Abstract:
Medium-rank coalbed methane is the core target for deep coalbed methane exploration and development in China. Conducting research on the influence laws and control mechanisms of fracturing geological characteristics of coal reservoirs at this metamorphic degree on gas well productivity helps deepen the understanding of deep coalbed methane reservoir fracturing reconstruction, sweet spot evaluation, and resource potential assessment, providing targeted scientific references for the efficient development and technological optimization of deep medium-rank coalbed methane in China. Taking the Gansu Yaojie coalbed methane project as the research carrier, The coupled control mechanism of fracturing geological characteristics of medium-rank coalbeds and gas well productivity is analyzed. Combined with systematic coal rock testing, true triaxial fracturing physical simulation experiments, and on-site production dynamic monitoring data, it systematically explores their impacts on gas well testing effects. The results show that: ①The medium-rank coal in the Gansu Yaojie mining area is characterized by high organic matter content, good coal quality, and strong hydrocarbon generation capacity, which is conducive to coalbed methane accumulation. Compared with shale, the medium-rank coal has relatively lower elastic modulus, hardness, and fracture toughness, making it easy to form wide fractures during hydraulic fracturing but relatively difficult to develop complex fracture networks; ② The natural fracture system of medium-rank coalbeds includes large fractures, gas-expansion joints, endogenous fractures, and structural traction fractures. The excellent grading relationship of natural fractures serves as an ideal channel for reservoir fluid production and plays a key role in the formation of hydraulic fracturing networks. The coal structure in the middle and lower parts of the coalbed is more fragmented, with developed bedding-parallel coal dust source aggregates; ③ True triaxial fracturing physical simulation experiments indicate that natural fabrics (such as bedding and natural fractures) in medium-rank coal are relatively easy to activate during hydraulic fracturing, and can be opened to form artificial fractures under low fluid pressure. Compared with shale, the fracturing fracture-formation mechanism of medium-rank coalbed methane is relatively unique; ④ The key reconstruction factors restricting the productivity of medium-rank coalbed methane wells are the grading relationship of fracturing fractures and the width of main fractures. Among them, the grading relationship of fractures at different levels affects the overall seepage efficiency of the reservoir, while the width of main fractures determines the long-term conductivity of fracture channels, especially the passage capacity of coal dust particles. “Wide-fracture fracturing” may become the technical trend for deep medium-rank coalbed methane fracturing reconstruction; ⑤ Medium-rank coalbed methane reservoirs are well-developed with natural fractures, leading to severe fracturing fluid loss and frequent sand plugging. Ensuring high-displacement injection during fracturing is a key challenge for coalbed methane fracturing. Adopting a large-displacement cyclic injection procedure not only guarantees the length of the main fractures but also facilitates the formation of fracture networks with a certain degree of complexity through reciprocating pressure build-up, ultimately achieving the fracture-formation effect of “ controlling near-wellbore and expanding far-field”.