True Triaxial Experiments Research Articles

Experimental study on the multiple fracture simultaneous propagation during extremely limited-entry fracturing

Horizontal well with multi-stage fracturing is one of the most effective stimulation methods for unconventional reservoirs, e.g. tight oil/gas or shale. To maximize reservoir stimulation volume (SRV), tighter fracture spacing and fewer perforations are distributed in one stage during extreme limited-entry fracturing (XLEF) in recent years. However, the fracture geometries and injection pressure curve are not clear when multiple fractures with close spacing were created simultaneously in the perforated wellbore during XLEF. This study investigated the multiple fracture simultaneous propagation in the XLEF perforated wellbore based on the true tri-axial fracturing experiments. Critical factors of horizontal stress difference (HSD), the number of perforation clusters, helical/in-plane perforated method, number of perforations per cluster and fracturing fluid flowrate were investigated in detail. The results showed that, firstly, compared to one fracture produced by the helical perforated method, XLEF with the in-plane perforated method has a higher breakdown pressure and could simultaneously create multiple transverse fractures. Secondly, longitudinal fractures and a small number of curved transverse fractures occurred simultaneously under lower HSD conditions, while multiple parallel transverse fractures could be created under high HSD conditions. Thirdly, increasing the number of perforations per cluster will reduce perforation cluster effectiveness, and increasing the number of clusters will lead to the merging of multiple fractures. Finally, three relationships between pressure response and fracture geometries during XLEF, e.g. single transverse fracture, multiple transverse fractures, co-existence of longitudinal and transverse fractures, have been revealed. This study provides a meaningful perspective for the multiple fracture propagation in the perforated wellbore, which could help the field fracturing design during XLEF.

Quantitative investigation of multi-fracture morphology during TPDF through true tri-axial fracturing experiments and CT scanning

Due to the reservoir heterogeneity and the stress shadow effect, multiple hydraulic fractures within one fracturing segment cannot be initiated simultaneously and propagate evenly, which will cause a low effectiveness of reservoir stimulation. Temporary plugging and diverting fracturing (TPDF) is considered to be a potential uniform-stimulation method for creating multiple fractures simultaneously in the oilfield. However, the multi-fracture propagation morphology during TPDF is not clear now. The purpose of this study is to quantitatively investigate the multi-fracture propagation morphology during TPDF through true tri-axial fracturing experiments and CT scanning. Critical parameters such as fracture spacing, number of perforation clusters, the viscosity of fracturing fluid, and the in-situ stress have been investigated. The fracture geometry before and after diversion have been quantitively analyzed based on the two-dimensional CT slices and three-dimensional reconstruction method. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) When injecting the high viscosity fluid or perforating at the location with low in-situ stress, multiple hydraulic fractures would simultaneously propagate. Otherwise, only one hydraulic fracture was created during the initial fracturing stage (IFS) for most tests. (2) The perforation cluster effectiveness (PCE) has increased from 26.62% during the IFS to 88.86% after using diverters. (3) The diverted fracture volume has no apparent correlation with the pressure peak and peak frequency during the diversion fracturing stage (DFS) but is positively correlated with water-work. (4) Four types of plugging behavior in shale could be controlled by adjusting the diverter recipe and diverter injection time, and the plugging behavior includes plugging the natural fracture in the wellbore, plugging the previous hydraulic fractures, plugging the fracture tip and plugging the bedding.

Study on the influence of stress differences on hydraulic fracturing based on true triaxial experiments and discrete element numerical simulations

Laboratory experiments are an effective way to study the initiation and propagation of hydraulic fractures for the complex stress level and structure of underground reservoirs. However, it is difficult to observe hydraulic fractures directly in rock or mortar specimens. In this study, a kind of transparent rock-like material whose tension–compression ratio reaches 1/9.5 at normal temperature was obtained, which helped us to observe fractures directly. Using transparent specimens, triaxial hydraulic-fracturing experiments were carried out to explore the influence of stress differences on the initiation pressure and propagation of hydraulic fractures. The initiation pressure decreased with increasing stress difference, and the hydraulic cracks propagated along the maximum stress direction. The DEM (Discrete Element Method) simulation of hydraulic fracturing was used to verify the results derived from the laboratory experiments. This study provides new insights into the propagation of hydraulic fractures.

Influence of High-Temperature Treatment on Strength and Failure Behaviors of a Quartz-Rich Sandstone under True Triaxial Condition

Abstract In this paper, the effect of high temperature on the mechanical properties of quartz-rich sandstone was studied by true triaxial pressure experiment. The density, P-wave velocity, elastic modulus, peak stress, peak strain, and failure mode of quartz-rich sandstone before and after heat treatment were analyzed and compared. It was found that the color of quartz-rich sandstone changes greatly when heated to 500°C. In detail, the brittleness of quartz-rich sandstone gradually decreased and the ductility increased at high temperature. Although the density, P-wave velocity, and elastic modulus fluctuate, they showed a decreasing trend as a whole. In addition, the peak stress and peak strain showed an overall upward trend with the increase of temperature, and 500°C was the high-temperature failure threshold of quartz-rich sandstone. The failure mode of quartz-rich sandstone at high temperature changes from shear failure to shear-tension combined failure, and the number of cracks increases. Therefore, these research results can provide a certain reference for high-temperature underground operation.

A true triaxial experimental study on porous Vosges sandstone: from strain localization precursors to failure using full-field measurements

This study systematically investigates the effect of deviatoric loading paths on diffuse and localized deformation developing during the mechanical loading of a high porosity (20%) Vosges sandstone (Eastern France). Laboratory scale experiments are performed using a high pressure true triaxial apparatus, designed to provide access to full-field surface kinematics at high spatial and temporal resolutions during the loading phase. The true triaxial experiments, with independent control of the three principal stress, are conducted at two constant mean stresses, in the brittle-ductile transition regime, and at five prescribed Lode angles , from axisymmetric compression (ASC) to axisymmetric extension (ASE). First, the transition from diffuse towards localized deformation is analyzed in different loading increments and shows an intermediate step of early strain localization , characterized by a large number of early deformation bands developing well before the stress peak and with a predominantly dilatant behavior. Secondly, the evolution of the mechanical behavior and localization patterns, such as deformation band angles and localized dilatancy , indicate a transition from the brittle regime to the ductile regime that is not only dependent on an increase in the mean stress, but also on a decrease in the Lode angle. The analysis of full-field measurements also provides insights into the emergence and evolution of local strains, as deformation structures coalesce or relocate and different failure modes develop depending on the prescribed stress paths.

Damage and Failure Characteristics of Surrounding Rock in Deep Circular Cavern under Cyclic Dynamic Load: A True Triaxial Experiment Investigation

For ensuring safety and efficiency during the construction of deep engineering, it is essential to explore the failure mode of the surrounding rock mass under dynamic disturbance and high geo-stress. We conducted true triaxial load tests for rock-like material with a preexisting circular hole, and monitored the acoustic emission (AE) signal during the whole test. The result demonstrates the evolution characteristics of damage and failure mode with different cyclic dynamic load amplitudes and intermediate principal stress. With the increase in cyclic dynamic load amplitude or the decrease in intermediate principal stress, the failure source mainly occurs at the two horizontal side walls of the surrounding rock where the failure patterns change from the slabbing to wall caving and, finally, to rockburst. The former failure mode can actually serve as an important precursor for the latter. Based on such mechanisms, the precursor can be indirectly detected in forms of AE signal released by microcracking. The research can provide a reliable guidance for the rock stability control and faithfully forecasting the larger-scale failure during the excavation of deep circular cavern.

Multiscale fracture characteristics and failure mechanism quantification method of cracked rock under true triaxial compression

The failure mechanism of rock masses is an important issue concerning the safe construction of underground engineering. Here, we conduct a series of true triaxial experiments on sandstone to investigate the fracture characteristics and failure mechanism of cracked rock. The multiscale fracture characteristics of the fracture surface are summarized, and the mechanisms of different types of fractures are identified. A novel method for quantifying the rock failure mechanism is proposed. The applicability of the Mohr–Coulomb criterion is also discussed. The experimental results reveal that the fracture mechanism can be qualitatively defined by the multiscale fracture characteristics. Four types of fractures with different mechanisms are classified. The correlation between the fractal dimension and the fracture mechanism is established by fractal theory. Based on the fractal dimension, the rock failure parameter δ is defined to quantify the rock failure mechanism, and the influence of σ3, σ2, and pre-existing flaws on the rock failure mechanism is studied. The proportion of tension fractures in the failure of rock has a positive correlation with σ3 and a negative correlation with σ2. The presence of pre-existing flaws has a significant promoting effect on the development of fractures. However, this promoting effect presents no obvious bias on the initiation of tension or shear fractures.

Studies on Gas Seepage Characteristics in Different Stress Zones of Bottom Coal in Steeply Inclined and Extra-Thick Coal Seams under Mining Action.

The gas released from the bottom coal of the horizontal slicing mining face in steeply inclined and extra-thick coal seams seriously threatens the safety of the upper slicing mining face. To explore the seepage characteristics of bottom coal gas, the coal deformation and gas permeability evolution law of four coal samples in different stress zones of bottom coal in the working face were analyzed through true triaxial fluid–solid coupling seepage experiments. At the same time, the seepage capacity of bottom coal gas was partitioned according to the field test. The results show the following: (1) The gas permeability of the bottom coal stress concentration zone first decreased and then increased with axial pressure loading and confining pressure unloading. The gas permeability of the bottom coal stress relief zone increased rapidly with decreasing axial pressure and confining pressure. The gas permeability of the bottom coal stress recovery zone gradually decreased with the cyclic loading and unloading of axial pressure and tended to be stabilized. (2) The evolution law of gas permeability in the bottom coal was closely related to the damage and deformation of coal. (3) From the original stress zone to the stress recovery zone, the gas seepage capacity of bottom coal can be divided into four zones, namely, the original seepage zone, the seepage reduction zone, the seepage sharp increase zone, and the seepage reduction zone. The gas seepage capacity in the stress concentration zone was more substantial than that of the stress recovery zone. The results of this study are of great significance for strengthening the dynamic disaster prevention and control of bottom coal gas in the horizontal slicing mining face of steeply inclined and extra-thick coal seams.

Study of mechano-chemical effects on the morphology of hydraulic fractures

Acid fracturing is one of the main stimulation technologies in carbonate reservoir. Understanding the mechano-chemical effects on the morphology of hydraulic fractures is of great significance for acid concentration optimization. Based on the true tri-axial experiments on carbonate and CT scan and 3D reconstruction technology, the experimental results indicate that the hydraulic fracture changes from horizontal fracture to vertical fracture. In the process of acid fracturing, the stress field plays a dominant role in the formation of hydraulic fractures when the acid concentration is less than 10%, while the chemical reaction plays the dominant role when the acid concentration is more than 20%. The natural fracture system developed in carbonate reservoir provides seepage channel for acidizing reaction. With the increasing development of natural fractures, the hydraulic fractures formed in the process of acid fracturing are more complex, and the influence of acidizing reaction on acid fracturing is more serious. • The true tri-axial acid fracturing experiments are conducted. • The effect of mechanochemical synergism on acid fracturing are analyzed. • The effect of natural fractures on acid fracturing are analyzed.

Laboratory Evaluation of the Thermal Breakout Method for Maximum Horizontal Stress Measurement

Measuring in situ stress is essential for many problems in geomechanics, and the maximum horizontal stress is the most difficult to constrain. We are developing an extension of the breakout method to measure maximum horizontal stress in regions where natural breakouts do not occur. In the novel thermal breakout method, additional compression which leads to breakout development is induced by heating the borehole wall. In the present study, we validated the method experimentally in a true-triaxial apparatus on samples with predrilled boreholes. Two rocks were selected for laboratory testing: high-porosity Berea sandstone and low-porosity Niagaran dolomite. Prior to main true-triaxial tests, we carried out standard testing to characterize the strength, elasticity and thermal properties. The true-triaxial experiments consisted of: (1) room-temperature tests where samples were first loaded mechanically until the breakout formed, and (2) elevated-temperature tests where samples were loaded mechanically within the elastic range with additional compression induced thermally. Breakout initiation was monitored by acoustic emission sensors mounted on the pistons that applied horizontal stresses. The magnitude of induced thermal stress was calculated from temperature measurements around the borehole wall. In both rock types, we created thermally induced breakouts and examined analytical expressions to constrain maximum horizontal stress based on strength, elastic and thermal properties of the rocks.

Numerical investigation of complex hydraulic fracture network in naturally fractured reservoirs based on the XFEM

The propagation of hydraulic fracture network in naturally fractured shale reservoirs remains a complicated and challenging issue. To reveal the propagation principle of the complex fracture network, a numerical fracturing model is presented on the basis of the extended finite element method (XFEM) in this work. The intersection criterion containing five intersection patterns is studied. True triaxial fracturing experiment is conducted to verify the fracture geometry obtained from our model. After that, hydraulic fracturing in naturally fractured formations is studied to investigate the influences of natural fracture azimuth on fracture network geometry. The numerical results show that, hydraulic fracture is inclined to open the obtuse angle side of natural fracture in uniform azimuth model. In random azimuth condition, occurring of various intersection patterns enables complex fracture network to generate easier. And hydraulic fracture is harder to propagate if it is closer to the middle domain due to the squeezing effect. Meanwhile, the fracture network can penetrate deeper shale layer under large in-situ stress difference. In addition, the stimulation effect (e.g., Stimulated Reservoir Volume) in random azimuth condition is much stronger than that in uniform azimuth condition. The findings in this work are of benefit to provide us a better understanding of complex hydraulic fracture network and develop high-efficiency fracturing technology.

A method to analyze fracture communication in carbonate reservoirs

Large amounts of oil and gas resources are stored in carbonate rocks, and fracturing is an important technology to exploit carbonate reservoirs, The communication between artificial fractures and natural fractures is very important for the fracturing effect of carbonate reservoirs, The effect evaluation after fracturing lacks quantitative description. Therefore, it is necessary to study the fracturing effect evaluation of carbonate reservoirs. This paper analyzes the pressure curve obtained in true triaxial fracturing experiment. The communication with natural fracture and vugs in the process of fracture propagation is explored. Finally, the pressure curve characteristics of artificial fracture communicating with natural fracture cavity under different modes are obtained, and the communication between artificial fracture and natural fracture is identified.

Seepage Flow Properties of a Columnar Jointed Rock Mass in a True Triaxial Experiment

A columnar jointed rock mass is a type of rock mass with strong geometric anisotropy and high interface permeability. Its seepage characteristics pose new challenges to the construction and maintenance of the Baihetan Hydropower Station on the Jinsha River. The research object in this study is the columnar jointed rock mass (basalt) in the dam area of Baihetan Hydropower Station. Similar-material model samples of the columnar jointed rock mass with different column dip angles ( α = 0 ° ~90°) were prepared following a similar principle. A true triaxial seepage–stress coupling test was conducted to evaluate the seepage characteristics of similar-material samples with different dip angles under intermediate principal stress and minimum principal stress. The experimental results showed that the columnar jointed rock mass exhibited apparent seepage anisotropy. The relationship curve between the volume flow rate Q and the pressure gradient − d P / d L of the samples with different dip angles showed evident nonlinear seepage under intermediate principal stress, which could be well expressed using the Forchheimer equation. It shows the characteristics of a typical linear Darcy flow under minimum principal stress. The law of variations in the permeability of the samples with different dip angles under intermediate principal stress can be well expressed using the one-dimensional quadratic function equation k = a + b σ 2 + c σ 2 2 , and the law of variations in the permeability of the samples with different dip angles under minimum principal stress can be well expressed using the logarithmic function k = a + b ln σ 3 . The permeabilities of the columnar jointed rock mass with dip angles of 0°, 15°, 30°, and 60° were most sensitive to changes in stress, and the seepage characteristics increased in complexity after changes in stress.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation on Basic Law of Dense Linear Multihole Directional Hydraulic Fracturing

Using the dense linear multihole to control the directional hydraulic fracturing is a significant technical method to realize roof control in mining engineering. By combining the large-scale true triaxial directional hydraulic fracturing experiment with the discrete element numerical simulation experiment, the basic law of dense linear holes controlling directional hydraulic fracturing was studied. The results show the following: (1) Using the dense linear holes to control directional hydraulic fracturing can effectively form directional hydraulic fractures extending along the borehole line. (2) The hydraulic fracturing simulation program is very suitable for studying the basic law of directional hydraulic fracturing. (3) The reason why the hydraulic fracture can be controlled and oriented is that firstly, due to the mutual compression between the dense holes, the maximum effective tangential tensile stress appears on the connecting line of the drilling hole, where the hydraulic fracture is easy to be initiated. Secondly, due to the effect of pore water pressure, the disturbed stress zone appears at the tip of the hydraulic fracture, and the stress concentration zone overlaps with each other to form the stress guiding strip, which controls the propagation and formation of directional hydraulic fractures. (4) The angle between the drilling line and the direction of the maximum principal stress, the in situ stress, and the hole spacing has significant effects on the directional hydraulic fracturing effect. The smaller the angle, the difference of the in situ stress, and the hole spacing, the better the directional hydraulic fracturing effect. (5) The directional effect of synchronous hydraulic fracturing is better than that of sequential hydraulic fracturing. (6) According to the multihole linear codirectional hydraulic fracturing experiments, five typical directional hydraulic fracture propagation modes are summarized.

Improved concrete plastic-damage model for FRP-confined concrete based on true tri-axial experiment

The constitutive relationship of concrete under passive confinement of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) is one of the fundamental requirements for mechanical analysis of FRP-confined concrete members. The existing tri-axial constitutive models are commonly established based on actively confined concrete or uniform passively confined concrete. True tri-axial experiments and corresponding constitutive models for non-uniform passively confined concrete are rare. In this study, based on the pioneering work of true tri-axial testing on concrete cubes associated with passive confinement and the corresponding database assembled by the corresponding author, a plastic-damage based constitutive model for non-uniform passively confined concrete is established. The main parameters for the plastic-damage model i.e., damage variable, hardening/softening rule (cohesion stress) and flow rule (dilation angle) are determined. Non-uniformity factor and maximum lateral confinement stiffness, the key parameters for passively confined concrete, are used to define the cohesion stress and dilation angle curves. The proposed model is validated and then applied in the analysis of FRP fully and partly confined circular columns (uniform passive confinement) and FRP confined square columns (non-uniform passive confinement). The well-matched performance demonstrates the applicability of the proposed model in simulating mechanical response of FRP confined concrete with complex stress fields.

Large-scale triaxial experimental investigation of geomechanical dilation start-up for SAGD dual horizontal wells in shallow heavy oil reservoirs

There are only a few related studies focused on the steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) dilation start-up technology (termed as dilation start-up in this paper), especially with true triaxial stress physical modelling experiments in the laboratory. Therefore, in order to better understand the dilation start-up process, four large-scale (1050 mm × 410 mm × 410 mm) true triaxial experiments of SAGD start-up with dual horizontal wells were conducted for the first time by using the oil sands from the Xinjiang oilfield, northwest China. The dilation process characterized by temperature changes at different positions inside the experimental samples was monitored in real time. The performance differences between dilation start-up and conventional start-up were discussed in detail, and the effects of dilation pressure and dilation time on the dilation process were also studied. The experimental results indicate that dilation start-up can significantly reduce the well communication time between injector and producer, and enhance the range of dilation zone and improve the uniformity of dilation zone along the horizontal wellbores. Moreover, we find that dilation pressure is an essential factor influencing the dilation effect. The average communication parameter increases by 5% if dilation pressure increases by 10% whereas the standard deviation of communication parameter decreases. The evolution of dilation zone with time shows that long-time dilation prompts the uniform propagation of dilation zone along the horizontal wellbores. This study provides guidance for the optimization of SAGD dilation start-up in shallow heavy oil reservoirs.

Experimental Study of Volumetric Fracturing Properties for Shale under Different Stress States

Shale gas can be commercially produced using the stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) with multistage fracturing or multiwell synchronous fracturing. These fracturing technologies can produce additional stress fields that significantly influence the crack initiation pressure and the formation of an effective fracture network. Therefore, this study primarily investigated the evolution of crack initiation and propagation in a hydraulic rock mass under various stress conditions. Combining the in situ stress characteristics of a shale reservoir and fracturing technology, three types of true triaxial volumetric fracturing simulation experiments were designed and performed on shale, including three-dimensional constant loading, one-dimensional pressurization disturbance, and one-dimensional depressurization disturbance. The results indicate that the critical failure strength of the shale rock increases as the three-dimensional constant loads are increased. The rupture surface is always parallel to the maximum principal stress plane in both the simulated vertical and horizontal wells. Under the same in situ stress conditions in the wellbore direction, if the lateral pressure becomes larger, the critical failure strength of shale rock would increase. Additionally, when the lateral in situ stress difference coefficient is smaller, the rock specimen has an evident trend to form more complex cracks. When the shale rock was subjected to lateral disturbance loads, the critical failure strength was approximately 10 MPa less than that in the state of constant loading, indicating that the specimen with disturbance loads is more likely to be fractured. Moreover, shale rock under the depressurization disturbance load is more easily fractured compared with the pressurization disturbance. These findings could provide a theoretical basis and technical support for multistage or multiwell synchronous fracturing in shale gas production.

Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Rock Burst Tendency and Crack Development Characteristics of Tianhu Granite

Rock burst is a serious nonlinear dynamic geological hazard in underground engineering construction. In this paper, a true triaxial unloading rock burst experiment and numerical simulation are carried out on Tianhu granite to investigate the rock burst tendency and crack development characteristics of surrounding rock after excavation. The experiment and numerical simulation process monitored the rock burst stress path to determine the rock burst stress. According to the evolution law of the frequency and amplitude of rock burst acoustic emission monitoring, the shape characteristics of rock burst fragments are analyzed. The rock burst numerical simulation analysis is carried out by the PFC software, and the temporal and spatial evolution law of cracks is obtained. The research results show that the laboratory experiment and numerical simulation of Tianhu granite have rock burst strengths of 163.4 MPa and 161 MPa, respectively, and the average rock burst stress ratio is 8.38, that is, the Tianhu granite has a low rock burst tendency. During the rock burst, the development of tensile cracks will produce flaky debris, and the development of shear cracks will produce lumpy debris. Rock burst will happen when the crack growth rate to be exceeded the unloading crack growth rate; therefore, it can be used as a precursor signal for the occurrence of rock burst.

Fractal Analysis of Fragmentation Distribution of Rockbursts Induced by Low-Frequency Seismic Disturbances

Low-frequency seismic disturbances frequently induce violent rockburst hazards, seriously threatening the safety of deep excavation and mining engineering. To investigate the characteristics and mechanisms of rockbursts induced by seismic disturbances, in this study a series of true triaxial experiments, including the moderate seismically induced, the weak seismically induced, and the self-initiated rockburst experiments under different conditions were conducted. The fractal geometry theory was applied to study rockbursts and the fractal dimensions of fragmentation distribution of different types of rockbursts were calculated. The results show that the fragmentation distributions of both the seismically induced and self-initiated rockbursts exhibit fractal behaviors. For the moderate seismically induced rockbursts, as the static stresses (i.e., the maximum and minimum static stresses) and disturbance amplitude increase, the fractal dimension increases, whereas, as the disturbance frequency increases, the fractal dimension decreases first and then increases. Under similar static loading conditions, the moderate seismically induced rockbursts have the largest fractal dimension, followed by the self-initiated rockbursts, and the weak seismically induced rockbursts have the smallest fractal dimension. There is a linear relationship between the average fractal dimension and kinetic energy of these rockbursts, implying that the fractal dimension can serve as an indicator for estimating rockburst intensity. Furthermore, from a fractal point of view, the energy input, dissipation, and release of these rockbursts are all linear processes.

Effect of different types of stimulation fluids on fracture propagation behavior in naturally fractured carbonate rock through CT scan

Acid fracturing of carbonate rock starts with formation breakdown and fracture propagation caused by stimulation fluids. The effectiveness of acid fracturing largely depends on the behavior of fracture propagation. While fracture propagation of fractured carbonate rock is greatly influenced by natural fractures and fluid types. So far, some scholars have studied the influence of nonreactive fracturing fluid on fracture propagation, but the comparison of effect between nonreactive fracturing fluid and reactive fracturing fluid on fracture propagation is rarely noticed. In this paper, true tri-axial experiments on carbonate rock (200 mm × 200 mm × 200 mm) are presented; the experiment made a comparative study on the effect of nonreactive fracturing fluid (water, guar fracturing fluid) and reactive fracturing fluid (self-generated acid, gelled acid, VES acid) on fracture propagation in fractured carbonate rock. Besides, fracture morphology was revealed through CT scan and 3D reconstruction technology. In this way, influence of natural fractures and fluid types on hydraulic fracture propagation during acid fracturing was quantitatively analyzed. Results show that these two factors indeed exert great impact on fracture propagation behavior. As acid is more conducive to connection of natural fractures, hydraulic fractures induced by acid can propagate along natural fractures after initiating from natural fractures, and the process would not be restricted by maximum horizontal stress. As a result, a longitudinal fracture parallel to the wellbore is formed. Compared with self-generated acid and gelled acid, VES acid is more liable to connect natural fractures and form complex fracture network during acid fracturing. No matter reactive or nonreactive fracturing fluid is applied to conduct fracturing experiments, hydraulic fracture propagation in carbonate rock with few natural fractures would be restricted by maximum horizontal stress, and transverse fractures perpendicular to the wellbore would be formed after fracturing. In addition, breakdown pressure of rock samples is also affected by natural fractures and fluid types. To be specific, gelled acid decreases rock's breakdown pressure to the greatest extent when numerous natural fractures exist in the rock; the breakdown pressure caused by gelled acid is only 56.7% of which caused by water. However, the gelled acid has little contribution to decrease the breakdown pressure of the carbonate rock with few natural fractures. In a word, the experiment reveals effect of stimulation fluid types on hydraulic fracture propagation in fractured carbonate rock, which provides some guidance for acid-fracturing treatment in carbonate reservoir.