Naturally fractured reservoirs make important contributions to global oil and gas reserves and production.The modeling and simulation of naturally fractured reservoirs are different from conventional reservoirs as the...Naturally fractured reservoirs make important contributions to global oil and gas reserves and production.The modeling and simulation of naturally fractured reservoirs are different from conventional reservoirs as the existence of natural fractures.To address the development optimization problem of naturally fractured reservoirs,we propose an optimization workflow by coupling the optimization methods with the embedded discrete fracture model(EDFM).Firstly,the effective and superior performance of the workflow is verified based on the conceptual model.The stochastic simplex approximate gradient(StoSAG)algorithm,the ensemble optimization(EnOpt)algorithm,and the particle swarm optimization(PSO)algorithm are implemented for the production optimization of naturally fractured reservoirs based on the improved versions of the Egg model and the PUNQ-S3 model.The results of the two cases demonstrate the effectiveness of this optimization workflow by finding the optimal well controls which yield the maximum net present value(NPV).Compared to the initial well control guess,the final NPV obtained from the production optimization of fractured reservoirs based on all three optimization algorithms is significantly enhanced.Compared with the optimization results of the PSO algorithm,StoSAG and EnOpt have significant advantages in terms of final NPV and computational efficiency.The results also show that fractures have a significant impact on reservoir production.The economic efficiency of fractured reservoir development can be significantly improved by the optimization workflow.展开更多
Survey and novel research data are used in the present study to classify/identify the lithological type of Verey age reservoirs’rocks.It is shown how the use of X-ray tomography can clarify the degree of heterogeneit...Survey and novel research data are used in the present study to classify/identify the lithological type of Verey age reservoirs’rocks.It is shown how the use of X-ray tomography can clarify the degree of heterogeneity,porosity and permeability of these rocks.These data are then used to elaborate a model of hydraulic fracturing.The resulting software can take into account the properties of proppant and breakdown fluid,thermal reservoir conditions,oil properties,well design data and even the filtration and elastic-mechanical properties of the rocks.Calculations of hydraulic fracturing crack formation are carried out and the results are compared with the data on hydraulic fracturing crack at standard conditions.Significant differences in crack formation in standard and lithotype models are determined.It is shown that the average width of the crack development for the lithotype model is 2.3 times higher than that for the standard model.Moreover,the coverage of crack development in height for the lithotype model is almost 2 times less than that for the standard model.The estimated fracture half-length for the lithotype model is 13.3%less than that of for the standard model.A higher dimensionless fracture conductivity is also obtained for the lithotype model.It is concluded that the proposed approach can increase the reliability of hydraulic fracturing crack models.展开更多
Geothermal energy plays an important role in urban construction of the Xiong’an New Area. Geothermal reservoir fracture distribution of the Mesoproterozoic Jixianian Wumishan Formation(Fm.) carbonate reservoir in the...Geothermal energy plays an important role in urban construction of the Xiong’an New Area. Geothermal reservoir fracture distribution of the Mesoproterozoic Jixianian Wumishan Formation(Fm.) carbonate reservoir in the Rongcheng geothermal field are evaluated based on FMI log from Wells D19 and D21. The results show carbonate reservoir fracture density of Well D19 is 15.2/100 m, greater than that of Well D21 with a value of 9.2/100 m. Reservoir porosity and permeability of Well D19 are better than that of Well D21, and the water saturation is bimodally distributed. The movable fluid volume ratio(BVM) of Well D19 is 2% to 8% with some zones exceeding 20%, while the value of Well D21 is less than 4%. Therefore, reservoir fractures in Well D19 are more conducive to fluid flow. Reservoir fractures have a similar occurrence to normal faults, indicating that the tensile stress field controlled the formation of such fractures. Developed reservoir fractures provide a good channel for groundwater convection. The circulation of regional groundwater and the heat exchange between water and rock and the multiple heat accumulation patterns form a stable and high potential heat reservoir in the Rongcheng geothermal field.展开更多
Projection-based embedded discrete fracture model(pEDFM)is an effective numerical model to handle the flow in fractured reservoirs,with high efficiency and strong generalization of flow models.However,this paper point...Projection-based embedded discrete fracture model(pEDFM)is an effective numerical model to handle the flow in fractured reservoirs,with high efficiency and strong generalization of flow models.However,this paper points out that pEDFM fails to handle flow barriers in most cases,and identifies the physical projection configuration of fractures is a key step in pEDFM.This paper presents and proves the equivalence theorem,which explains the geometric nature of physical projection configurations of fractures,that is,the projection configuration of a fracture being physical is equivalent to it being topologically homeomorphic to the fracture,by analyzing the essence of pEDFM.Physical projection configurations of fractures may be rigorously established based on this theorem,allowing pEDFM to obtain physical numerical results for many flow models,particularly those with flow barriers.Furthermore,a natural idea emerges of employing flow barriers to flexibly‘cut’the formation to quickly handle the flow problems in the formation with complex geological conditions,and several numerical examples are implemented to test this idea and application of the improved pEDFM.展开更多
Focused on the lost circulation control in deep naturally fractured reservoirs, the multiscale structure of fracture plugging zone is proposed based on the theory of granular matter mechanics, and the structural failu...Focused on the lost circulation control in deep naturally fractured reservoirs, the multiscale structure of fracture plugging zone is proposed based on the theory of granular matter mechanics, and the structural failure pattern of plugging zone is developed to reveal the plugging zone failure mechanisms in deep, high temperature, high pressure, and high in-situ stress environment. Based on the fracture plugging zone strength model, key performance parameters are determined for the optimal selection of loss control material(LCM). Laboratory fracture plugging experiments with new LCM are carried out to evaluate the effect of the key performance parameters of LCM on fracture plugging quality. LCM selection strategy for fractured reservoirs is developed. The results show that the force chain formed by LCMs determines the pressure stabilization of macro-scale fracture plugging zone. Friction failure and shear failure are the two major failure patterns of fracture plugging zone. The strength of force chain depends on the performance of micro-scale LCM, and the LCM key performance parameters include particle size distribution, fiber aspect ratio, friction coefficient, compressive strength, soluble ability and high temperature resistance. Results of lab experiments and field test show that lost circulation control quality can be effectively improved with the optimal material selection based on the extracted key performance parameters of LCMs.展开更多
This paper compares the fluid flow phenomena occurring within a fractured reservoir for three different fracture models using computational fluid dynamics.The effect of the fracture-matrix interface condition is studi...This paper compares the fluid flow phenomena occurring within a fractured reservoir for three different fracture models using computational fluid dynamics.The effect of the fracture-matrix interface condition is studied on the pressure and velocity distribution.The fracture models were compared based on the variation in pressure and permeability conditions.The model was developed for isotropic and anisotropic permeability conditions.The results suggest that the fracture aperture can have a drastic effect on fluid flow.The porous fracture-matrix interface condition produces more realistic transport of fluids.By increasing the permeability in the isotropic porous matrix,the pressure drop was significantly higher in both the fracture and reservoir region.Under anisotropic conditions in the 3D fractured reservoir,the effect of the higher longitudinal permeability was found to lower the pressure in the fractured reservoir.Depending on the properties of the fractured reservoir,this study can enhance the understanding of fracture-matrix fluid interaction and provide a method for production optimisation.展开更多
Many properties of natural fractures are uncertain,such as their spatial distribution,petrophysical properties,and fluid flow performance.Bayesian theorem provides a framework to quantify the uncertainty in geological...Many properties of natural fractures are uncertain,such as their spatial distribution,petrophysical properties,and fluid flow performance.Bayesian theorem provides a framework to quantify the uncertainty in geological modeling and flow simulation,and hence to support reservoir performance predictions.The application of Bayesian methods to fractured reservoirs has mostly been limited to synthetic cases.In field applications,however,one of the main problems is that the Bayesian prior is falsified,because it fails to predict past reservoir production data.In this paper,we show how a global sensitivity analysis(GSA)can be used to identify why the prior is falsified.We then employ an approximate Bayesian computation(ABC)method combined with a tree-based surrogate model to match the production history.We apply these two approaches to a complex fractured oil and gas reservoir where all uncertainties are jointly considered,including the petrophysical properties,rock physics properties,fluid properties,discrete fracture parameters,and dynamics of pressure and transmissibility.We successfully identify several reasons for the falsification.The results show that the methods we propose are effective in quantifying uncertainty in the modeling and flow simulation of a fractured reservoir.The uncertainties of key parameters,such as fracture aperture and fault conductivity,are reduced.展开更多
Often oilfield fractured horizontal wells produce water flowing in multiple directions.In this study,a method to identify such channeling paths is developed.The dual-medium model is based on the principle of inter-wel...Often oilfield fractured horizontal wells produce water flowing in multiple directions.In this study,a method to identify such channeling paths is developed.The dual-medium model is based on the principle of inter-well connectivity and considers the flow characteristics and related channeling terms.The Lorentz curve is drawn to qualitatively discern the geological type of the low-permeability fractured reservoir and determine the channeling direction and size.The practical application of such an approach to a sample oilfield shows that it can accurately identify the channeling paths of the considered low-permeability fractured reservoir and predict production performances according to the inter-well connectivity model.As a result,early detection of water channeling becomes possible,paving the way to real-time production system optimization in low-permeability fractured reservoirs.展开更多
To solve the problems of long experiment period and difficult measurement in core imbibition experiments,fracture-matrix microfluidic chips of different sizes,boundary conditions and wettability regulated by surface p...To solve the problems of long experiment period and difficult measurement in core imbibition experiments,fracture-matrix microfluidic chips of different sizes,boundary conditions and wettability regulated by surface property modification were designed to research the imbibition mechanisms of oil-water,oil-surfactant solution and oil-WinsorⅢtype surfactant solution.In the oil-water,and oil-wettability modification system imbibition process,oil was replaced from the matrix through Haines jump,the capillary back pressure was the main resistance blocking the flow of oil,the reduction of interfacial tension caused the weakening of Haines jump,reduction of oil discharge rate,and increase of oil recovery.The imbibition of oil-water or oil-surfactant solution with low interfacial tension was a counter-current imbibition process dominated by capillary force,in which all boundaries had similar contribution to imbibition,and the recovery data obtained from this experiment fit well with the classic imbibition scaling equation.The imbibition of oil and Winsor III type surfactant solution was a co-current imbibition process dominated by gravity under super-low interfacial tension,and is essentially the formation and re-balance of neutral microemulsion.The imbibition dynamics obtained from this experiment fit well with the modified imbibition scaling equation.展开更多
Fluid flow in fractured media has been studied for decades and received considerable attention in the oil and gas industry because of the high productivity of naturally fractured reservoirs.Due to formation complexity...Fluid flow in fractured media has been studied for decades and received considerable attention in the oil and gas industry because of the high productivity of naturally fractured reservoirs.Due to formation complexity and reservoir heterogeneity,characterizing fluid flow with an appropriate reservoir model presents a challenging task that differs relatively from homogeneous conventional reservoirs in many aspects of view,including geological,petrophysical,production,and economics.In most fractured reservoirs,fracture networks create complex pathways that affect hydrocarbon flow,well performance,hence reservoir characterization.A better and comprehensive understanding of the available reservoir modeling approaches is much needed to accurately characterize fluid flow behavior in NFRs.Therefore,in this paper,a perspective review of the available modeling approaches was presented for fluid flow characterization in naturally fractured medium.Modeling methods were evaluated in terms of their description,application,advantages,and disadvantages.This study has also included the applications of these reservoir models in fluid flow characterizing studies and governing equations for fluid flow.Dual continuum models were proved to be better than single continuum models in the presence of large scale fractures.In comparison,discrete models were more appropriate for reservoirs that contain a smaller number of fractures.However,hybrid modeling was the best method to provide accurate and scalable fluid flow modeling.It is our understanding that this paper will bridge the gap between the fundamental understanding and application of NFRs modeling approaches and serve as a useful reference for engineers and researchers for present and future applications.展开更多
By comparing numerical simulation results of single-porosity and dual-porosity models,the significant effect of reinfiltration to naturally fractured reservoirs was confirmed.A new governing equation was proposed for ...By comparing numerical simulation results of single-porosity and dual-porosity models,the significant effect of reinfiltration to naturally fractured reservoirs was confirmed.A new governing equation was proposed for oil drainage in a matrix block under the reinfiltration process.Utilizing inspectional analysis,a dimensionless equation suitable for scaling of recovery curves for matrix blocks under reinfiltration has been obtained.By the design of experiments,test cases with different rock and fluid properties were defined to confirm the scope of the presented equation.The defined cases were simulated using a realistic numerical simulation approach.This method can estimate the oil amount getting into the matrix block through reinfiltration,help simulate the oil drainage process in naturally fractured reservoirs accurately,and predict the recovery rate of matrix block in the early to middle periods of production.Using the defined scaling equation in the dual-porosity model can improve the accuracy of the predicted recovery rate.展开更多
This paper presents a multidisciplinary structural analysis of the Reykjanes Peninsula where Holocene deformation of a young oblique rift controls the geothermal processes in presence of a transform segment. The new s...This paper presents a multidisciplinary structural analysis of the Reykjanes Peninsula where Holocene deformation of a young oblique rift controls the geothermal processes in presence of a transform segment. The new structural map from aerial images and outcrops is correlated with selected surface and subsurface data and shows a complex pattern: NNE extensional rift structures, N-S dextral and ENE sinistral oblique-slip Riedel shears of the transform zone, and WNW and NW dextral oblique-slip faults. Shear fractures are more common, and along with the NNE fractures, they compartmentalise the crustal blocks at any scale. The fractures are within two ENE Riedel shear zones, indicating a minimum 7.5 km wide transform zone. The greatly deformed Southern Riedel Shear Zone is bounded to the north and the south by the 1972 and the 2013 earthquake swarms. This shear zone contains the geothermal field in a highly fractured block to the west of a major NW structure. Some of the deformations are: a) clockwise rotation of rift structures by the 1972 earthquake zone, inducing local compression;b) magma injection into extensional and oblique-slip shear fractures;c) reactivation of rift structures by transform zone earthquakes;d) tectonic control of reservoir boundaries by WNW and ENE shear fractures, and the distribution of surface alteration, fumaroles, CO2 flux, reservoir fluid flow and the overall shape of pressure drawdown by N-S, ENE, WNW/NW and NNE fractures. Results demonstrate the role of seismo-tectonic boundaries beyond which fault types and density change, with implications for permeability.展开更多
Fractured hydrate-bearing reservoirs show significantly anisotropic geophysical properties. The joint application of seismic and electromagnetic explorations is expected to accurately assess hydrate resources in the f...Fractured hydrate-bearing reservoirs show significantly anisotropic geophysical properties. The joint application of seismic and electromagnetic explorations is expected to accurately assess hydrate resources in the fractured reservoirs. However, the anisotropic joint elastic-electrical properties in such reservoirs that are the key to the successful application of the joint explorations, remain poorly understood. To obtain such knowledge, we designed and implemented dedicated laboratory experiments to study the anisotropic joint elastic-electrical properties in fractured artificial silica sandstones (with fracture density of about 6.2%, porosity of approximately 25.7%, and mean grainsize of 0.089 mm) with evolving methane hydrate. The experimental results showed that the anisotropic compressional wave velocities respectively increased and decreased with the forming and dissociating hydrate, and the variation in the increasing trend and the decreasing extent of the velocity perpendicular to the fractures were more significant than that parallel to the fractures, respectively. The experimental results also showed that the overall decreasing trend of the electrical conductivity parallel to the fractures was steeper than that perpendicular to the fractures during hydrate formation, and the general variations of the two conductivities with complex trend were similar during hydrate dissociation. The variations in the elastic and electrical anisotropic parameters with forming and dissociating hydrate were also found to be distinct. Interpretation of the experimental results suggested that the hydrate binding to the grains evolved to bridge the surfaces of fractures when saturation exceeded 10% during hydrate formation, and the bridging hydrate gradually evolved to floating in fractures during dissociation. The experimental results further showed that the anisotropic velocities and electrical conductivities were correlated with approximately consistent trends of different slopes during hydrate formation, and the joint elastic-electrical anisotropic parameters exhibited a sharp peak at the hydrate saturation of about 10%. The results suggested that the anisotropic joint properties can be employed not only to accurately estimate hydrate saturation but also possibly to identify hydrate distribution in the fractures.展开更多
Coal measure gas(also known as coal-bearing unconventional gas)is the key field and development direction of unconventional natural gas in recent years.The exploration and evaluation of coal measure gas(coalbed methan...Coal measure gas(also known as coal-bearing unconventional gas)is the key field and development direction of unconventional natural gas in recent years.The exploration and evaluation of coal measure gas(coalbed methane,coal shale gas and coal measure tight sandstone gas)from single coalbed methane has greatly expanded the field and space of resource evaluation,which is of positive significance for realizing the comprehensive utilization of coal resources,maximizing the benefits and promoting the innovation of oil and gas geological theory and technological advances in exploration and development.For the first time,in Yangmeishu Syncline of Western Guizhou Province,the public welfare coalbed methane geological survey project of China Geological Survey has been carried out a systematic geological survey of coal measure gas for the Upper Permian Longtan Formation,identified the geological conditions of coal measure gas and found high quality resources.The total geological resource quantity of coalbed methane and coal shale gas is 51.423×109 m3 and the geological resource abundance is up to 566×106 m3/km2.In this area,the coal measures are characterized by many layers of minable coal seams,large total thickness,thin to the medium thickness of the single layer,good gas-bearing property of coal seams and coal measure mudstone and sandstone,good reservoir physical property and high-pressure coefficient.According to the principle of combination of high quality and similarity of key parameters of the coal reservoir,the most favorable intervals are No.5-2,No.7 and No.13-2 coal seam in Well YMC1.And the pilot tests are carried out on coal seams and roof silty mudstone,such as staged perforation,increasing hydraulic fracturing scale and"three gas"production.The high and stable industrial gas flow with a daily gas output of more than 4000 m3 has been obtained,which has realized the breakthrough in the geological survey of coal measure gas in Southwest China.Based on the above investigation results,the geological characteristics of coal measure gas in the multi-thin-coal-seam-developed area and the coexploration and co-production methods,such as the optimization method of favorable intervals,the highefficiency fracturing and reservoir reconstruction method of coal measures,and the"three gas"drainage and production system,are systematically summarized in this paper.It will provide a reference for efficient exploration and development of coal measure gas in similar geological conditions in China.展开更多
Streamline simulation is developed to simulate waterflooding in fractured reservoirs. Conventional reservoir simulation methods for fluid flow simulation in large and complex reservoirs are very costly and time consum...Streamline simulation is developed to simulate waterflooding in fractured reservoirs. Conventional reservoir simulation methods for fluid flow simulation in large and complex reservoirs are very costly and time consuming. In streamline method, transport equations are solved on one-dimensional streamlines to reduce the computation time with less memory for simulation. First, pressure equation is solved on an Eulerian grid and streamlines are traced. Defining the "time of flight", saturation equations are mapped and solved on streamlines. Finally, the results are mapped back on Eulerian grid and the process is repeated until the simulation end time. The waterflooding process is considered in a fractured reservoir using the dual porosity model. Afterwards, a computational code is developed to solve the same problem by the IMPES method and the results of streamline simulation are compared to those of the IMPES and a commercial software. Finally, the accuracy and efficiency of streamline simulator for simulation of two-phase flow in fractured reservoirs has been proved.展开更多
In fractured reservoirs characterized by low matrix permeability,fracture networks control the main fluid flow paths.However,in layered reservoirs,the vertical extension of fractures is often restricted to single laye...In fractured reservoirs characterized by low matrix permeability,fracture networks control the main fluid flow paths.However,in layered reservoirs,the vertical extension of fractures is often restricted to single layers.In this study,we explored the effect of changing marl/shale thickness on fracture extension using comprehensive field data and numerical modeling.The field data were sampled from coastal exposures of Liassic limestone-marl/shale alternations in Wales and Somerset(Bristol Channel Basin,UK).The vertical fracture traces of more than 4000 fractures were mapped in detail.Six sections were selected to represent a variety of layer thicknesses.Besides the field data also thin sections were analyzed.Numerical models of fracture extension in a two-layer limestone-marl system were based on field data and laboratory measurements of Young's moduli.The modeled principal stress magnitude σ3 along the lithological contact was used as an indication for fracture extension through marls.Field data exhibit good correlation(R^2=0.76) between fracture extension and marl thickness,the thicker the marl layer the fewer fractures propagate through.The model results show that almost no tensile stress reaches the top of the marl layer when the marls are thicker than 30 cm.For marls that are less than 20 cm,the propagation of stress is more dependent on the stiffness of the marls.The higher the contrast between limestone and marl stiffness the lower the stress that is transmitted into the marl layer.In both model experiments and field data the critical marl thickness for fracture extension is ca.15-20 cm.This quantification of critical marl thicknesses can be used to improve predictions of fracture networks and permeability in layered rocks.Up-or downsampling methods often ignore spatially continuous impermeable layers with thicknesses that are under the detection limit of seismic data.However,ignoring these layers can lead to overestimates of the overall permeability.Therefore,the understanding of how fractures propagate and terminate through impermeable layers will help to improve the characterization of conventional reservoirs.展开更多
Geo-energy and geo-engineering applications,such as improved oil recovery(IOR),geologic carbon storage,and enhanced geothermal systems(EGSs),involve coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical(THM)processes that result from fluid...Geo-energy and geo-engineering applications,such as improved oil recovery(IOR),geologic carbon storage,and enhanced geothermal systems(EGSs),involve coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical(THM)processes that result from fluid injection and production.In some cases,reservoirs are highly fractured and the geomechanical response is controlled by fractures.Therefore,fractures should explicitly be included into numerical models to realistically simulate the THM responses of the subsurface.In this study,we perform coupled THM numerical simulations of water injection into naturally fractured reservoirs(NFRs)using CODE_BRIGHT and TOUGH-UDEC codes.CODE_BRIGHT is a finite element method(FEM)code that performs fully coupled THM analysis in geological media and TOUGH-UDEC sequentially solves coupled THM processes by combining a finite volume method(FVM)code that solves nonisothermal multiphase flow(TOUGH2)with a distinct element method(DEM)code that solves the mechanical problem(UDEC).First,we validate the two codes against a semi-analytical solution for water injection into a single deformable fracture considering variable permeability based on the cubic law.Then,we compare simulation results of the two codes in an idealized conceptual model that includes one horizontal fracture and in a more realistic model with multiple fractures.Each code models fractures differently.UDEC calculates fracture deformation from the fracture normal and shear stiffnesses,while CODE_BRIGHT treats fractures as equivalent porous media and uses the equivalent Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio of the fracture.Finally,we obtain comparable results of pressure,temperature,stress and displacement distributions and evolutions for the single horizontal fracture model.Despite some similarities,the two codes provide increasingly different results as model complexity increases.These differences highlight the challenging task of accurately modeling coupled THM processes in fractured media given their high nonlinearity.展开更多
We bring new insights into fracture permeability with 7 analogues from the intraplate outcrops of West Iceland (WI), the active South Iceland transform zone (SISZ), the intersection of rift and SISZ near Hengill (Reyk...We bring new insights into fracture permeability with 7 analogues from the intraplate outcrops of West Iceland (WI), the active South Iceland transform zone (SISZ), the intersection of rift and SISZ near Hengill (Reykjafjall-RF), and the Reykjanes oblique rift (RP). WI formed at Tertiary plate boundaries, shifted away, is now cut by the Quaternary intraplate Sn<span style="white-space:nowrap;">æ</span>fellsnes volcanic zone (SVZ), and undergoes occasional earthquakes. By contrast, fractures are being formed and reactivated under intense plate boundary earthquakes in the younger SISZ, RF and RP. Our mapping of stratigraphy, basement fractures, surface ruptures of earthquakes, and leakages of cold and hot water in all areas shows that: 1) In active SISZ, RF and RP, permeable fractures are identical to N-S to NNW dextral, ENE to E-W sinistral, and WNW to NNW sinistral source faults of earthquakes, acting as Riedel shears that accommodate the sinistral motion of the transform zone. The NNE/NE rift-parallel extensional fractures are the least frequent permeable set. Notably, the NW and WNW sets also show dextral motions in RP where they could be splay of each other but belong to a separate developed fracture system, and in the SISZ where the NW set is a splay of a N-S source fault of earthquake. However, permeable fractures in the intraplate WI are only oblique-slip sets striking N-S to NNW dextral, ENE sinistral, and WNW dextral parallel to the SVZ. 2) In each area, the permeable sets fit the fault plane solutions of intraplate or plate boundary earthquakes, as well as the latest stress fields that allow fracture opening for fluid flow. 3) Fractures are more open in the younger SISZ, RF, and RP, with leakages along the fractures and their splays rather than by their tips or in the stepovers. In the older WI where the crust and fractures are filled with secondary minerals, leakages are as much along fractures as where numerous fracture intersections facilitate fluid flow. 4) In case of intersecting fractures, the strike and dip direction of the structures determine which set acts as a carrier or a barrier to the flow. 5) Although Iceland is more known for rifting, these analogues demonstrate that fracture permeability, block compartmentalisation, and fluid flow are controlled by the oblique-slip structures developed under transform mechanism.展开更多
This paper presents a multidisciplinary structural analysis of a 165 km2 area in the Northern Rift Zone and the Tjörnes Fracture Zone of Iceland, and unravels the tectonic control of the Theistareykir geother...This paper presents a multidisciplinary structural analysis of a 165 km2 area in the Northern Rift Zone and the Tjörnes Fracture Zone of Iceland, and unravels the tectonic control of the Theistareykir geothermal field and its surroundings. About 10729 fracture segments (faults, open fractures, joints) are identified in the upper Tertiary to Holocene igneous series. The segments were extracted from aerial images and hillshade, and then analyzed in terms of number of sets, geometry, motions, frequency, and relative age. The correlation with surface geothermal manifestations, resistivity, earthquakes, and occasional well data reveals the critical regional and local fractures at the surface, reservoir level and greater depth. The main conclusions of this study are: 1) The structural pattern consists of N-S rift-parallel extensional fractures and the Riedel shears of the transform zone striking NNE, ENE, E-W, WNW and NW, which compartmentalize together the blocks at any scale. 2) The en échelon segmentation shows strike and oblique slips on the Riedel shears, with a dextral component on the WNW and NW planes and a sinistral component on the NNE to ENE faults. 3) Fractures form under the influence of the transform mechanism and the effect of rifting becomes significant only with time. 4) The WNW dextral oblique-slip Stórihver Fault of the transform zone has a horsetail splay that extends eastwards into the geothermal field. There, this structure, along with few NW, ENE, NNE and N-S fractures, controls the alteration, alignment of fumaroles, emanating deep gases. These fractures also rupture during natural or induced earthquakes. 5) The resistivity anomalies present en échelon geometries controlled by the six fracture sets. These anomalies display clockwise and anticlockwise rotations within the upper 8 km crustal depth, but at 8 km depth, only three sets (the N-S rift structures, and the E-W and the NW Riedel shears) are present at the rift and transform plate boundaries. Results of this study are relevant to resource exploration in other complex extensional contexts where rift and transform interact.ööö展开更多
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51904323,52174052).
文摘Naturally fractured reservoirs make important contributions to global oil and gas reserves and production.The modeling and simulation of naturally fractured reservoirs are different from conventional reservoirs as the existence of natural fractures.To address the development optimization problem of naturally fractured reservoirs,we propose an optimization workflow by coupling the optimization methods with the embedded discrete fracture model(EDFM).Firstly,the effective and superior performance of the workflow is verified based on the conceptual model.The stochastic simplex approximate gradient(StoSAG)algorithm,the ensemble optimization(EnOpt)algorithm,and the particle swarm optimization(PSO)algorithm are implemented for the production optimization of naturally fractured reservoirs based on the improved versions of the Egg model and the PUNQ-S3 model.The results of the two cases demonstrate the effectiveness of this optimization workflow by finding the optimal well controls which yield the maximum net present value(NPV).Compared to the initial well control guess,the final NPV obtained from the production optimization of fractured reservoirs based on all three optimization algorithms is significantly enhanced.Compared with the optimization results of the PSO algorithm,StoSAG and EnOpt have significant advantages in terms of final NPV and computational efficiency.The results also show that fractures have a significant impact on reservoir production.The economic efficiency of fractured reservoir development can be significantly improved by the optimization workflow.
基金The research was carried out within the framework of the grant for state support of leading scientific schools of the Russian Federation(Grant No.NSh-1010.2022.1.5).
文摘Survey and novel research data are used in the present study to classify/identify the lithological type of Verey age reservoirs’rocks.It is shown how the use of X-ray tomography can clarify the degree of heterogeneity,porosity and permeability of these rocks.These data are then used to elaborate a model of hydraulic fracturing.The resulting software can take into account the properties of proppant and breakdown fluid,thermal reservoir conditions,oil properties,well design data and even the filtration and elastic-mechanical properties of the rocks.Calculations of hydraulic fracturing crack formation are carried out and the results are compared with the data on hydraulic fracturing crack at standard conditions.Significant differences in crack formation in standard and lithotype models are determined.It is shown that the average width of the crack development for the lithotype model is 2.3 times higher than that for the standard model.Moreover,the coverage of crack development in height for the lithotype model is almost 2 times less than that for the standard model.The estimated fracture half-length for the lithotype model is 13.3%less than that of for the standard model.A higher dimensionless fracture conductivity is also obtained for the lithotype model.It is concluded that the proposed approach can increase the reliability of hydraulic fracturing crack models.
基金funded by the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2019YFB1504101)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2019M663087)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42002189)。
文摘Geothermal energy plays an important role in urban construction of the Xiong’an New Area. Geothermal reservoir fracture distribution of the Mesoproterozoic Jixianian Wumishan Formation(Fm.) carbonate reservoir in the Rongcheng geothermal field are evaluated based on FMI log from Wells D19 and D21. The results show carbonate reservoir fracture density of Well D19 is 15.2/100 m, greater than that of Well D21 with a value of 9.2/100 m. Reservoir porosity and permeability of Well D19 are better than that of Well D21, and the water saturation is bimodally distributed. The movable fluid volume ratio(BVM) of Well D19 is 2% to 8% with some zones exceeding 20%, while the value of Well D21 is less than 4%. Therefore, reservoir fractures in Well D19 are more conducive to fluid flow. Reservoir fractures have a similar occurrence to normal faults, indicating that the tensile stress field controlled the formation of such fractures. Developed reservoir fractures provide a good channel for groundwater convection. The circulation of regional groundwater and the heat exchange between water and rock and the multiple heat accumulation patterns form a stable and high potential heat reservoir in the Rongcheng geothermal field.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52104017)National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2019YFA0705501)State Center for Research and Development of Oil Shale Exploitation,and Cooperative Innovation Center of Unconventional Oil and Gas(Ministry of Education&Hubei Province),Yangtze University(No.UOG2020-17).
文摘Projection-based embedded discrete fracture model(pEDFM)is an effective numerical model to handle the flow in fractured reservoirs,with high efficiency and strong generalization of flow models.However,this paper points out that pEDFM fails to handle flow barriers in most cases,and identifies the physical projection configuration of fractures is a key step in pEDFM.This paper presents and proves the equivalence theorem,which explains the geometric nature of physical projection configurations of fractures,that is,the projection configuration of a fracture being physical is equivalent to it being topologically homeomorphic to the fracture,by analyzing the essence of pEDFM.Physical projection configurations of fractures may be rigorously established based on this theorem,allowing pEDFM to obtain physical numerical results for many flow models,particularly those with flow barriers.Furthermore,a natural idea emerges of employing flow barriers to flexibly‘cut’the formation to quickly handle the flow problems in the formation with complex geological conditions,and several numerical examples are implemented to test this idea and application of the improved pEDFM.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51604236)Science and Technology Program of Sichuan Province(Grant No.2018JY0436)the Sichuan Province Youth Science and Technology Innovation Team Project(Grant No.2016TD0016)
文摘Focused on the lost circulation control in deep naturally fractured reservoirs, the multiscale structure of fracture plugging zone is proposed based on the theory of granular matter mechanics, and the structural failure pattern of plugging zone is developed to reveal the plugging zone failure mechanisms in deep, high temperature, high pressure, and high in-situ stress environment. Based on the fracture plugging zone strength model, key performance parameters are determined for the optimal selection of loss control material(LCM). Laboratory fracture plugging experiments with new LCM are carried out to evaluate the effect of the key performance parameters of LCM on fracture plugging quality. LCM selection strategy for fractured reservoirs is developed. The results show that the force chain formed by LCMs determines the pressure stabilization of macro-scale fracture plugging zone. Friction failure and shear failure are the two major failure patterns of fracture plugging zone. The strength of force chain depends on the performance of micro-scale LCM, and the LCM key performance parameters include particle size distribution, fiber aspect ratio, friction coefficient, compressive strength, soluble ability and high temperature resistance. Results of lab experiments and field test show that lost circulation control quality can be effectively improved with the optimal material selection based on the extracted key performance parameters of LCMs.
文摘This paper compares the fluid flow phenomena occurring within a fractured reservoir for three different fracture models using computational fluid dynamics.The effect of the fracture-matrix interface condition is studied on the pressure and velocity distribution.The fracture models were compared based on the variation in pressure and permeability conditions.The model was developed for isotropic and anisotropic permeability conditions.The results suggest that the fracture aperture can have a drastic effect on fluid flow.The porous fracture-matrix interface condition produces more realistic transport of fluids.By increasing the permeability in the isotropic porous matrix,the pressure drop was significantly higher in both the fracture and reservoir region.Under anisotropic conditions in the 3D fractured reservoir,the effect of the higher longitudinal permeability was found to lower the pressure in the fractured reservoir.Depending on the properties of the fractured reservoir,this study can enhance the understanding of fracture-matrix fluid interaction and provide a method for production optimisation.
文摘Many properties of natural fractures are uncertain,such as their spatial distribution,petrophysical properties,and fluid flow performance.Bayesian theorem provides a framework to quantify the uncertainty in geological modeling and flow simulation,and hence to support reservoir performance predictions.The application of Bayesian methods to fractured reservoirs has mostly been limited to synthetic cases.In field applications,however,one of the main problems is that the Bayesian prior is falsified,because it fails to predict past reservoir production data.In this paper,we show how a global sensitivity analysis(GSA)can be used to identify why the prior is falsified.We then employ an approximate Bayesian computation(ABC)method combined with a tree-based surrogate model to match the production history.We apply these two approaches to a complex fractured oil and gas reservoir where all uncertainties are jointly considered,including the petrophysical properties,rock physics properties,fluid properties,discrete fracture parameters,and dynamics of pressure and transmissibility.We successfully identify several reasons for the falsification.The results show that the methods we propose are effective in quantifying uncertainty in the modeling and flow simulation of a fractured reservoir.The uncertainties of key parameters,such as fracture aperture and fault conductivity,are reduced.
文摘Often oilfield fractured horizontal wells produce water flowing in multiple directions.In this study,a method to identify such channeling paths is developed.The dual-medium model is based on the principle of inter-well connectivity and considers the flow characteristics and related channeling terms.The Lorentz curve is drawn to qualitatively discern the geological type of the low-permeability fractured reservoir and determine the channeling direction and size.The practical application of such an approach to a sample oilfield shows that it can accurately identify the channeling paths of the considered low-permeability fractured reservoir and predict production performances according to the inter-well connectivity model.As a result,early detection of water channeling becomes possible,paving the way to real-time production system optimization in low-permeability fractured reservoirs.
基金Supported by the China National Science and Technology Major Project(2017ZX05009-005-003)the Strategic Consulting Project of Chinese Academy of Engineering(2018-XZ-09)the Science Foundation of China University of Petroleum,Beijing(No.2462019QNXZ04)。
文摘To solve the problems of long experiment period and difficult measurement in core imbibition experiments,fracture-matrix microfluidic chips of different sizes,boundary conditions and wettability regulated by surface property modification were designed to research the imbibition mechanisms of oil-water,oil-surfactant solution and oil-WinsorⅢtype surfactant solution.In the oil-water,and oil-wettability modification system imbibition process,oil was replaced from the matrix through Haines jump,the capillary back pressure was the main resistance blocking the flow of oil,the reduction of interfacial tension caused the weakening of Haines jump,reduction of oil discharge rate,and increase of oil recovery.The imbibition of oil-water or oil-surfactant solution with low interfacial tension was a counter-current imbibition process dominated by capillary force,in which all boundaries had similar contribution to imbibition,and the recovery data obtained from this experiment fit well with the classic imbibition scaling equation.The imbibition of oil and Winsor III type surfactant solution was a co-current imbibition process dominated by gravity under super-low interfacial tension,and is essentially the formation and re-balance of neutral microemulsion.The imbibition dynamics obtained from this experiment fit well with the modified imbibition scaling equation.
文摘Fluid flow in fractured media has been studied for decades and received considerable attention in the oil and gas industry because of the high productivity of naturally fractured reservoirs.Due to formation complexity and reservoir heterogeneity,characterizing fluid flow with an appropriate reservoir model presents a challenging task that differs relatively from homogeneous conventional reservoirs in many aspects of view,including geological,petrophysical,production,and economics.In most fractured reservoirs,fracture networks create complex pathways that affect hydrocarbon flow,well performance,hence reservoir characterization.A better and comprehensive understanding of the available reservoir modeling approaches is much needed to accurately characterize fluid flow behavior in NFRs.Therefore,in this paper,a perspective review of the available modeling approaches was presented for fluid flow characterization in naturally fractured medium.Modeling methods were evaluated in terms of their description,application,advantages,and disadvantages.This study has also included the applications of these reservoir models in fluid flow characterizing studies and governing equations for fluid flow.Dual continuum models were proved to be better than single continuum models in the presence of large scale fractures.In comparison,discrete models were more appropriate for reservoirs that contain a smaller number of fractures.However,hybrid modeling was the best method to provide accurate and scalable fluid flow modeling.It is our understanding that this paper will bridge the gap between the fundamental understanding and application of NFRs modeling approaches and serve as a useful reference for engineers and researchers for present and future applications.
文摘By comparing numerical simulation results of single-porosity and dual-porosity models,the significant effect of reinfiltration to naturally fractured reservoirs was confirmed.A new governing equation was proposed for oil drainage in a matrix block under the reinfiltration process.Utilizing inspectional analysis,a dimensionless equation suitable for scaling of recovery curves for matrix blocks under reinfiltration has been obtained.By the design of experiments,test cases with different rock and fluid properties were defined to confirm the scope of the presented equation.The defined cases were simulated using a realistic numerical simulation approach.This method can estimate the oil amount getting into the matrix block through reinfiltration,help simulate the oil drainage process in naturally fractured reservoirs accurately,and predict the recovery rate of matrix block in the early to middle periods of production.Using the defined scaling equation in the dual-porosity model can improve the accuracy of the predicted recovery rate.
基金funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme(grant agreement No.690771).
文摘This paper presents a multidisciplinary structural analysis of the Reykjanes Peninsula where Holocene deformation of a young oblique rift controls the geothermal processes in presence of a transform segment. The new structural map from aerial images and outcrops is correlated with selected surface and subsurface data and shows a complex pattern: NNE extensional rift structures, N-S dextral and ENE sinistral oblique-slip Riedel shears of the transform zone, and WNW and NW dextral oblique-slip faults. Shear fractures are more common, and along with the NNE fractures, they compartmentalise the crustal blocks at any scale. The fractures are within two ENE Riedel shear zones, indicating a minimum 7.5 km wide transform zone. The greatly deformed Southern Riedel Shear Zone is bounded to the north and the south by the 1972 and the 2013 earthquake swarms. This shear zone contains the geothermal field in a highly fractured block to the west of a major NW structure. Some of the deformations are: a) clockwise rotation of rift structures by the 1972 earthquake zone, inducing local compression;b) magma injection into extensional and oblique-slip shear fractures;c) reactivation of rift structures by transform zone earthquakes;d) tectonic control of reservoir boundaries by WNW and ENE shear fractures, and the distribution of surface alteration, fumaroles, CO2 flux, reservoir fluid flow and the overall shape of pressure drawdown by N-S, ENE, WNW/NW and NNE fractures. Results demonstrate the role of seismo-tectonic boundaries beyond which fault types and density change, with implications for permeability.
基金financial supports received from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42174136,41821002 and 41874151)the Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation,China(ZR2021JQ14).
文摘Fractured hydrate-bearing reservoirs show significantly anisotropic geophysical properties. The joint application of seismic and electromagnetic explorations is expected to accurately assess hydrate resources in the fractured reservoirs. However, the anisotropic joint elastic-electrical properties in such reservoirs that are the key to the successful application of the joint explorations, remain poorly understood. To obtain such knowledge, we designed and implemented dedicated laboratory experiments to study the anisotropic joint elastic-electrical properties in fractured artificial silica sandstones (with fracture density of about 6.2%, porosity of approximately 25.7%, and mean grainsize of 0.089 mm) with evolving methane hydrate. The experimental results showed that the anisotropic compressional wave velocities respectively increased and decreased with the forming and dissociating hydrate, and the variation in the increasing trend and the decreasing extent of the velocity perpendicular to the fractures were more significant than that parallel to the fractures, respectively. The experimental results also showed that the overall decreasing trend of the electrical conductivity parallel to the fractures was steeper than that perpendicular to the fractures during hydrate formation, and the general variations of the two conductivities with complex trend were similar during hydrate dissociation. The variations in the elastic and electrical anisotropic parameters with forming and dissociating hydrate were also found to be distinct. Interpretation of the experimental results suggested that the hydrate binding to the grains evolved to bridge the surfaces of fractures when saturation exceeded 10% during hydrate formation, and the bridging hydrate gradually evolved to floating in fractures during dissociation. The experimental results further showed that the anisotropic velocities and electrical conductivities were correlated with approximately consistent trends of different slopes during hydrate formation, and the joint elastic-electrical anisotropic parameters exhibited a sharp peak at the hydrate saturation of about 10%. The results suggested that the anisotropic joint properties can be employed not only to accurately estimate hydrate saturation but also possibly to identify hydrate distribution in the fractures.
基金This study was supported by the China Geological Survey Projects(DD20160186,12120115008201)
文摘Coal measure gas(also known as coal-bearing unconventional gas)is the key field and development direction of unconventional natural gas in recent years.The exploration and evaluation of coal measure gas(coalbed methane,coal shale gas and coal measure tight sandstone gas)from single coalbed methane has greatly expanded the field and space of resource evaluation,which is of positive significance for realizing the comprehensive utilization of coal resources,maximizing the benefits and promoting the innovation of oil and gas geological theory and technological advances in exploration and development.For the first time,in Yangmeishu Syncline of Western Guizhou Province,the public welfare coalbed methane geological survey project of China Geological Survey has been carried out a systematic geological survey of coal measure gas for the Upper Permian Longtan Formation,identified the geological conditions of coal measure gas and found high quality resources.The total geological resource quantity of coalbed methane and coal shale gas is 51.423×109 m3 and the geological resource abundance is up to 566×106 m3/km2.In this area,the coal measures are characterized by many layers of minable coal seams,large total thickness,thin to the medium thickness of the single layer,good gas-bearing property of coal seams and coal measure mudstone and sandstone,good reservoir physical property and high-pressure coefficient.According to the principle of combination of high quality and similarity of key parameters of the coal reservoir,the most favorable intervals are No.5-2,No.7 and No.13-2 coal seam in Well YMC1.And the pilot tests are carried out on coal seams and roof silty mudstone,such as staged perforation,increasing hydraulic fracturing scale and"three gas"production.The high and stable industrial gas flow with a daily gas output of more than 4000 m3 has been obtained,which has realized the breakthrough in the geological survey of coal measure gas in Southwest China.Based on the above investigation results,the geological characteristics of coal measure gas in the multi-thin-coal-seam-developed area and the coexploration and co-production methods,such as the optimization method of favorable intervals,the highefficiency fracturing and reservoir reconstruction method of coal measures,and the"three gas"drainage and production system,are systematically summarized in this paper.It will provide a reference for efficient exploration and development of coal measure gas in similar geological conditions in China.
文摘Streamline simulation is developed to simulate waterflooding in fractured reservoirs. Conventional reservoir simulation methods for fluid flow simulation in large and complex reservoirs are very costly and time consuming. In streamline method, transport equations are solved on one-dimensional streamlines to reduce the computation time with less memory for simulation. First, pressure equation is solved on an Eulerian grid and streamlines are traced. Defining the "time of flight", saturation equations are mapped and solved on streamlines. Finally, the results are mapped back on Eulerian grid and the process is repeated until the simulation end time. The waterflooding process is considered in a fractured reservoir using the dual porosity model. Afterwards, a computational code is developed to solve the same problem by the IMPES method and the results of streamline simulation are compared to those of the IMPES and a commercial software. Finally, the accuracy and efficiency of streamline simulator for simulation of two-phase flow in fractured reservoirs has been proved.
基金supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft(DFG,grant PH 189/2-1)
文摘In fractured reservoirs characterized by low matrix permeability,fracture networks control the main fluid flow paths.However,in layered reservoirs,the vertical extension of fractures is often restricted to single layers.In this study,we explored the effect of changing marl/shale thickness on fracture extension using comprehensive field data and numerical modeling.The field data were sampled from coastal exposures of Liassic limestone-marl/shale alternations in Wales and Somerset(Bristol Channel Basin,UK).The vertical fracture traces of more than 4000 fractures were mapped in detail.Six sections were selected to represent a variety of layer thicknesses.Besides the field data also thin sections were analyzed.Numerical models of fracture extension in a two-layer limestone-marl system were based on field data and laboratory measurements of Young's moduli.The modeled principal stress magnitude σ3 along the lithological contact was used as an indication for fracture extension through marls.Field data exhibit good correlation(R^2=0.76) between fracture extension and marl thickness,the thicker the marl layer the fewer fractures propagate through.The model results show that almost no tensile stress reaches the top of the marl layer when the marls are thicker than 30 cm.For marls that are less than 20 cm,the propagation of stress is more dependent on the stiffness of the marls.The higher the contrast between limestone and marl stiffness the lower the stress that is transmitted into the marl layer.In both model experiments and field data the critical marl thickness for fracture extension is ca.15-20 cm.This quantification of critical marl thicknesses can be used to improve predictions of fracture networks and permeability in layered rocks.Up-or downsampling methods often ignore spatially continuous impermeable layers with thicknesses that are under the detection limit of seismic data.However,ignoring these layers can lead to overestimates of the overall permeability.Therefore,the understanding of how fractures propagate and terminate through impermeable layers will help to improve the characterization of conventional reservoirs.
基金financial support received from the“Iran’s Ministry of Science Research and Technology”(PhD students’sabbatical grants)funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program through the Starting Grant GEoREST(www.georest.eu)(Grant Agreement No.801809)+1 种基金support by the Korea-EU Joint Research Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea through Grant No.NRF2015K1A3A7A03074226funded by the Korean Government’s Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology(ICT)in the framework of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program(Grant No.691728)。
文摘Geo-energy and geo-engineering applications,such as improved oil recovery(IOR),geologic carbon storage,and enhanced geothermal systems(EGSs),involve coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical(THM)processes that result from fluid injection and production.In some cases,reservoirs are highly fractured and the geomechanical response is controlled by fractures.Therefore,fractures should explicitly be included into numerical models to realistically simulate the THM responses of the subsurface.In this study,we perform coupled THM numerical simulations of water injection into naturally fractured reservoirs(NFRs)using CODE_BRIGHT and TOUGH-UDEC codes.CODE_BRIGHT is a finite element method(FEM)code that performs fully coupled THM analysis in geological media and TOUGH-UDEC sequentially solves coupled THM processes by combining a finite volume method(FVM)code that solves nonisothermal multiphase flow(TOUGH2)with a distinct element method(DEM)code that solves the mechanical problem(UDEC).First,we validate the two codes against a semi-analytical solution for water injection into a single deformable fracture considering variable permeability based on the cubic law.Then,we compare simulation results of the two codes in an idealized conceptual model that includes one horizontal fracture and in a more realistic model with multiple fractures.Each code models fractures differently.UDEC calculates fracture deformation from the fracture normal and shear stiffnesses,while CODE_BRIGHT treats fractures as equivalent porous media and uses the equivalent Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio of the fracture.Finally,we obtain comparable results of pressure,temperature,stress and displacement distributions and evolutions for the single horizontal fracture model.Despite some similarities,the two codes provide increasingly different results as model complexity increases.These differences highlight the challenging task of accurately modeling coupled THM processes in fractured media given their high nonlinearity.
文摘We bring new insights into fracture permeability with 7 analogues from the intraplate outcrops of West Iceland (WI), the active South Iceland transform zone (SISZ), the intersection of rift and SISZ near Hengill (Reykjafjall-RF), and the Reykjanes oblique rift (RP). WI formed at Tertiary plate boundaries, shifted away, is now cut by the Quaternary intraplate Sn<span style="white-space:nowrap;">æ</span>fellsnes volcanic zone (SVZ), and undergoes occasional earthquakes. By contrast, fractures are being formed and reactivated under intense plate boundary earthquakes in the younger SISZ, RF and RP. Our mapping of stratigraphy, basement fractures, surface ruptures of earthquakes, and leakages of cold and hot water in all areas shows that: 1) In active SISZ, RF and RP, permeable fractures are identical to N-S to NNW dextral, ENE to E-W sinistral, and WNW to NNW sinistral source faults of earthquakes, acting as Riedel shears that accommodate the sinistral motion of the transform zone. The NNE/NE rift-parallel extensional fractures are the least frequent permeable set. Notably, the NW and WNW sets also show dextral motions in RP where they could be splay of each other but belong to a separate developed fracture system, and in the SISZ where the NW set is a splay of a N-S source fault of earthquake. However, permeable fractures in the intraplate WI are only oblique-slip sets striking N-S to NNW dextral, ENE sinistral, and WNW dextral parallel to the SVZ. 2) In each area, the permeable sets fit the fault plane solutions of intraplate or plate boundary earthquakes, as well as the latest stress fields that allow fracture opening for fluid flow. 3) Fractures are more open in the younger SISZ, RF, and RP, with leakages along the fractures and their splays rather than by their tips or in the stepovers. In the older WI where the crust and fractures are filled with secondary minerals, leakages are as much along fractures as where numerous fracture intersections facilitate fluid flow. 4) In case of intersecting fractures, the strike and dip direction of the structures determine which set acts as a carrier or a barrier to the flow. 5) Although Iceland is more known for rifting, these analogues demonstrate that fracture permeability, block compartmentalisation, and fluid flow are controlled by the oblique-slip structures developed under transform mechanism.
文摘This paper presents a multidisciplinary structural analysis of a 165 km2 area in the Northern Rift Zone and the Tjörnes Fracture Zone of Iceland, and unravels the tectonic control of the Theistareykir geothermal field and its surroundings. About 10729 fracture segments (faults, open fractures, joints) are identified in the upper Tertiary to Holocene igneous series. The segments were extracted from aerial images and hillshade, and then analyzed in terms of number of sets, geometry, motions, frequency, and relative age. The correlation with surface geothermal manifestations, resistivity, earthquakes, and occasional well data reveals the critical regional and local fractures at the surface, reservoir level and greater depth. The main conclusions of this study are: 1) The structural pattern consists of N-S rift-parallel extensional fractures and the Riedel shears of the transform zone striking NNE, ENE, E-W, WNW and NW, which compartmentalize together the blocks at any scale. 2) The en échelon segmentation shows strike and oblique slips on the Riedel shears, with a dextral component on the WNW and NW planes and a sinistral component on the NNE to ENE faults. 3) Fractures form under the influence of the transform mechanism and the effect of rifting becomes significant only with time. 4) The WNW dextral oblique-slip Stórihver Fault of the transform zone has a horsetail splay that extends eastwards into the geothermal field. There, this structure, along with few NW, ENE, NNE and N-S fractures, controls the alteration, alignment of fumaroles, emanating deep gases. These fractures also rupture during natural or induced earthquakes. 5) The resistivity anomalies present en échelon geometries controlled by the six fracture sets. These anomalies display clockwise and anticlockwise rotations within the upper 8 km crustal depth, but at 8 km depth, only three sets (the N-S rift structures, and the E-W and the NW Riedel shears) are present at the rift and transform plate boundaries. Results of this study are relevant to resource exploration in other complex extensional contexts where rift and transform interact.ööö
