Stress-dependence of the permeability, porosity, and compressibility in fractured porous media regarding fracturing condition

Fractured reservoirs are important hydrocarbon resources. However, the production of hydrocarbon makes fractures to be sealed which in turn decreases the production rate. A better understanding of permeability, porosity, and compressibility of fractures would be useful in optimizing the production rate. This research paper explored stress-dependent permeability, porosity, and compressibility of fractured porous media, both experimentally and numerically. The laboratory results are used to calibrate numerical models. With this regard, the roles of fracturing parameters such as orientation, opening, fracture density, persistency, and the intersection of fractures on hydro-mechanical parameters of the fractured sample are analyzed individually. The results indicate that stress sensitivity of permeability and compressibility is more in fractured porous media than in non-fractured ones. The results gained also showed that samples with open fractures and no filling materials, dominant vertical fractures, and high fracture density have the most stress dependency of permeability and compressibility, while in high fracture densities, the fracture and matrix changes are close to each other. The intersection of joints and not persisted fractures act as obstacles. This causes the fluid to be trapped in porous media that affect reservoir recovery and increase financial losses. Finally, an analytical relationship is developed to calculate the matrix compressibility