China has abundant shale gas resources with good exploration value and development potential, making it a recent hotspot for exploration and development. It is widely agreed that large-scale hydraulic fracturing is essential for reservoir enhancement in shale formations. However, the evolution of fractures during hydraulic fracturing is highly complex, necessitating research on the influence of various factors on the vertical propagation of hydraulic fractures. Based on geological and engineering parameters from the Luzhou block in southern Sichuan, this study employed the finite element method (FEM) and the cohesive element method to establish a coupled fluid-solid model for the vertical propagation of hydraulic fractures. Numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the interaction between hydraulic fractures and natural weak planes, clarifying the mechanisms involved. This study elucidates how different rock and natural weak plane properties affect the vertical propagation of hydraulic fractures and draws diagrams illustrating these interactions. The research indicated three fracture distribution patterns after the intersection of hydraulic fractures with natural weak planes: passive fractures, ‘I’-shaped fractures, and crossing fractures. The main fractures in these patterns exhibit initial damage and damage evolution characterized by tensile failure. Specifically, in passive fractures, the initial damage and damage evolution of natural weak planes manifest as shear failure. In ‘I’-shaped fractures, the initial damage in natural weak planes is characterized by shear failure, with damage evolution showing tensile failure. Crossing fractures show minimal damage in the weak planes. Under conditions of high natural weak plane cohesive strength, high Young’s modulus, low interlayer rock cohesive strength, high vertical stress difference, low interlayer stress difference, and high intersection angles, crossing fractures tend to form. Conversely, conditions of low natural weak plane cohesive strength, low Young’s modulus, high interlayer rock cohesive strength, low vertical stress difference, high interlayer stress difference, and low intersection angles favor the formation of ‘I’-shaped fractures. Passive fractures form under conditions of low natural weak plane cohesive strength and high vertical stress difference. This study found that Poisson’s ratio has a minimal effect on the vertical expansion of hydraulic fractures under the studied conditions, with natural weak plane strength being the primary control factor for fracture patterns. These findings enhance the theoretical foundation for the vertical propagation of hydraulic fractures in deep shale formations, facilitating the development and implementation of strategies for enhancing production in shale reservoirs with natural weak planes and better optimizing production in different types of shale reservoirs.
