Permeability Evolution of Fractures in Shale in the Presence of Supercritical CO 2

Hashemi, Sam S.; Zoback, Mark D.

doi:10.1029/2021jb022266

Title: Permeability Evolution of Fractures in Shale in the Presence of Supercritical CO ₂

Journal Article · 07 August 2021 · Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jb022266 · OSTI ID:1865181

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Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Stanford University
Stanford Univ., CA (United States)

We experimentally examined the impact of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) on fracture permeability and fracture surface characteristics in shales of various compositions. We measured permeability and fracture normal displacement at different effective stresses using both argon and scCO₂ as pore fluids. Both natural fractures and saw cuts in intact samples were used in our study. The permeability and fracture normal displacement decrease after multiple loading/unloading cycles, apparently as the result of inelastic compaction. In samples with high carbonate content, we observe an increase in permeability and fracture surface degradation after more than 3.5 days of exposure to scCO₂, apparently due to carbonate dissolution. We demonstrate that the sensitivity of permeability to effective normal stress correlates well with the fracture normal displacement. The dependence of permeability on effective normal stress increases after exposure to scCO₂ as the fracture surface became more compliant.

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Research Organization:: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Mechanistic Control of Water-Hydrocarbon-Rock Interactions in Unconventional and Tight Oil Formations (CMC-UF); Stanford Univ., CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: ExxonMobil; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0019165

OSTI ID:: 1865181

Journal Information:: Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 126; ISSN 2169-9313

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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58 GEOSCIENCES
Aperture
Fracture roughness
Shale rocks
fracture permeability
supercritical CO2

Title: Permeability Evolution of Fractures in Shale in the Presence of Supercritical CO 2

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Title: Permeability Evolution of Fractures in Shale in the Presence of Supercritical CO ₂