Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid Reaction with Shale in Experiments at Unconventional Gas Reservoir Conditions

Abstract:

Despite the marked increase in hydraulic fracturing for unconventional natural gas production over the past decade, reactions between hydraulic fracturing fluids (HFF) and shale reservoirs remain poorly reported in the scientific literature. Shale-HFF interaction could cause mineral dissolution, releasing matter from the shale, or mineral precipitation that degrades reservoir permeability. Furthermore, data are limited on whether scale inhibitors are effective at preventing mineral precipitation and whether these inhibitors adversely affect reservoir fluid chemistry and permeability.

To investigate HFF-rock interaction within shale reservoirs, we conducted flow-through experiments exposing Marcellus Shale to synthetic HFF at reservoir conditions (66^oC, 20MPa). Outcrop shale samples were cored, artificially fractured, and propped open with quartz sand. Synthetic HFFs were mixed with chemical additives similar to those used for Marcellus Shale gas wells in Ohio and Southwestern Pennsylvania (FracFocus.org). We evaluated differences between shale reactions with HFF made from natural freshwater and reactions with HFF made from synthetic produced water (designed to simulate produced water that is diluted and re-used for subsequent hydraulic fracturing). We also compared reactions with HFFs including hydrochloric acid (HCl) to represent the initial acid stage, and HFFs excluding HCl. Reactions were determined through changes in fluid chemistry and X-ray CT and SEM imaging of the shale before and after experiments.

Results from experiments with HFF containing HCl showed dissolution of primary calcite, as expected. Experiments using HFF made from synthetic produced water had significant mineral precipitation, particularly of barium and calcium sulfates. X-ray CT images from these experiments indicate precipitation of minerals occurred either along the main fracture or within smaller splay fractures, depending on fluid composition.

These experiments suggest that HFF reaction with shale may significantly alter reservoir mineralogy and could damage reservoir permeability with secondary mineral precipitation. This topic deserves further study as gas production rates and ultimate recovery may be suboptimal, with consequential increases in the footprint of natural gas extraction.