MR013-02
Rock-Fluid Interactions: Fracture Formation and Fluid Distributions
Tuesday, 15 December 2020: 19:04
Virtual
Laura J Pyrak-Nolte1, Liyang Jiang2, Chven A Mitchell3, Zhenyu Xu2, Hongfan Cao4, Seonkyoo Yoon4, Peter K. Kang5, Jessica M Rimsza6, Jeremy Trageser7, Antonio Bobet8 and Hongkyu Yoon9, (1)Purdue University, Department of Physics and Astronomy; Department of Earth, Atomospheric and Planetary Sciences; Lyles School of Civil Engineering, West Lafayette, IN, United States, (2)Purdue University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Lafayette, IN, United States, (3)Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States, (4)University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Minneapolis, MN, United States, (5)University of Minnesota, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Minneapolis, MN, United States, (6)Sandia National Laboratories, Geochemistry Department, Albuquerque, NM, United States, (7)Sandia National Laboratories, Computational Multiscale Department, Albuquerque, NM, United States, (8)Purdue University, Lyles School of Civil Engineering, West Lafayette, IN, United States, (9)Sandia National Laboratories, Department of Geomechanics, Albuquerque, NM, United States
Abstract:
Fractures are one of the dominant factors that influence the success or failure of subsurface activities related to gas production, geothermal energy development and storage of anthropogenic fluids in the Earth’ssubsurface.A goal for subsurface engineering is to develop the ability to adaptively control fractures to direct, enhance or hinder fluid flow through subsurface rock systems. One of the key challenges is understanding the response of fractures to geomechanical and geochemical perturbations that are often coupled through formation fluids, engineered fluids, mineralogy and the fracture geometry.
This presentation will examine: (1) the competition between layering and mineral texture in the formation of fracture surface roughness with preferential flow directions; (2) gravity-driven chemical dynamics in the mixing of fluids within a fracture and how this affects the spatial distribution of precipitates in a fracture; and (3) geochemical-geomechanical coupling through volumetric changes in clay minerals that lead to the formation of micro-crack networks.The results from these studies advance current understanding of the importance of coupled microscopic properties and processes that affect fracture formation and fracture surface alteration over time.
Acknowledgment: This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Geosciences Research Program under Award Number (DE-FG02-09ER16022). SNL is managed and operated by NTESS under DOE NNSA contract DE-NA0003525. SAND2020-7651 A
