Study of Fracture Propagation Mechanism of Horizontal Well Fracturing in Roof of Coal Seams
Publication: Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 150, Issue 6
Abstract
Horizontal well fracturing in the roof of coal seams has been demonstrated to be an effective technique for extracting coalbed methane. However, the mechanism of hydraulic fracturing fracture expansion from roof to coal seam and penetrating the interlayer in multiple stage fracturing is not comprehensive. Mechanical properties of the reservoir, fracturing parameters, and fracturing mode are the mainly factors that influence extraction efficiencies. To explain the relationship between fracturing behaviors and coal, the interlayer and roof along with the fracture propagation and penetration in multiple stages of fracturing; the interaction mechanism of fracture propagation; and penetration with elastic modulus, injection velocity, and fluid viscosity are simulated in single and staged fracturing. Additionally, the effect of the fracturing mode on fracture propagation is considered. The results show that the coal seam strength dominantly influences longitudinal fracture propagation while marginally affecting circumferential stress. Significant modulus differences between coal-rock interlayers and coal seams hinder fracture propagation. In the case of a low injection rate and fluid viscosity, increasing the injection rate and fluid viscosity can help enlarge the fracture area and facilitate penetration. Multistage fracturing and its high injection rates are conducive to maximizing the efficiency of fracturing operations. These results contribute to understanding and optimizing hydraulic fracturing in coal seams for efficient coalbed methane extraction.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, or codes that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The financial support provided by the China Natural Science Foundation (Nos. 51890914 and 52179119) is gratefully acknowledged. The authors wish to thank the reviewers and the editors for their kind advice, which has significantly enhanced the soundness of this paper.
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Published In
Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 150 • Issue 6 • December 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 22, 2024
Accepted: Jun 14, 2024
Published online: Sep 3, 2024
Published in print: Dec 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Feb 3, 2025
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