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Close Observation of Hydraulic Fracturing at EGS Collab Experiment 1: Fracture Trajectory, Microseismic Interpretations, and the Role of Natural Fractures

Journal Article · · Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JB020840· OSTI ID:1813066
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  1. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Atmospheric, Earth, and Energy Division Livermore CA USA
  2. Energy Geosciences Division Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley CA USA
  3. Energy Geosciences Division Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley CA USA, Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences Rice University Houston TX USA
  4. Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge TN USA
  5. Energy and Environment Directorate Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland Washington USA
  6. Sandia National Laboratories Albuquerque NM USA
  7. Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos NM USA
  8. Idaho National Laboratory Idaho Falls ID USA
  9. Golder Associates Inc. Redmond WA USA
  10. Department of Geology and Geological Engineering South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City SD USA
  11. Stanford University Stanford CA USA
  12. The University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison WI USA
  13. Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering The University of Oklahoma Norman OK USA
  14. Department of Statistics The University of California Davis CA USA
  15. ResFrac Corporation Palo Alto CA USA
  16. Sanford Underground Research Facility Lead SD USA
+ Show Author Affiliations

Abstract

Despite the wide application of hydraulic fracturing in enhanced geothermal system (EGS) development and unconventional hydrocarbon production, our understanding of the many factors affecting the propagation of hydraulic fractures has relied on circumstantial evidence. This is partly due to the scarcity of direct observations in the subsurface. The EGS Collab project attempts to address these issues in the context of EGS research by performing intermediate‐scale (∼10 m) hydraulic stimulation experiments in a thoroughly characterized and heavily instrumented underground testbed. This paper analyzes the data collected from the first suite of hydraulic fracturing tests in this testbed, consisting of seven stimulation episodes. High‐quality microseismic data delineate five planar features very clearly. Combining fracture‐wellbore intersection observations from distributed temperature sensing (DTS) and visual observations from an open‐hole well, as well as prior in‐situ stress measurements, we conclude with high certainty that the four larger planes were hydraulic fractures. The growth of the hydraulic fractures was temporarily halted by a prominent, open natural fracture in the testbed but they eventually crossed and slightly reoriented under continued stimulation. Mineral‐filled (i.e., healed) natural fractures, though prevalent in the testbed, did not have perceivable effects on hydraulic fracture propagation. The high‐quality, mutually corroborating data sets allowed conclusions to be drawn with high confidence and attests to the advantage of intermediate‐scale experiments in subsurface research.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
NA0003525; AC52-07NA27344; AC05-76RL01830; AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1813066
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1810386
OSTI ID: 1812607
OSTI ID: 1814217
OSTI ID: 1814390
OSTI ID: 1826341
OSTI ID: 1835674
OSTI ID: 1859891
Journal Information:
Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 126; ISSN 2169-9313
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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