Hydraulic fracturing in porus (sic) and nonporus (sic) rock and its potential for determining in-situ stresses at great depth
The process of hydraulic fracturing as a method of determining in-situ stresses in brittle elastic formations at great depth is analyzed both theoretically and experimentally. Theoretically, it is found that in attempting to relate the recorded hydraulic fracturing pressures to tectonic stresses, it is essential to investigate whether the fluid used to induce and extend fracture penetrates and flows into the rock strata. This flow raises the pre-fluid pressure and creates additional stresses and displacements which lower the critical pressure required to initiate fracture and reduce the width of the newly-formed fracture. Based on this additional stress field, a realistic evaluation of in-situ stresses in permeable strata is obtained. Experimentally, hollow cylindrical and cubical specimens of porous and nonporous rock were tested under constant triaxial external loading and increasing internal (borehole) fluid pressure. In the cubical samples, 3 uniform unequal principal stresses were induced to simulate general conditions at great depth.
- OSTI ID:
- 5757135
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020300 -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
58 GEOSCIENCES
580300* -- Mineralogy
Petrology
& Rock Mechanics-- (-1989)
COMMINUTION
DEFORMATION
DEPTH
DIMENSIONS
ELASTICITY
FRACTURING
GEOLOGY
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
MEASURING METHODS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICS
PERMEABILITY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POROSITY
RESERVOIR PRESSURE
ROCK MECHANICS
ROCKS
SIMULATION
STRATIGRAPHY
STRESSES
TENSILE PROPERTIES
WELL COMPLETION
WELL PRESSURE