Creating Multidirectional Fractures Through Particle Jamming

Yusuke  Mukuhira; Ryota  Goto; Noriaki  Watanabe; Kazumasa  Sueyoshi; Kohei  Takuma; Rongchang  Zhang; Tongfei Tian; Vladimir Sokolovski; Makoto  Naoi; Yuko  Arai; Takaai Tomai; Masaoki  Uno; Takatoshi  Ito

doi:10.2139/ssrn.5043462

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Creating Multidirectional Fractures Through Particle Jamming

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Creating Multidirectional Fractures Through Particle Jamming

Yusuke Mukuhira, Ryota Goto, Noriaki Watanabe, Kazumasa Sueyoshi, Kohei Takuma, Rongchang Zhang, Tongfei Tian, Vladimir Sokolovski, Makoto Naoi, Yuko Arai, …

Social Science Research Network (SSRN) , Vol.4 December 2024

Elsevier

2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5043462

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Abstract

hydraulic fracturing

permeability enhancement

shear thickening fluid

particle jamming

Hydraulic fracturing initiates the fractures along the direction of maximum-stress in a plane normal to a borehole by injecting high-pressure fluid. Nucleated fractures enhance permeability around boreholes for the extraction of various subsurface resources and the injection of storage fluid such as CO2 or H2. However, hydraulic fracturing cannot technically generate fractures in directions other than that of the maximum-stress orientation; therefore, permeability enhancement is also limited along that direction. Here, we show experimentally induced multidirectional fractures using shear thickening fluid (STF) as the fracturing fluid, where its viscosity changes with shear rate owing to jamming of suspended nanoparticles. Laboratory experiments under uniaxial, biaxial, and true-triaxial conditions revealed that solidified STF effectively sealed nucleated fractures, leading to increased borehole pressure, even after the initial fracturing. In contrast, traditional hydraulic fracturing cannot maintain borehole pressure once the first hydraulic fracture is nucleated. This repeated pressure buildup facilitated the generation of multidirectional fractures that significantly increased permeability in various directions around boreholes, thereby substantially improving access to targeted formations. Consequently, the novel approach of using STF in fracturing successfully overcomes the limitations of traditional hydraulic fracturing techniques, which can increase the efficiency of energy extraction and impoundment to reduce global carbon footprint.

Details

Title: Creating Multidirectional Fractures Through Particle Jamming
Authors: Yusuke Mukuhira (Corresponding Author) - Tohoku University
Ryota Goto - Tohoku University
Noriaki Watanabe - Tohoku University
Kazumasa Sueyoshi - Tohoku University
Kohei Takuma - Tohoku University
Rongchang Zhang - Tohoku University
Tongfei Tian - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Vladimir Sokolovski - University of Wollongong
Makoto Naoi - Hokkaido University
Yuko Arai - Tohoku University
Takaai Tomai - Tohoku University
Masaoki Uno - Tohoku University
Takatoshi Ito - Tohoku University
Publication details: Social Science Research Network (SSRN) , Vol.4 December 2024
Publisher: Elsevier
Date published: 2024
DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.5043462
ISSN: 1556-5068
Grant note: This study was funded by Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) FOREST Program, Grant Number JPMJFR206Z (Y.M., R.G., and R.Z.), JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers P23K26596 (Y.M., N.W., and K.S.), JP22H02015, 23K23283, 21K18200 (N.W., R.G., K.S., K.T.), and 24K17139 (K.S.).
Organisation Unit: School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991093496902621
Output Type: Preprint

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