Anisotropic Mechanical Behaviors of Shale Rock and Their Relation to Hydraulic Fracturing in a Shale Reservoir: A Review

Peng-Fei Yin, Sheng-Qi Yang () and Pathegama Gamage Ranjith
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Peng-Fei Yin: State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Construction and Healthy Operation and Maintenance of Deep Underground Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Sheng-Qi Yang: School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Pathegama Gamage Ranjith: Deep Earth Energy Research Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 7, 1-35

Abstract: Shale gas is an important supplement to the supply of natural gas resources and plays an important role on the world’s energy stage. The efficient implementation of hydraulic fracturing is the key issue in the exploration and exploitation of shale gas. The existence of bedding structure results in a distinct anisotropy of shale rock formation. The anisotropic behaviors of shale rock have important impacts on wellbore stability, hydraulic fracture propagation, and the formation of complex fracture networks. This paper briefly reviews previous work on the anisotropic mechanical properties of shale rock and their relation to hydraulic fracturing in shale reservoirs. In this paper, the research status of work addressing the lithological characteristics of shale rock is summarized first, particularly work considering the mineral constituent, which determines its physical and mechanical behavior in essence. Then the anisotropic physical and mechanical properties of shale specimens, including ultrasonic anisotropy, mechanical behavior under uniaxial and triaxial compression tests, and tensile property under the Brazilian test, are summarized, and the state of the literature on fracture toughness anisotropy is discussed. The concerns of anisotropic mechanical behavior under laboratory tests are emphasized in this paper, particularly the evaluation of shale brittleness based on mechanical characteristics, which is discussed in detail. Finally, further concerns such as the effects of bedding plane on hydraulic fracturing failure strength, crack propagation, and failure pattern are also drawn out. This review study will provide a better understanding of current research findings on the anisotropic mechanical properties of shale rock, which can provide insight into the shale anisotropy related to the fracture propagation of hydraulic fracturing in shale reservoirs.

Keywords: shale; hydraulic fracturing; anisotropic mechanical behavior; fracture toughness; brittleness evaluation; fracability evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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