About This Item

Share This Item

The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

AAPG Bulletin

Abstract

AAPG Bulletin, V. 108, No. 8 (August 2024), P. 1509-1536.

Copyright ©2024. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.

DOI: 10.1306/03202422056

Present-day stress regime, permeability, and fracture stimulations of coal reservoirs in the Qinshui Basin, northern China

Shida Chen,1 Yafei Zhang,2 Dazhen Tang,3 Shu Tao,4 Yifan Pu,5 and Zhenhong Chen6

1School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, P.R. China; Coal Reservoir Laboratory of National Engineering Research Center of Coalbed Methane (CBM) Development and Utilization, Beijing, P.R. China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Unconventional Natural Gas Geological Evaluation and Development Engineering, Beijing, P.R. China; [email protected]
2China United Coalbed Methane Corporation, Beijing, P.R. China; [email protected]
3School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, P.R. China; Coal Reservoir Laboratory of National Engineering Research Center of CBM Development and Utilization, Beijing, P.R. China; [email protected]
4School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, P.R. China; Coal Reservoir Laboratory of National Engineering Research Center of CBM Development and Utilization, Beijing, P.R. China; [email protected]
5School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, P.R. China; Coal Reservoir Laboratory of National Engineering Research Center of CBM Development and Utilization, Beijing, P.R. China; [email protected]
6PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, Beijing, P.R. China; [email protected]

ABSTRACT

Present-day stress, permeability, and hydraulic fracturing of coals at 323- to 1454-m (1060- to 4770-ft) depths were studied from the Qinshui Basin to analyze the influence of variable present-day stress regimes on coalbed methane productivity. The present maximum horizontal stress orientation is primarily northeast-southwest, with some local variations. Stress magnitudes generally increase with depth but with U-shaped variations in stress gradients. A strike-slip fault stress regime is dominant and is consecutively distributed vertically, whereas normal and reverse fault stress regimes are distributed mainly in specific depth intervals. Permeability (0.004–13.18 md) and stress regime present high variability, with changes in structural trends; structural lows result in a strike-slip fault stress regime and extremely low permeability (<0.1 md), and structural highs create relatively higher permeability regions with lower horizontal stress differential. Fracture stimulation designs should consider transitions in depth- and structural trends-related stress regimes and preexisting fractures, instead, using the current uniform schemes. Hydraulic fracture geometries are influenced by both stress and preexisting fractures in structural highs, occurring at multiple orientations with larger angles and allowing for greater reservoir stimulation volumes. Conversely, in structural lows, the higher differential stresses direct both major fracture and branches propagation along the maximum horizontal orientation. Most deep seams located in syncline axis, fault troughs, and subsags within the basin require a better proppant-supported profile, whereas small-scale fracturing has shown limited adaptability. Higher pumped rates and treating pressures are necessary in deep structural highs to reduce fracture complexity and improve proppant filling effectiveness.

Pay-Per-View Purchase Options

The article is available through a document delivery service. Explain these Purchase Options.

Watermarked PDF Document: $14
Open PDF Document: $24

AAPG Member?

Please login with your Member username and password.

Members of AAPG receive access to the full AAPG Bulletin Archives as part of their membership. For more information, contact the AAPG Membership Department at [email protected].