Analysis of Fracturing Network Evolution Behaviors in Random Naturally Fractured Rock Blocks

Shale gas has been discovered in the Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin, China. Due to the weak tectonic activities in the shale plays, core observations indicate abundant random non-tectonic micro-fractures in the producing shales. The role of micro-fractures in hydraulic fracturing for shale gas development is currently poorly understood yet potentially critical. In a series of scaled true triaxial laboratory experiments, we investigate the interaction of propagating fracturing network with natural fractures. The influence of dominating factors was studied and analyzed, with an emphasis on non-tectonic fracture density, injection rate, and stress ratio. A new index of P-SRV is proposed to evaluate the fracturing effectiveness. From the test results, three types of fracturing network geometry of radial random net-fractures, partly vertical fracture with random branches, and vertical main fracture with multiple branches were observed. It is suggested from qualitative and quantitative analysis that great micro-fracture density and injection rate tend to maximum the fracturing network; however, it tends to decrease the fracturing network with the increase in horizontal stress ratio. The function fitting results further proved that the injection rate has the most obvious influence on fracturing effectiveness.