Hydrothermal
experiments were conducted to evaluate mineral dissolution
and precipitation that may occur during hydraulic fracturing of unconventional
reservoirs. The B Bench of the Niobrara Formation and the Wall Creek
Member of the Frontier Formation (Powder River Basin, WY) were reacted
with a hydraulic fracturing fluid (pH = 2.5, ionic strength = 0.05)
at 115 °C and 35 MPa for one month. Data collected from both
experiments indicate that calcite began to dissolve in less than 50
h, Al-bearing solids began to dissolve immediately upon contact with
hydraulic fracturing fluid, and an aluminosilicate precipitate began
to form in less than 27 h. Data from the Wall Creek experiment suggest
potential dissolution of chert. We estimate that calcite dissolution
increased porosity of the B Bench from 1.7% to 2.8% and of the Wall
Creek from 3.5% to 4.8%. Dissolution of calcite increases porosity
and storage space for injected fluids. However, removal of calcite
may weaken the mechanical integrity of the rock, leading to proppant
embedment and fracture closure. Precipitation of an Al-bearing phase
may decrease rock and fracture permeability. Aqueous Al in our experiments
behaves similarly to aqueous Al collected during flowback from hydraulically
fractured wells, suggesting that Al-bearing phases precipitate during
time scales of hydraulic fracturing.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.