Geology Commons^™

Characterization Of Damage Zones Associated With Laboratory Produced Natural Hydraulic Fractures, Erin Bradley

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Both joint sets and fault-related fractures serve as important conduits for fluid flow. In the former case, they can strongly influence both permeability and permeability anisotropy, with implications for production of water, hydrocarbons and contaminant transport. The latter can affect issues of fluid flow, such as whether a given fault seals or leaks, and fault mechanics. These fractures are commonly interpreted as Natural Hydraulic Fractures (NHFs), i.e., mode 1 fractures produced when pore fluid pressure exceeds the tensile strength of the rock. Various mathematical models have been a rich source of hypotheses to explain the formation and propagation of NHFs, …