Research on the Capacity of Shale Fracture Network based on Fractal Dimension

Abstract

The quantitative evaluation method of fracture network capacity after shale fracturing is crucial for optimizing hydraulic fracturing of shale gas reservoirs and improving shale gas recovery. In order to quantitatively evaluate the shape of the shale fracture network after fracturing, the mud shale cores from the Longmaxi Formation were taken to carry out the constant-rate strain method fracturing pressure experiment. The fracture information of the two-dimensional lateral development surface after the core is compressed, and the surface fracture rate, concentrative value and fractal dimension of the fractures after compression are calculated. Through multiple linear regression, it is found that the fractal dimension is positively correlated with the surface fracture rate, which describes the number of fractures, and the concentrative value, which describes the spatial distribution of fractures, and the former has a greater impact on the size of the fractal dimension. Considering the above parameters comprehensively, a fracture network capacity evaluation model is established, which is in good agreement with the rock mechanical characteristics reflected by the strain-stress curve and the reconstructed three-dimensional fracture morphological characteristics. It has a certain guiding significance for shale brittleness research and fractability evaluation.