Study on Stress Sensitivity in Microfracture Ultra-Low Permeability Reservoir

Abstract

The stress-dependent permeability of ultra-low permeability rocks has a significant impact on the seepage. A number of experimental studies on the variation of permeability with stress change in low permeability reservoir have been done, but few are involved in ultra-low permeability cores. In this study, first, we fabricated the shear-stress microfracture cores and then the stress sensitive experiments were conducted. Second, a fracture deformation model was introduced in order to depict the stress sensitivity features of fracture media theoretically. Finally, a comparison of the theoretical curves with the experimental data had been done. The results show that the fabricated microfracture cores can be used in the permeability stress sensitive experiments. The permeability stress sensitive hysteresis of the microfracture cores is not obvious and the recovery degree of stress sensitive hysteresis is high in the unloading cycle for the grains were compacted in the process of shearing. The theoretical curves have the desired behavior which is consistent with the experimental data well. It indicates that the method of fabricating microfractures can similarly reveal the stress sensitivity features of the real microfracture ultralow permeability reservoir. This study do great benefit to reveal the stress sensitivity features of ultra-low permeability reservoir.