Estimating Un-propped Fracture Conductivity and Fracture Compliance from Diagnostic Fracture Injection Tests

Abstract

Fractures are ubiquitous in the subsurface. The flow and mechanical properties of these fractures are controlled by its compliance or stiffness. Characterizing fracture compliance and conductivity is crucial in applications such as fault zone studies, underground CO2 sequestration, nuclear waste repositories, geothermal energy exploitation and hydrocarbon reservoir development. In this study, we present a time convolution solution of pressure transient behavior of a closing fracture. From Diagnostic Fracture Injection Tests, our presented method can be used to estimate subsurface fracture conductivity and compliance as a function of effective stress.