Coupling dynamic in situ X-ray micro-imaging and indentation: A novel approach to evaluate micromechanics applied to oil shale
Abstract
Oil and gas shales are a system where understanding the mechanical properties at the microscale is of paramount importance, e.g. to better understand the behavior of proppant-shale contacts and their role in the evolution of propped fractures in unconventional reservoirs. Here we show for the first time an experiment coupling indentation testing with in situ X-ray imaging in a Green River shale sample. A full compliance curve has been measured with the sample in water, allowing to visualize the indentation of the sample in function of axial load, in a purpose-built system for combined in situ indentation and X-ray imaging. A series of 3D datasets were used for a digital volume correlation study to obtain local strain fields. This analysis has been complemented with the analysis of cracks. Finally, geomechanical modeling has been carried out to replicate and generalize the observed behavior in the shale. This study validated this experimental approach, providing a breakthrough in understanding micro-mechanics in shales, and demonstrates how this class of experiments can be important for studies involving the prediction of the evolution of propped fractures in shale reservoirs, with possible applications in a much larger number of application fields (geothermal, materials science, etc.)
- Authors:
-
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1826347
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-05CH11231
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Fuel
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 300; Journal ID: ISSN 0016-2361
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS; Green River shale; ductile shale; x-ray micro-tomography; micro-mechanics; Brinell-type indentation; geomechanical modeling; proppant embedment
Citation Formats
Voltolini, Marco, Rutqvist, Jonny, and Kneafsey, Timothy. Coupling dynamic in situ X-ray micro-imaging and indentation: A novel approach to evaluate micromechanics applied to oil shale. United States: N. p., 2021.
Web. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2021.120987.
Voltolini, Marco, Rutqvist, Jonny, & Kneafsey, Timothy. Coupling dynamic in situ X-ray micro-imaging and indentation: A novel approach to evaluate micromechanics applied to oil shale. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2021.120987
Voltolini, Marco, Rutqvist, Jonny, and Kneafsey, Timothy. Sun .
"Coupling dynamic in situ X-ray micro-imaging and indentation: A novel approach to evaluate micromechanics applied to oil shale". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2021.120987. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1826347.
@article{osti_1826347,
title = {Coupling dynamic in situ X-ray micro-imaging and indentation: A novel approach to evaluate micromechanics applied to oil shale},
author = {Voltolini, Marco and Rutqvist, Jonny and Kneafsey, Timothy},
abstractNote = {Oil and gas shales are a system where understanding the mechanical properties at the microscale is of paramount importance, e.g. to better understand the behavior of proppant-shale contacts and their role in the evolution of propped fractures in unconventional reservoirs. Here we show for the first time an experiment coupling indentation testing with in situ X-ray imaging in a Green River shale sample. A full compliance curve has been measured with the sample in water, allowing to visualize the indentation of the sample in function of axial load, in a purpose-built system for combined in situ indentation and X-ray imaging. A series of 3D datasets were used for a digital volume correlation study to obtain local strain fields. This analysis has been complemented with the analysis of cracks. Finally, geomechanical modeling has been carried out to replicate and generalize the observed behavior in the shale. This study validated this experimental approach, providing a breakthrough in understanding micro-mechanics in shales, and demonstrates how this class of experiments can be important for studies involving the prediction of the evolution of propped fractures in shale reservoirs, with possible applications in a much larger number of application fields (geothermal, materials science, etc.)},
doi = {10.1016/j.fuel.2021.120987},
journal = {Fuel},
number = ,
volume = 300,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun May 09 00:00:00 EDT 2021},
month = {Sun May 09 00:00:00 EDT 2021}
}
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