Quantitative characterization of
rock permeability is important
for enhancing the extraction efficiency of oil and gas resources and
maintaining the long-term stability of deep underground engineering.
Fractal theory can quantitatively describe the pore size distribution
and tortuosity of the seepage channel. Therefore, a permeability model
was proposed based on fractal theory and the capillary tube model.
This permeability model considered the tortuosity of the seepage channel
and the damage evolution within the rock. Permeability data for argillaceous
sandstone at different temperatures, pore pressures, and confining
pressures were used to validate the permeability model. The permeability
model simultaneously captured the permeability decrease owing to the
compaction effect of stress and permeability recovery owing to the
damage effect of stress, verifying the accuracy and rationality of
the permeability model. Permeability influence factors K
f (damage effect) and K
c (compaction
effect) under different temperatures, pore pressures, and confining
pressure conditions were examined. The confining pressure and temperature
increased K
c and decreased K
f, respectively, suggesting that the permeability of the
rock decreases and recovers more significantly at low confining pressures
and temperatures. The effect of pore pressure on the permeability
influence factor may depend on the failure pattern of the rock, which
changes with the confining pressure. The permeability and permeability
influence factors exhibited crossover, which is attributed to macro-fracture
formation within the rock. The compaction and damage effects of stress
changed with the temperature, pore pressure, and confining pressure,
consequently resulting in changes in the evolution process of permeability.
This study provides a theoretical reference for exploiting tight sandstone
reservoirs.