An Experimental Investigation into the Effects of the Anisotropy of Shale on Hydraulic Fracture Propagation

Hydraulic fracturing is a key technology in the exploitation of shale gas. Shale formations are a type of typical transverse isotropic material. The mechanisms that generate complex fracture networks during the fracturing process are of vital importance to hydraulic fracturing design. In this article, in order to analyze the effects of the anisotropic characteristics on the propagation of hydraulic fractures in shale formations, a series of hydraulic fracturing experiments were carried out with different stress conditions and injection rates. The effects of the anisotropic structure on the propagation of hydraulic fractures were revealed. The results show that the breakdown pressure increases with an increase in the injection rate of the fracturing fluid. It is suggested that the bedding plane angle of the shale formation has a great influence on the fracturing results. Additionally, as the deviator stress increases, the breakdown pressure decreases. From macroscopic observation of the fractures, different hydraulic fracture morphologies and hydraulic fracture propagation patterns were observed.