Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Estimation of Fracture Energy from Hydraulic Fracture Tests on Mortar and Rocks at Geothermal Reservoir Temperatures

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) can be thought of as an underground heat exchanger designed to extract geothermal energy. The performance of these systems can be improved by increasing permeability with hydraulic fracturing, following the same technique used for hydrocarbon reservoirs. To understand hydraulic fracturing, whether it is implemented in an EGS or in a hydrocarbon reservoir, it is important to know the fracture parameters of the rock at stake, e.g., the fracture energy. We report here the use of a method based on an energy balance during hydraulic fracture tests. Specimens were prepared and they have been mechanically and hydromechanically characterized at 20 ºC and 100 ºC, a temperature representative of actual reservoir conditions. The fracture energy is obtained from a balance of kinetic, potential and pressure energies involved in the hydraulic fracture tests. The method provides fracture energies that are consistent with the literature data on similar materials. It is also found that the fracture energy increases upon heating.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

\(G_{{\text{f}}}\) :

Fracture energy

E :

Modulus of elasticity

ϕ :

Open porosity

ʋ :

Poisson ratio

σ t :

Tensile strength

к :

Coefficient of permeability

σ c :

Maximum compressive strength

P atm :

Atmospheric pressure

E μ :

The Energy dissipated by viscosity

\(C\) :

Constant

\(D_{{\text{O}}}\) :

Diameter outside

\(D_{{\text{I}}}\) :

Diameter inside

AE:

Acoustic emission

References

  • ASTM C 642–13 (2013),Standard test method for density, absorption, and voids in hardened concrete. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, www.astm.org. Accessed Nov 2018

  • Bazant ZP, Kazemi MT (1990) Determination of fracture energy, process zone length and brittleness number from size effect, with application to rock and concrete. Int J Fract 44:111–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bazant ZP, Planas J (1998) Fracture and size effect in concrete and other quasi-brittle materials. CRC Press, p 640

    Google Scholar 

  • Bazant ZP, Prat PC (1988) Effect of temperature and humidity on fracture energy of concrete. ACI Mater J 85:262–271

  • Chen W, Maurel O, Reess T, Sylvestre De Ferron A, La Borderie C, Pijaudier-Cabot G, Rey-Betbeder F, Jacques A (2012) Experimental study on an alternative oil stimulation technique for tight gas reservoirs based on dynamic shock waves generated by pulsed arc electrohydraulic discharges. J Pet Eng 88–89:67–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choinska M, Khelidj A, Chatzigeorgiou G, Pijaudier-Cabot G (2007) Effects and interactions of temperature and stress-level related damage on permeability of concrete. Cem Concr Res 37:79–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedman M, Handin J, Alani G (1972) Fracture-surface energy of rocks. Int j Rock Mech Min Sci 9:757–766

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gell EM, Walley SM, Braithwaite CH (2019) Review of the Validity of the Use of Artificial Specimens for Characterizing the Mechanical Properties of Rocks. Rock Mech Rock Eng 52:2949–2961

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goncalves da Silva B, Einstein H (2018) Physical processes involved in the laboratory hydraulic fracturing of granite: visual observations and interpretations. Engrg Fract Mech 191:125–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haidar K, Pijaudier-Cabot G, Dubé JF, Loukili A (2005) Correlation between the internal length, the fracture process zone and size effect in model materials. Mater Struct 38:201–210

    Google Scholar 

  • Halamickova P, Detwiler RJ, Bentz DP, Garboczi EJ (1995) Water permeability and chloride ion diffusion in Portland cement mortars: relationship to sand content and critical pore diameter. Cem Concr Res 25(4):790–802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuruppu MD, Obara Y, Ayatollahi MR, Chong KP, Funatsu T (2013) The IRSM suggested methods for rock characterization, testing and monitoring. Springer, pp 107–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Li W, Jin Z, Cusatis G (2019) size effect analysis for the characterization of Marcellus shale Quasi-brittle fracture properties. Rock Mech Rock Eng 52:1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marinescu ID, Pruteanu M (2015) Deformation and fracture of ceramic materials. In: Doi T, Uhlmann E, Marinescu ID (eds) Handbook of ceramics grinding and polishing, 2nd edn. Elsevier Pubs, pp 50–66 (Chapter 2)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Maurel O, Rees T, Matallah M, De Ferron A, Chen W, Laborderie C, Pijaudier-Cabot G, Jacques A, Rey-Bethbeder F (2010) Electrohydraulic shock wave generation as a mean to increase intrinsic permeability of mortar. Cem Concr Res 40:1631–1638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mei C, Fang Q, Luo H, Yin J, Fu X (2017) A synthetic material to simulate soft rocks and its applications for model studies of socketed piles. Adv Mater Sci Eng 2017, 1565438

  • Menou A, Mounajed G, Carre PBH (2006) Residual Fracture Energy of Cement Paste, Mortar and Concrete Subject to High Temperature. Theoret Appl Fract Mech 45:64–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ouchterlony F (1988) Suggested methods for determining the fracture toughness of rock. ISRM Commission on Testing Methods. Int. j. Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 25:71–96 (co-ordinator)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pijaudier-Cabot G, Halimohammadi A, Nouailletas O, La Borderie C, Padin Peben A, Mathieu JP (2021) Experimental determination of the fracture energy of rocks form size effect tests on semi-circular notched specimens, submitted to Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering

  • Reid RC, Prausnitz JM, Poling BE (1987) The properties of gases and liquids. McGraw-Hill, New York, p 136

    Google Scholar 

  • Rilem (1990) Size effect method for determining fracture energy and process zone size of concrete. Mater and Struct 23:461–465

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tester JW, Anderson B, Batchelor A, Blackwell D, DiPippo R, Drake E, Garnish J, Livesay B, Moore MC, Nichols K (2006) The future of geothermal energy: Impact of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) on the United States in the 21st century. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    Google Scholar 

  • Wanniarachchi WAM, Ranjith PG, Perera MSA, Rathnaweera TD, Zhang DC, Zhang C (2018) Investigation of effects of fracturing fluid on hydraulic fracturing and fracture permeability of reservoir rocks: an experimental study using water and foam fracturing. Eng Fract Mech 194:117–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wei MD, Dai F, Xu NW, Zhao T, Liu Y (2017) An experimental and theoretical assessment of semi-circular bend specimens with chevron and straight-through notches for mode I fracture toughness testing of rocks. Int j Rock Mech Min Sci 99:28–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yew CH, Weng X (2014) Mechanics of hydraulic fracturing. Gulf Professional Publishing, pp 1–2

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou J, Chen M, Jin Y, Zhang G (2008) Analysis of fracture propagation behavior and fracture geometry using tri-axial fracturing system in naturally fractured reservoirs. Int j Rock Mech Min Sci 45:1143–1152

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Partial financial supports from the hub “Newpores” under the Investissement d’Avenir French programme (ANR-16-IDEX-0002), from CONACYT (Mexican National Council of Science and Technology), Campus France México and from ANDERA (Association pour le Développement des Energies Renouvelables et Alternatives) are acknowledged. A very special thanks to the staff of CeMIE-Geo for their help, especially to Dr. José Manuel Romo Jones, Lic. Claudia Cardenas, Lic. Belinda Sandoval, M.C. Margarita Martinez, Dr. Rene Guzmán and M.C. Omar Pérez Valdovinos.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Pedro de Alba s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, C.P 66451, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, Mexico

    Omar Rodríguez Villarreal, Alberto Varela Valdez & Moisés Hinojosa Rivera

  2. Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, E2S UPPA, SIAME, Allée du Parc Montaury, 64600, Anglet, France

    Omar Rodríguez Villarreal & Christian La Borderie

  3. Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, Total, LFCR, Allée du Parc Montaury, 64600, Anglet, France

    Omar Rodríguez Villarreal & Gilles Pijaudier-Cabot

  4. Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), Centro Mexicano de Innovación en Energía Geotérmica, Unidad Experimental de Yacimientos Geotérmicos, Rinconada del Pedregal 95, Playitas, C.P. 22860, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

    Omar Rodríguez Villarreal

Authors
  1. Omar Rodríguez Villarreal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alberto Varela Valdez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Christian La Borderie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gilles Pijaudier-Cabot
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Moisés Hinojosa Rivera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Conceptualization: AVV, MHR; methodology: ORV, AVV, CLB, GP-C; formal analysis and investigation: ORV, AVV; writing—original draft preparation: ORV; writing—review and editing: AVV, CLB, GP-C, MHR; funding acquisition: AVV, GPC, MHR, supervision: AVV, CLB, GP-C, MHR.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gilles Pijaudier-Cabot.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rodríguez Villarreal, O., Varela Valdez, A., La Borderie, C. et al. Estimation of Fracture Energy from Hydraulic Fracture Tests on Mortar and Rocks at Geothermal Reservoir Temperatures. Rock Mech Rock Eng 54, 4111–4119 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-021-02496-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-021-02496-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation