Multidimensional, experimental and modeling evaluation of permeability evolution, the Caney Shale Field Lab, OK, USA
Multidimensional, experimental and modeling evaluation of permeability evolution, the Caney Shale Field Lab, OK, USA
Katende, A.↗
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Long-term permeability evolution of shale seal rocks with argon and scCO 2
In this work, we conducted a suite of experiments to evaluate the long-term permeability evolution of shale rocks under constant effective stress, before, during, and after interaction with supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO 2 ). To do so, we measured the time-dependent evolution of argon permeabilities for the pre- and post-reacted samples (i.e., before and after long-term interaction with scCO 2 ). In addition, we obtained permeability evolution during long-term interaction with scCO 2 . The samples showed either relatively constant permeabilities or a moderate decrease during pre reaction long-term argon tests. The permeability evolution during long-term CO 2 tests showed continuous increase, continuous decrease, or cycles of increase/decrease in permeability. The long term response of the samples to CO 2 included phenomena such as 20 (i) salt precipitation, (ii) swelling-induced cracks, and (iii) carbonate dissolution. While it is obvious that salt precipitation and swelling-induced cracks decrease and increase the permeability, respectively, the sample response to carbonate dissolution proved to be more complex and may increase or decrease the permeability. The permeability evolution during post-reaction long-term argon injection is also affected by the contribution of each of these three phenomena, during long-term interaction with CO 2 . We observe increase, decrease, and constant permeability evolution during post-reaction argon tests. Our experiments reveal that the initial permeability of the samples plays a significant role on the long-term permeability response of shales in the presence argon and scCO 2 fluids. This study shows, when shales are hydraulically fractured with CO 2 , their initial permeability has a more significant role than their permeability evolution over time.
58 GEOSCIENCES↗
Porosity-Permeability Evolution During Simultaneous Mineral Dissolution and Precipitation
Permeability in reactive porous media evolves in complex ways that are hard to predict. Macroscopic empirical equations are often used to estimate permeability evolution but fail to reflect the impact of pore scale reactions on permeability. This work aims to understand the evolution of permeability in systems where mineral dissolution and precipitation occur simultaneously. Pore network models are used for permeability simulation of a Paluxy sandstone using pore and pore-throat size distributions from the analysis of X-ray CT images. Pore and pore-throat radii are increased and decreased to reflect the effects of dissolution and precipitation reactions. Varying spatial distributions of reactions are simulated and the resulting porosity and permeability values compared with commonly used macroscopic equations. It is observed that when dissolution occurs at the inlet and precipitation at the outlet, porosity increases while permeability decreases. Similar results are also observed in the respective opposite scenario where precipitation occurs at the inlet and dissolution at the outlet. When dissolution and precipitation reactions are randomly distributed throughout the network, porosity increases with little change in permeability that is not captured by the empirical equations. When reactions are controlled by pore and pore-throat sizes, such as dissolution occurring in pores and pore-throats of small size and precipitation in pores and pore-throats of larger size, porosity and permeability decrease. When precipitation occurs in pores and pore-throats of smaller size and dissolution in pores and pore-throats of larger size, porosity and permeability increase and is described relatively well by the Verma-Pruess porosity-permeability equation.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Understanding Fracture Aperture and Permeability Evolution due to Carbonate Mineralization Utilizing 3D Printing
Caprock formations are a crucial part of subsurface-engineered systems. Composed largely of shale, caprocks act as natural barriers that prevent the upward migration of fluids, thereby ensuring the containment of stored substances in subsurface formations. Fractures in these formations are potential leakage pathways for stored fluids. Mineral precipitation reactions in these fractures, particularly calcite, can significantly restrict the fluid permeability, reducing leakage potential. However, predictive capabilities of mineral precipitation in fractures and associated permeability evolution are limited due to a lack of fundamental understanding of such reactions in natural samples, complicated by mineral heterogeneity and the complexity of the fracture structure. In this study, 3D-printed fracture samples are used to understand the impact of carbonate mineralization on fracture aperture and permeability evolution. Samples were printed using a digital light processing (DLP) 3D printer and commercial liquid resin. Calcite precipitation was first tested on printed 2D films before conducting plug flow column experiments aimed to understand fracture permeability changes due to mineral precipitation. Contact angle measurement and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy on printed 2D films show evidence of a substantial amount of surface energy for calcite nucleation and precipitation. Surface topography analysis of printed fractured surfaces reveals comparable values, highlighting the high replicability of the printed samples. During the column experiments, the permeability reduces exponentially due to a decrease in fracture aperture. Reductions in fracture aperture estimated from effluent concentration and 3D X-ray computed tomography (CT) show comparable results. Moreover, 3D X-ray CT images suggest the impact of local flow velocities on precipitation. The insights gained from this research contribute to a deeper understanding of the permeability evolution due to carbonate mineralization in caprock formations.
3D printing↗
Effects of anisotropic shale creep on the stress and permeability evolution of a geological nuclear waste repository
To ensure long-term safety and performance, geological nuclear waste repositories require low-permeability barriers such as bentonite buffers and/or shale host rock. Shale is not only known for its low permeability but also for its trend to undergo time-dependent deformation (i.e., creep), which could heal damage, but the effects of shale creep on the long-term performance of nuclear waste repositories have not been clearly understood. In particular, the anisotropic nature of shale (i.e., bedding) could have a significant effect on its creep behavior, and consequently, on the long-term performance of nuclear waste repositories. In this research, numerical simulations were carried out with the objective of showing the effects of anisotropic shale creep on the stress and permeability evolution of a generic geological nuclear waste repository in shale. The TOUGH-FLAC simulator, a thermo-hydromechanically (THM) coupled numerical code, was used for the simulations. To achieve the objective, comparisons were performed between the results of anisotropic shale creep simulations and those of different simulation cases, namely, no creep (i.e., elastic), isotropic creep, and long-term creep shale cases. Results of the comparisons show that the elastic and isotropic creep shale cases respectively led to the overestimation and underestimation of stress and permeability in the repository, whereas the long-term creep shale case, which accumulated greater creep in later periods than in earlier periods, helped to keep large shear and tensile stresses from developing while maintaining compressive spherical stress, resulting in consistently low permeability levels. These results indicate that performance assessments with elastic and isotropic creep formation models will provide the upper and lower bound estimates of stress and permeability, while more reasonable estimates will be given by an anisotropic creep formation model, and that shale with long-term creep characteristics will be beneficial in many aspects of the safety and performance of nuclear waste repositories.
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
Permeability Evolution of Fractures in Shale in the Presence of Supercritical CO 2
We experimentally examined the impact of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO 2 ) on fracture permeability and fracture surface characteristics in shales of various compositions. We measured permeability and fracture normal displacement at different effective stresses using both argon and scCO 2 as pore fluids. Both natural fractures and saw cuts in intact samples were used in our study. The permeability and fracture normal displacement decrease after multiple loading/unloading cycles, apparently as the result of inelastic compaction. In samples with high carbonate content, we observe an increase in permeability and fracture surface degradation after more than 3.5 days of exposure to scCO 2 , apparently due to carbonate dissolution. We demonstrate that the sensitivity of permeability to effective normal stress correlates well with the fracture normal displacement. The dependence of permeability on effective normal stress increases after exposure to scCO 2 as the fracture surface became more compliant.
58 GEOSCIENCES↗
Permeability evolution of reservoir rocks interacting with CO2/brine under CO2 sequestration conditions
The Mount Simon formation in the Midwest region of the U.S. is considered as a potential candidate host reservoir for carbon storage. Obtaining knowledge of possible geochemically induced changes to the permeability and porosity of host CO2 storage sandstone will enable us to gain a deeper insight of the long-term reservoir behavior under the CO2 storage conditions. An experimental study of the interaction of CO2/brine/rock on saline formations in a static system under CO2 storage conditions was conducted.
Soong, Yee↗
Transient evolution of permeability and friction in a slowly slipping fault activated by fluid pressurization
The mechanisms of permeability and friction evolution in a natural fault are investigated in situ. During three fluid injection experiments at different places in a fault zone, we measured simultaneously the fluid pressure, fault displacements and seismic activity. Changes in fault permeability and friction are then estimated concurrently. Results show that fault permeability increases up to 1.58 order of magnitude as a result of reducing effective normal stress and cumulative dilatant slip, and 19-to-60.8% of the enhancement occurs without seismic emissions. When modeling the fault displacement, we found that a rate-and-state friction and a permeability dependent on both slip and slip velocity together reasonably fit the fault-parallel and fault-normal displacements. This leads to the conclusion that the transient evolution of fault permeability and friction caused by a pressure perturbation exerts a potentially dominant control on fault stability during fluid flow.
58 GEOSCIENCES↗
Co‐Evolution of Specific Stiffness and Permeability of Rock Fractures Offset in Shear
Abstract Fractures and faults represent planes of weakness and compliance in rock masses that serve as focal points for both microearthquakes and fluid transport, with seismicity and permeability evolution closely linked. Contact stiffness is highly stress‐sensitive and directly influences permeability. We explore the co‐evolution of specific stiffness and permeability of rough fractures under normal stress and shear offset using numerical simulations. Individual rough fractures are represented by variable amplitude (Root mean square) and wavelength ( λ ) using a granular mechanics model. Contacting rough surfaces are mated, offset in shear, and then compacted in displacement mode. The compacting fractures generate stress‐dependent changes in contact porosity, which govern both permeability and stiffness evolution. We establish a universal dimensionless relationship linking specific stiffness and permeability that inherently incorporates the effects of surface roughness, shear offset, and microcracking. The observed cracking effect—where local stress redistribution and pressure‐driven microcrack propagation dynamically alter the aperture field—introduces a nonlinear permeability response at high stress. Increased roughness amplitude and larger shear offsets reduce stiffness while dampening permeability sensitivity to stress, demonstrating a strong interplay between surface texture and hydro‐mechanical behavior. While the model captures this behavior effectively, deviations emerge at very low porosities due to extreme aperture sensitivity in this limit.
He, Xinxin [Energy and Mineral Engineering Pennsyl↗
Crustal permeability generated through microearthquakes is constrained by seismic moment
We link changes in crustal permeability to informative features of microearthquakes (MEQs) using two field hydraulic stimulation experiments where both MEQs and permeability evolution are recorded simultaneously. The Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (Bi-LSTM) model effectively predicts permeability evolution and ultimate permeability increase. Our findings confirm the form of key features linking the MEQs to permeability, offering mechanistically consistent interpretations of this association. Transfer learning correctly predicts permeability evolution of one experiment from a model trained on an alternate dataset and locale, which further reinforces the innate interdependency of permeability-to-seismicity. Models representing permeability evolution on reactivated fractures in both shear and tension suggest scaling relationships in which changes in permeability (Δk) are linearly related to the seismic moment (M) of individual MEQs as Δk ∝ M. This scaling relation rationalizes our observation of the permeability-to-seismicity linkage, contributes to its predictive robustness and accentuates its potential in characterizing crustal permeability evolution using MEQs.
15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
Utah FORGE 5-2565: Evolution of Permeability and Strength Recovery of Shear Fractures Under Hydrothermal Conditions - 2024 Annual Workshop Presentation
This is a presentation on the Evolution of Permeability and Strength Recovery of Shear Fractures Under Hydrothermal Conditions by United States Geological Survey, presented by Tamara Jeppson. This video slide presentation, by the USGS, discusses the determination of how thermal, hydrologic, mechanical, and chemical (THMC) processes affect the sustainability of fracture networks in geothermal reservoirs. This includes (1) the qualification of rates of change of fracture properties, (2) the parameterization of modes of reaction, (3) the development of micromechanical and empirical fracture models, and (4) extended THMC models for laboratory- and reservoir-scale models. This presentation was featured in the Utah FORGE R&D Annual Workshop on August 15, 2024.
15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
Evolution of Permeability in Sandstone During Confined Brazilian Testing
Permeability measurements were made on sandstone during confined Brazilian strength tests. The test involves 50 mm diameter disk-shaped, jacketed samples that are subjected to confining stresses while they are diametrically loaded. Specially designed end caps allow for concurrent gas flow measurements. The test configuration allows for the samples to be subjected to a range of stresses, with the confining stress as the intermediate principal stress. Furthermore, the majority of the tests measured permeability during loading to failure in the confined extension region. The permeability of the sandstone sample increases significantly well before the peak load is reached due to newly formed microcracks that continue to coalesce and dilate with further loading. Permeability increases are inversely proportional to the intermediate principal stress as increased confining pressures suppress growth, coalescence, and dilation of microcracks. Additional testing includes unloading and reloading cycles prior to failure. With each unloading–reloading cycle, permeability at comparable stresses is increased compared to the previous cycle, consistent with increasing damage in the form of an expanding microcrack network.
58 GEOSCIENCES↗
Strength, Fracture Evolution, and Permeability Changes from Confined Brazilian Tests on Sandstone
Understand failure conditions of rock in the confined extension region
58 GEOSCIENCES↗
Predicting long-term evolution of permeable surface area and detonation performance parameters of a porous powder initiator using accelerated aging data
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Materials science↗
Coupled Thermo–Hydro–Mechanical Modeling of Hydro-Shearing Stimulation in an Enhanced Geothermal System in the Raft River Geothermal Field, USA
The Raft River Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) demonstration project aims to improve the geothermal production by enhancing the reservoir permeability via shear stimulation in well RRG-9. In this paper, we performed a series of 3D thermo– hydro–mechanical (THM) simulations to investigate the influence of hydraulic and thermal effects on the development of this EGS. The model includes synthetic fracture populations based on borehole televiewer images and in-situ stress measurements from well RRG-9. Fracture permeability evolution is determined using an empirical permeability law developed from laboratory experiments. The model was calibrated by comparing the hydraulic response to field observations, including wellhead pressure, injection rate, and well injectivity. Particularly, we analyzed the enhancement of reservoir permeability and the spatial extent of the stimulation zone for the given injection schedule. Our results indicate that the permeability enhancement of fractured geothermal reservoir is caused by the combined effects of injection-induced cooling and fluid pressure increase. The decrease of temperature plays a dominant role in reactivation of natural fractures under the hydro-shearing mechanism, while the higher injection pressure promotes shear failure and enlarges the stimulation zone. Finally, for the specified extensional stress state, the model favors greatest permeability enhancement along the maximum horizontal principal stress, a moderate vertical enhancement, and a smaller gain along the minimum horizontal principal stress.
58 GEOSCIENCES↗
Induced microearthquakes predict permeability creation in the brittle crust
Predicting the evolution of permeability accurately during stimulation at the reservoir scale and at the resolution of individual fractures is essential to characterize the fluid transport and the reactive/heat-transfer characteristics of reservoirs where stress exerts significant control. Here, we develop a hybrid machine learning (ML) model to visualize in situ permeability evolution for an intermediate-scale (~10 m) hydraulic stimulation experiment. This model includes an ML model that was trained using the well history of flow rate and wellhead pressure and MEQ data from the first three stimulation episodes to predict average permeability from the statistical features of the MEQs alone for later episodes. Moreover, a physics-inspired model is integrated to estimate in situ fracture permeability spatially. This method relates fracture permeability to fracture dilation and scales dilation to the equivalent MEQ magnitude, according to laboratory observations. The seismic data are then applied to define incremental changes in permeability in both space and time. Our results confirm the excellent agreement between the ground truth and model-predicted permeability evolution. The resulting permeability map defines and quantifies flow paths in the reservoir with the averaged permeability comparing favorably with the ground truth of permeability.
induced seismicity↗