Enhance liquid nitrogen fracturing performance on hot dry rock by cyclic injection

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Authors

  • Chun Yang Hong
  • Rui Yue Yang
  • Zhong Wei Huang
  • Xiao Ying Zhuang
  • Hai Tao Wen
  • Xiao Li Hu

Research Organisations

External Research Organisations

  • China Univeristy of Petroleum - Beijing
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Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)951-972
Number of pages22
JournalPetroleum science
Volume20
Issue number2
Early online date22 Jul 2022
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2023

Abstract

Producing complex fracture networks in a safe way plays a critical role in the hot dry rock (HDR) geothermal energy exploitation. However, conventional hydraulic fracturing (HF) generally produces high breakdown pressure and results only in single main fracture morphology. Furthermore, HF has also other problems such as the increased risk of seismic events and consuption of large amount of water. In this work, a new stimulation method based on cyclic soft stimulation (CSS) and liquid nitrogen (LN2) fracturing, known as cyclic LN2 fracturing is explored, which we believe has the potential to solve the above issues related to HF. The fracturing performances including breakdown pressure and fracture morphology on granites under true-triaxial stresses are investigated and compared with cyclic water fracturing. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM) tests and X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning tests were used for quantitative characterization of fracture parameters and to evaluate the cyclic LN2 fracturing performances. The results demonstrate that the cyclic LN2 fracturing results in reduced breakdown pressure, with between 21% and 67% lower pressure compared with using cyclic water fracturing. Cyclic LN2 fracturing tends to produce more complex and branched fractures, whereas cyclic water fracturing usually produces a single main fracture under a low number of cycles and pressure levels. Thermally-induced fractures mostly occur around the interfaces of different particles. This study shows the potential benefits of cyclic LN2 fracturing on HDR. It is expected to provide theoretical guidance for the cyclic LN2 fracturing application in HDR reservoirs.

Keywords

    Cyclic injection, Fatigue damage, Hot dry rock, Liquid nitrogen fracturing, Thermal stress

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Cite this

Enhance liquid nitrogen fracturing performance on hot dry rock by cyclic injection. / Hong, Chun Yang; Yang, Rui Yue; Huang, Zhong Wei et al.
In: Petroleum science, Vol. 20, No. 2, 04.2023, p. 951-972.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Hong, CY, Yang, RY, Huang, ZW, Zhuang, XY, Wen, HT & Hu, XL 2023, 'Enhance liquid nitrogen fracturing performance on hot dry rock by cyclic injection', Petroleum science, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 951-972. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petsci.2022.07.004
Hong, C. Y., Yang, R. Y., Huang, Z. W., Zhuang, X. Y., Wen, H. T., & Hu, X. L. (2023). Enhance liquid nitrogen fracturing performance on hot dry rock by cyclic injection. Petroleum science, 20(2), 951-972. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petsci.2022.07.004
Hong CY, Yang RY, Huang ZW, Zhuang XY, Wen HT, Hu XL. Enhance liquid nitrogen fracturing performance on hot dry rock by cyclic injection. Petroleum science. 2023 Apr;20(2):951-972. Epub 2022 Jul 22. doi: 10.1016/j.petsci.2022.07.004
Hong, Chun Yang ; Yang, Rui Yue ; Huang, Zhong Wei et al. / Enhance liquid nitrogen fracturing performance on hot dry rock by cyclic injection. In: Petroleum science. 2023 ; Vol. 20, No. 2. pp. 951-972.
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title = "Enhance liquid nitrogen fracturing performance on hot dry rock by cyclic injection",
abstract = "Producing complex fracture networks in a safe way plays a critical role in the hot dry rock (HDR) geothermal energy exploitation. However, conventional hydraulic fracturing (HF) generally produces high breakdown pressure and results only in single main fracture morphology. Furthermore, HF has also other problems such as the increased risk of seismic events and consuption of large amount of water. In this work, a new stimulation method based on cyclic soft stimulation (CSS) and liquid nitrogen (LN2) fracturing, known as cyclic LN2 fracturing is explored, which we believe has the potential to solve the above issues related to HF. The fracturing performances including breakdown pressure and fracture morphology on granites under true-triaxial stresses are investigated and compared with cyclic water fracturing. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM) tests and X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning tests were used for quantitative characterization of fracture parameters and to evaluate the cyclic LN2 fracturing performances. The results demonstrate that the cyclic LN2 fracturing results in reduced breakdown pressure, with between 21% and 67% lower pressure compared with using cyclic water fracturing. Cyclic LN2 fracturing tends to produce more complex and branched fractures, whereas cyclic water fracturing usually produces a single main fracture under a low number of cycles and pressure levels. Thermally-induced fractures mostly occur around the interfaces of different particles. This study shows the potential benefits of cyclic LN2 fracturing on HDR. It is expected to provide theoretical guidance for the cyclic LN2 fracturing application in HDR reservoirs.",
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note = "Funding Information: This research was supported by the Youth Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52004299), Major Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52192621), the National Science Foundation for National R&D Program for Major Research Instruments of China (51827804), Beijing Outstanding Young Scientist Program (BJJWZYJH01201911414038) and the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of China (51725404). The authors also would like to thank Peking University for our Cryo-SEM work and the Yinghua Inspection and Testing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd for their help in CT scanning and data collection.",
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T1 - Enhance liquid nitrogen fracturing performance on hot dry rock by cyclic injection

AU - Hong, Chun Yang

AU - Yang, Rui Yue

AU - Huang, Zhong Wei

AU - Zhuang, Xiao Ying

AU - Wen, Hai Tao

AU - Hu, Xiao Li

N1 - Funding Information: This research was supported by the Youth Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52004299), Major Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52192621), the National Science Foundation for National R&D Program for Major Research Instruments of China (51827804), Beijing Outstanding Young Scientist Program (BJJWZYJH01201911414038) and the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of China (51725404). The authors also would like to thank Peking University for our Cryo-SEM work and the Yinghua Inspection and Testing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd for their help in CT scanning and data collection.

PY - 2023/4

Y1 - 2023/4

N2 - Producing complex fracture networks in a safe way plays a critical role in the hot dry rock (HDR) geothermal energy exploitation. However, conventional hydraulic fracturing (HF) generally produces high breakdown pressure and results only in single main fracture morphology. Furthermore, HF has also other problems such as the increased risk of seismic events and consuption of large amount of water. In this work, a new stimulation method based on cyclic soft stimulation (CSS) and liquid nitrogen (LN2) fracturing, known as cyclic LN2 fracturing is explored, which we believe has the potential to solve the above issues related to HF. The fracturing performances including breakdown pressure and fracture morphology on granites under true-triaxial stresses are investigated and compared with cyclic water fracturing. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM) tests and X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning tests were used for quantitative characterization of fracture parameters and to evaluate the cyclic LN2 fracturing performances. The results demonstrate that the cyclic LN2 fracturing results in reduced breakdown pressure, with between 21% and 67% lower pressure compared with using cyclic water fracturing. Cyclic LN2 fracturing tends to produce more complex and branched fractures, whereas cyclic water fracturing usually produces a single main fracture under a low number of cycles and pressure levels. Thermally-induced fractures mostly occur around the interfaces of different particles. This study shows the potential benefits of cyclic LN2 fracturing on HDR. It is expected to provide theoretical guidance for the cyclic LN2 fracturing application in HDR reservoirs.

AB - Producing complex fracture networks in a safe way plays a critical role in the hot dry rock (HDR) geothermal energy exploitation. However, conventional hydraulic fracturing (HF) generally produces high breakdown pressure and results only in single main fracture morphology. Furthermore, HF has also other problems such as the increased risk of seismic events and consuption of large amount of water. In this work, a new stimulation method based on cyclic soft stimulation (CSS) and liquid nitrogen (LN2) fracturing, known as cyclic LN2 fracturing is explored, which we believe has the potential to solve the above issues related to HF. The fracturing performances including breakdown pressure and fracture morphology on granites under true-triaxial stresses are investigated and compared with cyclic water fracturing. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM) tests and X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning tests were used for quantitative characterization of fracture parameters and to evaluate the cyclic LN2 fracturing performances. The results demonstrate that the cyclic LN2 fracturing results in reduced breakdown pressure, with between 21% and 67% lower pressure compared with using cyclic water fracturing. Cyclic LN2 fracturing tends to produce more complex and branched fractures, whereas cyclic water fracturing usually produces a single main fracture under a low number of cycles and pressure levels. Thermally-induced fractures mostly occur around the interfaces of different particles. This study shows the potential benefits of cyclic LN2 fracturing on HDR. It is expected to provide theoretical guidance for the cyclic LN2 fracturing application in HDR reservoirs.

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KW - Fatigue damage

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KW - Liquid nitrogen fracturing

KW - Thermal stress

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