Analysis of Influencing Factors of Slippage and the Dynamic Process of Fault Slip Caused by Multi-Stage Fracturing

Abstract

Casing deformation is evident during the development of shale oil and gas wells in the Sichuan and Junggar Basins in China. Their casing deformation characteristics, distribution law of deformation points, and main controlling factors were analyzed. According to the analysis results, shear is the main cause of casing deformation of shale oil and gas wells in the Sichuan and Junggar Basins in China and has the characteristics of “a dense heel end and a sparse toe end”. Faults account for 75% of casing deformation points, and fault slip caused by multi-stage fracturing is the primary factor responsible. The calculation model for fault slip that takes into account fracturing fluid invasion was established, and the dynamic variation law of fault slip was clarified: the fracturing fluid intruded into the fault, the relative dislocation of the damaged fault was caused by gravity, and the fault slippage was caused by the increase in fault activation length. This resulted in a linear increase in fault slippage, and the slippage reached its maximum when the fracturing fluid completely penetrated the fault and reached the fault boundary. The slip amount has a positive correlation with the fault length and the in situ stress difference; it increases first and then decreases with the increase in the fault dip angle. The slip amount reaches its maximum when the fault dip angle reaches 45°.