Shale gas completion fracturing technology based on FAE controlled burning explosion

Abstract

The existing fracturing technology in shale gas production lacks compatibility between efficiency and environmental concerns, which significantly hinders the industrial production of shale gas. Therefore, based on the distinctive characteristics of fuel-air explosives (FAE), this paper proposes an advanced shale gas completion fracturing technology utilizing FAE controlled burning explosion, which can effectively achieve a balance between efficiency and environmental considerations. Research and numerical simulations demonstrate that various factors or ways in the FAE burning explosion can exert controllable effects: the higher the zero oxygen equilibrium value and the uniformity of FAE, the greater the initial pressure, and the greater the filling mass of FAE, thereby the stronger the explosion power; the larger inertness coefficient leads to lower sensitivity and intensity of FAE; etc. Additionally, the research and numerical simulation also show that the controllability of FAE burning explosion fracturing on shale reservoirs can be achieved through a variety of factors and ways: an increased explosion pressure results in a larger fracturing zone; the deeper the fractured rock layer leads to higher fracture pressures but a smaller fracturing zone; larger Poisson’s ratio reduces crushed zone while enlarging both crack zone and the fracturing zone.