongly relates to the production technology and the evaluation of hydraulic fracturing effectiveness. It is helpful for the optimization of hydraulic fracturing simulations in naturally fractured formations.     

Natural hydraulic cracking: numerical model and sensitivity study

Natural hydrofracturing caused by overpressure plays an important role in geopressure evolution and hydrocarbon migration in petroliferous basins. Its mechanism is quite well understood in the case of artificial hydraulic fracturing triggered by high-pressure fluid injection in a well. This is not so for natural hydraulic fracturing which is assumed to initiate as micro-cracks with large influence on the permeability of the medium. The mechanism of natural hydraulic cracking, triggered by increasing pore pressure during geological periods, is studied using a fracturing model coupled to the physical processes occurring during basin evolution. In this model, the hydraulic cracking threshold is assumed to lie between the classical failure limit and the beginning of dilatancy. Fluid pressure evolution is calculated iteratively in order to allow dynamic adjustment of permeability so that the fracturing limit is always preserved. The increase of permeability is interpreted on the basis of equivalent fractures. It is found that fracturing is very efficient to keep a stress level at the rock’s hydraulic cracking limit: a fracture permeability one order of magnitude larger than the intrinsic permeability of the rock would be enough. Observations reported from actual basins and model results strongly suggest that natural hydraulic cracking occurs continuously to keep the pressure at the fracturing limit under relaxed stress conditions.     

用小震应力降估算滇西地区深部绝对应力值

本文用小震应力降估算了滇西地区5～8公里深的水平应力绝对值,并和剑川、下关地区的水压致裂结果进行了对比,发现两者是可以相比的。估算水平应力值随深度的增加而增加,线性相关的可信度较高。结果表明,由应力降估算绝对应力值是一种可行的办法,关键在于应力降结果的可靠性及震源定位精度的提高。     

全球油气开采诱发地震的研究现状与对策

人工诱发地震现象已经有很久的历史.水库蓄水、采矿、地热开发、从地下提取液体或气体,或将液体注入地球内部都可能诱发地震.大量地震监测数据与科学分析结果显示:美国俄克拉何马州的地震剧增主要与页岩油气开采的废水回注量相关;加拿大阿尔伯塔省的地震剧增主要与页岩油气开采水力压裂的工作量相关;而荷兰罗宁根天然气田的传统天然气开采也同样诱发了较强的地震活动.在中国四川盆地的页岩油气开发区域,地震活动近几年也大幅度增强,但目前监测与科研工作较少,对某些地震成因尚有争议.目前研究诱发地震问题已成为学术界与工业界的一门专业学科.推断诱发地震,除了分析时空分布与工业活动的相关性之外,本文综述了该领域基于地震学、地质动力学、构造地质学的多种分析方法.如何在油气开采过程中减少诱发地震的灾害影响成为当前相关各界极为关注的科研问题,本文介绍了多个国家或地区建立的控制诱发地震的管理系统、基于地震大数据的诱发地震概率预测方法,以及基于地球物理与地质信息的综合诱发地震风险评估方法,并对我国控制诱发地震问题提出建设性意见.     

Fluid-induced seismicity: Pressure diffusion and hydraulic fracturing

Borehole fluid injections are common for the development of hydrocarbon and geothermic reservoirs. Often they induce numerous microearthquakes. Spatio-temporal dynamics of such induced microseismic clouds can be used to characterize reservoirs. However, a fluid-induced seismicity can be caused by a wide range of processes. Here we show that linear pore pressure relaxation and a hydraulic fracturing are two asymptotic end members of a set of non-linear diffusional phenomena responsible for seismicity triggering. To account for the whole range of processes we propose a rather general non-linear diffusional equation describing the pore pressure evolution. This equation takes into account a possibly strong enhancement of the medium permeability. Both linear pore pressure relaxation and hydraulic fracturing can be obtained as special limiting cases of this equation. From this equation we derive the triggering front of fluid induced seismicity, which is valid in the general case of non-linear pore pressure diffusion. We demonstrate corresponding seismicity signatures on different case studies.     

不同注水方式下断层动力学响应数值模拟研究

工业开采注水能导致现存断层活化,从而诱发大量的破坏型地震。因此,研究注水作用下断层的动力学响应对探索诱发地震的力学机理具有重要的意义。本文基于孔弹性弹簧-滑块模型,采用多孔介质弹性耦合数值模拟,计算分析了三类典型注水方式（上升型、迅速上升/下降型和间歇型）对断层稳定性的影响。研究结果表明:随着流体的不断注入,断层内部流体压力会经过缓慢上升、迅速上升和稳定上升三个阶段。针对于不同的注水方式,这三个阶段并不完全相同,体现形式存在差异;在注水方式相同的条件下,储层的渗透率越小,井口附近流体压力越大,断层处流体压力越小,两者间的流体压力差值越大;注水过程中断层临界刚度的变化与是否发生滑移并引发地震密切相关,数值越大越易诱发地震,其数值与注入储层流体的流体压力呈负相关,与流体压力变化率呈正相关;临界刚度由于流体压力变化率的增加在前期呈现快速增长趋势,后期则是由于流体压力的影响开始减小。迅速上升/下降型注水方式极大增加了注水前期诱发地震的可能性,间歇性注水方式在注水后期引起的临界刚度变化值较大,增大了诱发地震的可能性。该研究可以为注水诱发地震的危险性评价提供定量的科学依据。      

Back front of seismicity induced by non‐linear pore pressure diffusion

Borehole fluid injections are accompanied by microseismic activity not only during but also after termination of the fluid injection. Previously, this phenomenon has been analysed, assuming that the main triggering mechanism is governed by a linear pressure diffusion in a hydraulically isotropic medium. In this context the so‐called back front of seismicity has been introduced, which allows to characterize the hydraulic transport from the spatiotemporal distribution of post‐injection induced events. However, rocks are generally anisotropic, and in addition, fluid injections can strongly enhance permeability. In this case, permeability becomes a function of pressure. For such situations, we carry out a comprehensive study about the behaviour and parametrization of the back front. Based on a model of a factorized anisotropic pressure dependence of permeability, we present an approach to reconstruct the principal components of the diffusivity tensor. We apply this approach to real microseismic data and show that the back front characterizes the least hydraulic transport. To investigate the back front of non‐linear pore‐fluid pressure diffusion, we numerically consider a power‐law and an exponential‐dependent diffusivity. To account for a post‐injection enhanced hydraulic state of the rock, we introduce a model of a frozen (i.e., nearly unchanged after the stimulation) medium diffusivity and generate synthetic seismicity. We find that, for a weak non‐linearity and 3D exponential diffusion, the linear diffusion back front is still applicable. This finding is in agreement with microseismic data from Ogachi and Fenton Hill. However, for a strong non‐linear fluid–rock interaction such as hydraulic fracturing, the back front can significantly deviate from a time dependence of a linear diffusion back front. This is demonstrated for a data set from the Horn River Basin. Hence, the behaviour of the back front is a strong indicator of a non‐linear fluid–rock interaction.     

A review of the microseismic focal mechanism research

Reservoir reconstructions implemented in unconventional oil and gas exploration usually adopt hydraulic fracturing techniques to inject high-pressure fluid into the reservoir and change its pore-fracture connection structure to enhance production. Hydraulic fracturing changes the reservoir stress and causes the rocks to crack, thus generating microseismic events.One important component of microseismic research is the source mechanism inversion. Through the research on the microseismic focal mechanism, information on the source mechanisms and in-situ stress status variations can be quantitatively revealed to effectively optimize the reservoir reconstruction design for increasing production. This paper reviews the recent progress in hydraulic fracturing induced microseismic focal mechanism research. We summarize their main principles and provide a detailed introduction of the research advances in source modeling, microseismic data synthesis, and focal mechanism inversion. We also discuss the challenges and limitations in the current microseismic focal mechanism research and propose prospects for future research ideas and directions.