Secondary fractures and their potential impacts on hydraulic fractures efficiency

Arash Dahi Taleghani, Milad Ahmadi, J. E. Olson

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

Outcrop studies have revealed the presence of abundant cemented fractures in many low permeable formations. Recovered cores have also revealed the opening of some of these smaller size fractures on the wall surface of main hydraulic fractures. Furthermore, early-production well-testing analysis in some of these cases provide estimates for hydraulically induced fracture surface areas which are much larger than the fracture dimensions estimated in fracturing design. Re-opening of these small-size fractures could be a possible reason for this discrepancy. In this paper, we show how and to what extent tensile stresses induced by temperature difference between fracturing fluid and formation fluid or plastic unloading of the formation rock could provide a large enough driving force to open a portion of these small cemented natural fractures laying on the surface of hydraulic fractures. Our thermo-elastoplasticity analysis reveals the effect of net pressure, stratigraphy and also temperature of the fracturing fluid on the number of activated microfractures. Accordingly, potential distributions of activated micro-fractures are estimated. At the end, through an example, we show that the activation of only a small portion of cemented microfractures can increase the total formation contact surface considerably, and consequently increase the initial production by many folds.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages773-792
Number of pages20
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013
EventISRM International Conference for Effective and Sustainable Hydraulic Fracturing 2013 - Brisbane, Australia
Duration: May 20 2013May 22 2013

Conference

ConferenceISRM International Conference for Effective and Sustainable Hydraulic Fracturing 2013
Country/TerritoryAustralia
CityBrisbane
Period5/20/135/22/13

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology
  • Fuel Technology
  • Geochemistry and Petrology

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