Some rock mechanics problems with application for hydraulic fracturing

Hydraulic fracturing is an essential tool used to enhance connectivity in shale gas reservoirs by maximizing the intersection between the hydraulic fracture (HF) and pre-existing natural fractures (NF) or faults. The technique is most effective when the hydraulic fracture crosses natural fractures rather than arresting on them. Experiments conducted to examine the interaction between HF and artificial pre-existing faults suggest that the coupling of diffusivity and fault slip is an important element of the HF-fault interaction problem. Fault slip, once activated is associated with an apparent increase in diffusivity. Whether the hydrofracture crosses or arrests on the pre-existing fault is also affected by surface roughness, differential stresses, and fault slip mode (i.e., stable or stick-slip sliding). Calibrated piezoelectric transducers were used to measure acoustic emissions (AE) generated during HF and fault slip.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctoral

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Mighani, Saied,1989-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Brian J. Evans.

• Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/122224

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/122224