Complex rotation of maximum horizontal stress in the Wufeng-Longmaxi Shale on the eastern margin of the Sichuan Basin, China: Implications for predicting natural fractures

Abstract

Abstract The in-situ stress state of the eastern margin of the Sichuan Basin, where there is a complicated fault zone, is poorly understood. This study offers vital insights into the in-situ stress state based on information from 17 wellbores in the Wufeng-Longmaxi Shale near the eastern boundary fault (i.e., the Qiyueshan Fault) of the Sichuan Basin, China. Drilling-induced tensile fractures and borehole breakouts revealed a decrease in the angle between the SHmax (maximum horizontal stress) orientation and fault strike when the wellbores are close to the damage zone of the Qiyueshan Fault. This stress rotation may be caused by the lateral contrast in the Poisson's ratio between the country rock and damage zone of the Qiyueshan Fault. A high angle between the SHmax orientation and fault strike also appeared in the individual fault blocks of the Qiyueshan Fault as a result of local stress concentration. The higher magnitudes of horizontal stresses indicate stronger lateral compression in the Qiyueshan Fault Zone. Owing to the lateral compression of a “sandwich” consisting of a high-E (Young's modulus) roof and low-E shale intervals, natural fractures mainly appeared in the low-E shale intervals when the wellbore was close to the fault damage zone. The low fracture intensity in the low-E shale intervals of the wellbores located at the boundaries of the stress concentration blocks may be associated with an extensional stepover process.