Geochemical processes during hydraulic fracturing in a tight sandstone reservoir revealed by field and laboratory experiments

Abstract

The application of hydraulic fracturing has transformed tight sandstone gas into a very important global unconventional resource. The accurate description of geochemical processes during hydraulic fracturing can provide essential information for improving tight gas production. In this study, field fracturing and laboratory water-rock interaction experiments were designed and performed in conjunction with geochemistry, isotope, XRF, XRD and SEM techniques to reveal the prevalent geochemical processes. Sixty-five flowback fluid samples were collected from a hydraulic fracturing well and a tight sandstone sample was drilled from gas reservoir to perform water-rock interaction experiments. The results indicate that hydraulic fracturing flowback fluid is a complex mixture, with high TDS values (0.93–33.04 g/L) and heavy isotopes (e.g., mean δ18O of −5.35‰, mean 87Sr/86Sr of 0.714651). Geochemistry and isotope data reveal that the mixing process between fracturing fluid and formation water exerts an important influence on the flowback fluid chemistry, while water-rock and fluid-fluid interactions are also variably important during the hydraulic fracturing process. Pyrite oxidation process is confirmed during hydraulic fracturing in the tight sandstone reservoir, while the addition of gel breaker makes the process prominent. Due to high clay mineral contents (24%), ion exchange and adsorption/desorption are critical factors affecting the stability of the clay minerals during the entire fracturing and flowback processes. Approximately, 20%-43% of the strontium was removed from the solution by ion exchange between the 8 and 44 h intervals of the flowback process. The fractures derived from fracturing connect different types of high salinity formation water, leading to potential mineral precipitation (e.g., barite and calcite). The analysis of formation water needs to be taken into consideration during hydraulic fracturing operations.