Mechanism of fracture damage induced by fracturing fluid flowback in shale gas reservoirs

In this paper, the Lower Silurian Longmaxi shale samples and the backflow fracturing fluid in the Changning Block of the Sichuan Basin were selected to investigate the damage mechanism of retained fracturing fluid to fractures in shale gas reservoirs. Thus, experiments were conducted on fracturing fluid backflow and gas-driving fracturing fluids. The changes of liquid permeability of shale samples, solid particle size distribution and turbidity of the backflow fracturing fluid were monitored. The gas permeability before and after fracturing fluid gas drive was compared, and the damage degree and mechanism of the backflow fracturing fluid to the fractures in shale samples were analyzed. And the following research results were obtained. First, the damage rate of shale permeability after the fracturing fluid backflow is between 53.1% and 97.6%, and the range of the solid particle size of the flowback fluid is significantly reduced. The main reservoir damage modes include phase trapping damage caused by liquid phase retention, blockage caused by the solid phase residue, particle migration induced by gas-carrying liquid and salt precipitation. Second, in the stage of gas phase flow, the damage rate of permeability drops to 23.1–80.2%, and the damage caused by liquid phase retention is relieved, but the damage caused by the blockage of solid phase residue and the salt precipitation of flowback on the facture surface is inevitable. Third, based on the damage mechanism of fracturing fluid backflow in shale gas wells to fractures, considering the treatment difficulty of the flowback and its damage to reservoir fractures, it is recommended to give a full play to the fracturing capacity of fracturing fluid and optimize the properties and dosages of fracturing fluid so as to reduce the flowback of fracturing fluid as much as possible. Keywords: Flowback of fracturing fluid, Shale gas, Reservoir damage, Solid phase retention, Water phase trapping, Particle migration, Salt precipitation, Sichuan basin, Changning block, Early silurian